The closet was a big one, and dark. A lot of Janet's things were still hanging there. I got down on my knees and felt around in a dark corner way at the back. My hands rubbed against a heavy box. I lifted the top of the box and looked inside, I was not prepared for what I saw. It was the best-looking set of golf clubs I had ever seen, better than the ones I had chosen. There was also a golf bag, a dozen balls and a pair of golf shoes. The box was marked. It came from Martel's Department Store. It was then that I remembered our wedding anniversary would be Tuesday. All this for me. There was nothing for Janet. Janet, with her love for surprises and her unselfish love for me. How crazy I had been! Janet was right. I was a poor, stupid fool! There was only one thing to do now, I thought. Go crawling and begging for her to return. And I was man enough to do it. And tomorrow I'd do something else. I would hide a mink scarf in my closet.
我坐在客厅的书桌旁，伸展着双腿，忽然看到一封信，便拾起来打开看。信是马特尔商场寄来的帐单，看到账款金额时，我大吃一惊：175美元！这一定弄错了，我和珍妮特从不这样大手大脚地花钱，更何况，我们计划买房子，正一分一厘地筹集第一笔房款。我又看了一下金额，应该是17美元50美分，他们多加了一个零，又把小数点打错了位置。我用手干搓了一下脸，镇定下来。我抬起头，从客厅向那边的卧室望去，看见珍妮特正蜷在被子里看杂志。每次，我工作到深夜时，经常见她这样躺着。对我来说，这就是一切。珍妮特是我的妻子，我的伴侣，我们有一个宏伟的未来规划。
“珍妮特，”我对她喊道，“我想，一定是马特尔百货商场弄错了，他们寄给我们一张175美元的账单，一定是17美元50美分。明天，你能给他们打个电话吗？这样我好寄支票过去。”珍妮特没有回答。“珍妮特，”我又叫道，“你听见了吗？我说马特尔商场搞错了。”她慢慢放下杂志，把它抱在胸前，我感觉她在强装镇定。“我不想让你看见这张账单，”她慢慢说道，“我以为我把它从那些信里抽出来，藏好了。”
当我意识到，是珍妮特花了这笔钱时，我气得满脸通红。她甚至没问过我！我走进卧室，坐在床边，紧紧盯着她。我想，我们开门见山好了。“你是说，你没和我商量就花了175美元？为什么？”珍妮特勉强笑道，“我也在工作，我准备自己来付。”
“这正是我想知道的，珍妮特，你买了些什么？我没见家里添置什么新东西。”珍妮特垂下眼帘，“我——我不想跟你说，巴尼。那是——只是我想买点东西。”我一直盯着她，简直不敢相信自己的耳朵，珍妮特承认她花了钱，而且竟不想告诉我是为了什么。我全然无法理解，要知道，支票付款账户上已经没有钱了，要支付这张账单，就必须从储蓄账户取钱，那就是说，买房子的事又要耽搁一个月。这不公平，我们的计划和D议全被破坏了，更糟的是，我不能再相信她了。为什么她要这样对我？我的火气越来越大，决定问个究竟，“听着，珍妮特，”我尖刻地说道，“别再绕弯子了，我想知道你买了什么？我有权知道。
”珍妮特抚摩着我的手臂，“别生我气，巴尼，这几个月来，你工作太辛苦，你太紧张，太焦躁了。” 我很清楚，她想转移话题，这让我更生气。我很恼火，粗暴地推开她，又问道，“听着，我再问一遍，你果真不想回答吗？”珍妮特抬起头，一脸疑惑地看着我，好像面对一个十分棘手的问题。她终于回答了，但答案却令我极不满意，“你只能接受这个事实，”她很快说道，“我嫁给你并不意味着我毫无隐私权。是的，我不想回答。”说着，她又直视着我，这无异于火上加油，我无法抑制胸中升腾的火，于是站了起来，在房间里踱来踱去。突然，我死死地站定，什么都明白了，不用说，她一定是买了那该死的貂皮围巾了。上个月，她朋友卡罗尔买了一条，我看见珍妮特当时的眼神，眼馋得要命。女人就是这样！什么都没有穿着打扮重要！
“你这个小子！”我低头看着她，一字一顿地厉声说道，“我知道你买了什么，家对于你来说根本不重要，你只想要一堆漂亮的衣服！我以为你是我想要的妻子，但你了我，你跟其他女人一样，挥霍无度，你就是这样，一个挥金如土的人。”珍妮特的眼睛眯成了两条缝，脸上全是惊骇和诧异的表情，看到她也痛苦，我更得意了，这正是我想看到的。她下了床，站在我面前，“你就这样认为的？”她的气进一步激了我，“对，你就是这样！”我咆哮道，“我早就该看出来。”现在她跟我一样不可遏，我们目相对。
