When the scruffy orange cat showed up in the prison yard, I was one of the first to go out there and pet it. I hadn't touched a cat or a dog in over 20 years. It was an amazing bit of grace to feel him under my hand and know that I was enriching the life of another creature with something as simple as my care. I believe that caring for something or someone in need is what makes us human.
当那只脏兮兮的橘黄色猫儿出现在监狱的院子里时,我是第一批走上前去抚摸它的人之一。我已经有二十多年未曾摸过一只猫或狗了。感觉到它在我的手掌下,明白自己只不过用一丝简朴的关怀就让另一个生命的日子变得充实起来,这真是一种令人惊叹的恩典。我相信,对有需要的人或物表示关怀,是我们作为人所应有的特质。
Over the next few days, I watched other prisoners responding to the cat. Every yard period, a group of prisoners gathered there. They stood around talking and taking turns petting the cat. These were guys you wouldn't usually find talking to each other. Several times I saw an officer in the group—not chasing people away, but just watching and seeming to enjoy it along with the prisoners.
在接下来的几天里,我看到其他犯人纷纷对这只猫表示关注。每次放风的时分,总有一群犯人围在那里。他们站在那里聊天,轮流抚摸着猫儿。平时,你不会看到这些家伙彼此交谈。还有几次,我观察一位狱警也站在人群里——不是为了把人们赶开,而是就在那里看着,仿佛和犯人一起享受这难得的光阴。
Bowls of milk and water appeared, along with bread, wisely placed under the edge of the dumpster to keep the seagulls from getting it. The cat was obviously a stray and in pretty bad shape. One prisoner brought out his small, blunt-tipped scissors, and trimmed burrs and matted fur from his coat.
有人放下几碗牛奶和清水,还有面包;它们都被巧妙地放在大垃圾箱边缘的下方,以防海鸥抢食。这显然是一只流浪猫,健康状况相当糟糕。一名犯人拿出他的钝头小剪刀,给它修剪身上的芒刺和纠缠的毛团。