三歲那年，我遇到了聖誕老人大綱

My dad had 3 strokes when I was 3.
我3歲的時候，父親中風了3次
My mom went back to work,
我母親又重新開始工作了
but they were having trouble making ends meet.
但他們還是難以維持日常所需的開銷
It was Christmas,
聖誕節的時候
and my mom made me a doll,
我媽媽給我做了一個玩偶
my brother was getting a book from a garage sale,
我哥哥在大甩賣上淘到了一本書
and for dinner
而聖誕大餐
mom splurged for Kraft mac&cheese.
媽媽忍痛買了卡夫牌的奶酪通心粉
On Christmas eve there
在那個平安夜
was a phone call
我們忽然接到電話
telling us
告訴我們
someone was seen "lurking " around our yard,
有人看到一個陌生人在我家院子周圍“遊蕩”
and it should be investigated.
這件事有待調查
On the porch
在門廊上
we found a basket
我們找到了一個籃子
with ham, green beans,
裏面有火腿，青豆
corn, potatoes, yams,
玉米，土豆，山藥
pumpkin pie, and apple pie
還有南瓜派和蘋果派
for dinner.
真是一頓大餐
There were eggs, biscuits,
還有雞蛋，餅乾
milk, and bacon for breakfast too!
牛奶和培根，連早餐也有了！
In a small red bag
在一個小小的紅色袋子裏
there were gifts
放着許多的禮物
for my brother, mom, dad, and myself.
給我哥哥，媽媽，爸爸，還有我自己
Leading up to the porch
從門口一直道門廊
there were boot prints,
一路上有靴子的腳印
and "sleigh " marks in the snow.
雪地裏還有“雪橇”的印記
This was 37 years ago,
這是37年前的事
and I remember this
我一直記得
as my best Christmas
把它當做最棒的聖誕節
because we saw that
因爲我們一家人親眼見證了
Santa came to see us.
聖誕老人的拜訪
We had the physical evidence
我們找到了確鑿的證據
from the boots, sleigh,
靴子的足跡，雪橇的痕跡
and were told that
還曾有人告訴我們
Santa might not have our new address.
聖誕老人或許沒有我們的新地址
To this day
直到今天
my mom still has no idea
我媽媽還是不知道
how santa found us that year.
那一年聖誕老人是如何找到我們的
She still doesn't know
她仍不知道
who was the literal saint
那個聖誕老人究竟是什麼人
who gave us gifts,
會送給我們禮物
but also kept alive the the magic of the season for her children.
而且還爲她的孩子們更加確信了聖誕節的魔力
So
所以
to our special Santa
我們特別的聖誕老人
(whoever you were)
無論你是誰
thank you!!!
謝謝你！
Yes I teared up writing this.
沒錯，我寫這篇文章的時候熱淚盈眶