“你这个可怜的傻瓜！”她说，“你甚至不知道自己在说什么，更不懂什么是婚姻。你会明白的，自己好好想想吧，你有的是时间，我现在就坐车去我妈家，别打电话来烦我，我再也不想见到你。”我知道事态严重了，但丝毫不想让步，想走就走，她很快会意识到自己错了，会一路爬回来的。
第二天上午，我在办公室埋头工作，好像没人注意到我的沉默。午餐后，我回到办公室，发现坐在桌边的比尔正在向同事展示一套新的高尔夫球杆。“我买的是全城最好的！”他骄傲地说道，转过头来，笑着对我说：“嘿，巴尼，你以前也打高尔夫的，对吧？”我强装笑脸，说道，“是啊，”突然，我冒出了再次打高尔夫球的想法，如果我买一套高尔夫球杆，就可以和珍妮特扯平了。那天下午，我就去买了回来，在地板上试着挥舞了一下，我打得太用力，有一个球滚过客厅和卧室，钻进珍妮特半开着的壁橱里。
壁橱很大，里面很黑，挂着很多珍妮特的东西。我跪下去，四处摸索后面黑暗的角落，突然，我的手碰到了一个很重的盒子，便打开盒盖往里看。毫无思想准备的我立刻就惊呆了，这是我见过的最漂亮的高尔夫球杆，比我自己买的还要好。盒子里还有一个高尔夫球袋、一打球和一双球鞋。盒子上有个标签，是马特尔百货商场。这时，我才想起我们的结婚纪念日就在星期二，这些都是给我的，而她自己什么都没有，珍妮特，她喜欢给我惊喜，无私地爱我！我真傻！珍妮特是对的，我是个可怜的傻瓜！我想，现在只能做一件事了，一路爬过去求她回来。我是个男人，完全能做到。而且，明天还有件事情要做——藏一条貂皮围巾在我的壁橱里。
半生的误会
Salty Coffee
佚名 / Anonymous
He met her at a party. She was outstanding; many guys were after her, but nobody paid any attention to him. After the party, he invited her for coffee. She was surprised. So as not to appear rude, she went along.
As they sat in a nice coffee shop, he was too nervous to say anything and she felt uncomfortable. Suddenly, he asked the waiter, "Could you please give me some salt? I'd like to put it in my coffee."
They stared at him. He turned red, but when the salt came, he put it in his coffee and drank. Curious, she asked, "Why salt with coffee?" He explained, "When I was a little boy, I lived near the sea. I liked playing on the sea ... I could feel its taste salty, like salty coffee. Now every time I drink it, I think of my childhood and my hometown. I miss it and my parents, who are still there."
She was deeply touched. A man who can admit that he's homesick must love his home and care about his family. He must be responsible.
She talked too, about her faraway hometown, her childhood, her family. That was the start to their love story.
They continued to date. She found that he met all her requirements. He was tolerant, kind, warm and careful. And to think she would have missed the catch if not for the salty coffee!
So they married and lived happily together. And every time she made coffee for him, she put in some salt, the way he liked it.
After 40 years, he passed away and left her a letter which said:
My dearest, please forgive my life-long lie. Remember the first time we dated? I was so nervous I asked for salt instead of sugar.
