父亲是一个谜
Father is a mystery
原创：斧子 中译英：斧子的二当家
父亲很骄傲地说：“我这一生，从不求人。我就辛辛苦苦在那里好好干。
父亲到底是个怎么样的人？作为他的儿子，我曾给出的是四个字：努力，骄傲。
What kind of man is my father? As his son, I've given him this comment: hard work, pride.
当年在老家与父亲一同参军的，有二十多个人。结果留在部队里提干的，只有父亲一个人。N年后，父亲的战友封谋际在我家里喝酒，借着酒醉上头，满脸通红的，给我爆料：“刚入伍，大家都分得好，打的打炮，开的开车。只有你父亲，分到了连队后就去养猪。养了三年猪，一养就是几十头，把猪养的肥肥胖胖。全团最壮最重的猪，就是你老子养出来的。那时候没有饲料，全靠杀猪草养。你老子的双手，杀猪草杀的，满手的老茧，比在农村做事的人的手，还要粗糙上百倍。看着都让人心酸。够努力，够吃苦！”
The year my father joined the army, there were more than twenty men in the hometown were enlisted. It turned out the only person succeeded to leave in the army and get promoted cadre was my dad. N years later, my father's comrade Feng Mouji once drank in my house. When getting drunk and blushing, he revealed revealed some message to me: 'when we're just enlisted, everybody was allocated well, some fire cannons, some drove cars. Your father was the only one who went to raise pigs after assigned to the company. After three years of raising pigs, dozens of fat pigs were raised up. The biggest, heaviest pig in the whole regiment was raised by your old father. Back then, there was no feed. It was all about killing ragweed, and your old father's hands which were a hundred times rougher than the hands of people who work in the countryside were full of calluses because of it. It's just so sad to watch. He is hardworking and can really eat the bitter!'
父亲坐在一边喝酒，一言不发。任凭他的战友讲酒话。我也不打断封叔叔的兴致，再加上也确实想了解父亲的过去，就只管继续倒酒，专心专意听着。
My father sat drinking and said nothing. Just let his comrade talk wine words. I did not interrupt my uncle Feng's interest, and i did want to know my father's past, so i just kept pouring the wine and paying attention.
“别人训练完了，不是打扑克，就是下象棋，到处玩。你老子就捧着一本书看。每天都写心得体会。当时就流行这个。干这样的事的人，才算得上新潮。《毛泽东选集》他是倒背如流。当兵前他肚子里那点点墨水，哪里比得过我们。但是，他自学成才。最后，评选五好战士、毛泽东的好学生，你老子当仁不让，谁都比不过他，就他选上了。全团没有人不服气的。我就佩服你老子这一点，够努力，够吃苦！”
'When people's done training, they would play poker, play chess or play elsewhere. Your old man was always reading books, and every day, he would write about his feelings and experiences. It was in fashion at the time. A man who did something like that was fashionable. He could even recite the collection of Mao Zedong backwards fluently. There's not much ink in his stomach before enlisted in the army, his literacy was far worse than any of us. But he became trained through self-education. In the end, in the selection of “five-good” fighter and best student of Mao Zedong, your old father convinced everyone that he is the best one and no one else can be better than him. I admire your old man for that. He is hardworking and can really eat the bitter!'
父亲转业到地方后，在衡南县一个最偏远的区公所当干部。很多人，都是干几年，就找关系往城市里调动。那时候，县城就在衡阳市城北区里，往县里机关单位调动就是进衡阳城。但是，父亲一干就是几十年，直至退休，从来不找人要求调动。
After my father was transferred to the local, he worked as an official in one of Hengnan county's most remote regional offices.There're many people who would do this kind of job for a few years, and then find a way to move into the city. At that time, the county was located in the northern district of Hengyang, and the transfer to the city offices was to enter Hengyang. But my father worked there for decades and never asked for a transfer until he retired.
老娘不止一次跟父亲吵架。老娘说：“你当初可是说过，最多只干几年就调走。为什么还不走？”父亲总是反问：“你想往哪里走？”
My mother quarreled with him more than once. The old woman said, 'you've said it was only for a few years at the most. Why haven't you gone? ' My father always asked back, 'where do you want to go? '
父亲退休后，有一次跟我闲聊，我就问出了心中的疑惑：“老爸，你那时候，怎么就不找关系往城里跑呢？凭你的真本事和工作成绩，应该不难吧？”
After retired, my father once chatted with me, and I asked him the doubt in my heart: 'dad, why didn't you find a relationship to run to the city? With your ability and work performance, it should not be a difficult thing, right? '
父亲很骄傲地说：“我这一生，从不求人。我就辛辛苦苦在那里好好干。领导认为我是个人才，把我往上调动，我不会拒绝。领导看到了或者没有看到，或者装作没看到，不主动调动我，我不会去找关系。哪里不是做事？哪里不是领工资吃饭？”
My father said proudly, 'I have never asked anyone for help in my life. I just worked hard there..If the leader thinks I am a talent and moves me up. I will not refuse. The leader sees or doesn't see, or pretends not to see, does not take the initiative to move me, i will not seek relationship. Where can't you work? Where don't you get paid to eat?'
我的老父亲啊，城里和乡下能一样吗？生活水准，生活设施，看病就医，娱乐休闲......哪一样不是方便多多啊！
My old father, could the country be the same as the city? Standard of living, amenities, medical care, recreation... What's so much more convenient!
对于父亲这近似迂腐的说法，我无话可说。或者，这就是父亲心中一直在坚持的骄傲。靠实干，靠苦干，凭真本事上位，这就是他心目中的信条。
I have nothing to say to my father about this seemingly pedantic statement. Or, this is the pride my father has always held in his heart. Work well, work hard, and stand on his own two feet, that's what he believed in.
试问：如今这年月，哪个不是拼命跑官呀？不是拼命往上爬啊？父亲算得上是一个非主流的另类了。
I wonder: who is not running for officials this year? who're not trying to climb up? Dad is sort of an alternative non-mainstream.
但是，父亲又说了一段话，让我彻底震惊了。
But then my father said another paragraph that completely shocked me.
“崽呀，我的那些战友，凡是后来到处钻营，进了衡阳城里的，都早就死掉了。那个法院的綦叔叔，那个粮食局的周叔叔，还有刘叔叔......城里的世界是花花世界，把握不好，就容易短寿的。还是乡下安静，清净，没有乱七八糟的东西，适合生活些。”
'My dear, all my comrades, who chose to climb all over and entered the city of Hengyang, died early. Uncle Qi in the court, Uncle Zhou in the food bureau, and Uncle Liu... The city is a world full of flowers, and it's easy to live a short life if you can't handle it well. The country is quiet and clean, there are no mess things, suitable for living.'
哦，难道这就是父亲没有外传的养生之道？
Oh, is that the secret way my father preserve his health?
近八十岁的老父亲是一个谜，我这个做儿子的，还没有完全找到那些谜底。
My father, who is nearly eighty years old, is a mystery, and i, as a son, haven't fully found the answers yet.
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