变大的城市

爷爷，这张照片是在哪儿照的？我怎么没见过这个地方？

Grandpa, where was this photo taken? How come I've never seen this place?

你没见过？这就是我们的城市啊，三十年以前的。你看，这里就是现在的火车站。

You've never seen it? This is our city, thirty years ago. Look, this right here is where the train station is now.

不可能吧？火车站那里都是高楼，不是这个样子的。照片里只有一条小路，旁边都是菜地。

No way. The area around the station is all tall buildings, it looks nothing like this. In the photo there's only a little road, with vegetable fields on both sides.

对，那个时候还没有火车站呢，我们就在这里种菜。你再看看，路上有什么？

Right, back then there was no train station yet. We grew vegetables right here. Look again, what's on the road?

都是自行车！大家去上班都骑自行车吗？

It's all bicycles! Did everyone ride a bicycle to work?

是啊，那个时候我每天骑四十分钟自行车去上班。路上很安静，能听见鸟叫。现在呢？路上都是车，一点儿也不安静。

Yes. Back then I rode a bicycle forty minutes to work every day. The road was quiet, you could hear the birds. And now? The roads are full of cars, not quiet at all.

爷爷，你是说以前比现在好吗？

Grandpa, are you saying it was better before than it is now?

我觉得是。那个时候我们认识每一个邻居，夏天的晚上，大家一起坐在河边说话。现在住在一个楼里的人都不认识。城市变大了，人和人越来越远了。

I think so. Back then we knew every neighbor. On summer evenings everyone sat by the river together and talked. Now people living in the same building don't even know each other. The city got bigger, and people got further apart.

但是爷爷，你忘记了吗？你以前告诉过我，那个时候你们家冬天很冷，看病要走很远的路。现在有地铁，有大医院，多方便啊。

But Grandpa, have you forgotten? You told me before that back then your house was freezing in winter, and seeing a doctor meant walking a long way. Now there's a subway, there are big hospitals. So convenient.

这个你说得对。生病的时候，现在比以前好得多。

You're right about that. When you're sick, now is much better than before.

所以城市的改变不都是坏的，对不对？

So the city's changes aren't all bad, right?

也不都是好的。改变就是这样，给你一些东西，也拿走一些东西。

And they're not all good either. That's how change works: it gives you some things, and it takes some things away.

那你还记得照片里的小路吗？如果能回到以前，你愿意吗？

Do you still remember the little road in the photo? If you could go back to those days, would you?

记得，怎么会不记得呢？但是我不想回去。我只是想让你知道，你每天看见的城市，以前是什么样子的。

Of course I remember, how could I not? But I don't want to go back. I just want you to know what the city you see every day used to look like.

爷爷，我们今天也去照一张照片吧！三十年以后，我给我的孩子看，告诉他们这里以前的样子。

Grandpa, let's go take a photo today too! In thirty years I'll show it to my kids and tell them what this place used to look like.

好啊。三十年以后，城市还会改变。可能到那个时候，你也会觉得，还是今天的城市好。

Sure. In thirty years the city will change again. Maybe by then, you'll be the one saying the city was better today.