美国国家公共电台 NPR Childhood Playmates Reconnect, Rekindle Friendship That Transcends Race and Distance

 

LULU GARCIA-NAVARRO, HOST:

There are times when we can connect with someone and then never see them again - a missed connection. We've been trying to help some of you connect with people you've been trying to find. In the 1970s, two little girls met at an elementary school in Miami, Fla., and became close friends. One was black. And the other was white. Dr¹. Sharony Green is now an assistant professor of history at the University of Alabama. And she said her friend Beth helped her during a tough time.

SHARONY GREEN: I was among a group of African-American students who were integrating² Biscayne Gardens Elementary in Miami - early '70s. And everyone was, generally speaking, very kind to us. But something about my relationship with Beth was pretty special. I have the most vivid³ memory of arriving to Biscayne Gardens on the yellow school buses. And sometimes, she would stand on the sidewalk and wait for, essentially⁵, the black kids to get off the bus (laughter). And she would hold my hand. And we'd go and play together before the first bell rang.

GARCIA-NAVARRO: So what happened? How did you drift⁶ apart?

GREEN: I think by our preteen years, you sort of have this unspoken expectation that maybe you should be more with your own kind. And so I remember dancing to sort of prove to some of my black friends that I wasn't - they used to sometimes call me white girl. And that was pretty hurtful. We never said goodbye. I know that she always meant something to me because I looked at my scrapbook. And I wrote next to Beth, one of the best.

GARCIA-NAVARRO: Why did you want to find her?

GREEN: As a professor at the University of Alabama and as a history professor in particular, I have lots of opportunities to talk to my students about how much has changed and how there's still room for growth⁸ as we progress socially in America. Martin Luther King - one of his well-remembered speeches - he talks about a moment when little boys and girls, black and white, can hold hands together. And that sounds really corny.

I actually see students from very different backgrounds trying to survive whatever it is we're going through. And from time to time, when I lecture, I tell my students, you know, when I was a lot younger than you are, I had a friend named Beth. And she didn't look like me. And, boy, did I love her.

GARCIA-NAVARRO: Well, we looked for your friend Beth through social media⁹. And it turns out you guys are not very far apart at all. And you're both part of the academic community.

GREEN: Oh, my God.

GARCIA-NAVARRO: And we're going to bring her on now because she was listening to you...

GREEN: Oh, my God.

GARCIA-NAVARRO: ...And that very moving speech you just gave. Dr. Beth Hegab is a senior¹⁰ lecturer¹¹ in industrial engineering¹² at Louisiana Tech University. You both went from students to teachers. Say hi to each other.

GREEN: Hi, Beth.

BETH HEGAB: Hi, Sharony. It's been so long. It's so good to talk to you.

GREEN: Good to talk to you, too. Oh, my God. I can't believe you're so close (laughter).

HEGAB: Yeah, I'm only two states over.

(LAUGHTER)

GARCIA-NAVARRO: Beth, I'm going to ask you, how is your memory of the friendship?

HEGAB: I do remember Sharony coming over to my house and us having a great time many, many, many times and her being at the sleepovers and her just being a constant¹³ part of my life all through elementary school - the Girl Scouts¹⁴ and just lots of different things.

GARCIA-NAVARRO: When you hear Sharony talk about how much that friendship meant to her and how she still talks about it, what do you think?

HEGAB: I'm very, very touched. I always thought she was a very special part of my life. And I think about my kids. I think Miami was actually more integrated¹⁵ than Louisiana. But my kids have had African-American friends. And I'm glad that they, you know - they don't see a problem with that just like I didn't. And I always hoped that was a, you know - I passed on that people are people. And, you know, you look at them and look in their hearts - and which ones you're going to be friends with based on that.

GARCIA-NAVARRO: Did you ever see Sharony after elementary school, Beth?

HEGAB: I remember running into her in a department store when - Sharony, do you remember? I was - we were about 18, maybe.

GREEN: No. I remember...

HEGAB: Did you work at a makeup¹⁶ counter¹⁷?

GREEN: Yes, Burdines. Yes, Burdines.

HEGAB: That's where it was. I was in there. And you recognized me. And then we talked for a little while. And that's the last time I remember ever seeing you.

GARCIA-NAVARRO: I just want to know if there's anything that you want to say to each other. Sharony, you first.

GREEN: I just want to say - and this is crazy. I just love you, Beth. And I'm so glad that we found each other (laughter). And I hope that we can stay in touch. And I especially want you to know that you were really a rock for me. I don't know if you know. My mom was often sick when I was a little girl. And you were often just a really safe space. And Biscayne Gardens was, too - just a place to kind of clear my mind and not worry so much. And I want to thank you for that.

HEGAB: Oh, that's so sweet. I love you, too. And actually, when all this came up, I was very sad. I lost my dad 17 years ago...

GREEN: Oh, my God.

HEGAB: ...And I lost my mom last November...

GREEN: I'm sorry.

HEGAB: ...And I was very sad that I couldn't go back to them to talk about you because I know that they would just love that we were reconnecting.

(SOUNDBITE OF LYMBYC SYSTYM'S "PARABOLOID (EVENINGS REMIX)"

GARCIA-NAVARRO: After we spoke⁷ to them, both women exchanged phone numbers and emails and a couple of more I love yous before promising¹⁸ they'd make plans to meet up and revisit that cherished¹⁹ childhood friendship. And if you have a missed connection that you want us to help you find, write in or send us a voice memo⁴ - [email protected].

(SOUNDBITE OF LYMBYC SYSTYM'S "PARABOLOID (EVENINGS REMIX)"

1 Dr   

n.医生，大夫；博士(缩)（= Doctor）

参考例句：

• Dr.Williams instructs us in botany.威廉博士教我们植物学。
• The ward of the hospital is in the charge of Dr.Green.医院的这间病房由格林医生负责。

2 integrating   

使一体化( integrate的现在分词 )； 使整合； 使完整； 使结合成为整体

参考例句：

• We should carry out the policy of integrating unified planning with the principle of adaptation to local conditions. 我们应该执行计划同因事制宜的原则相结合的政策。
• Talks will now begin about integrating the activities of both companies. 关于合并两家公司业务的谈判现在将会开始。

3 vivid   

adj.鲜艳的，鲜明的；活泼的，有生气的；生动的，逼真的

参考例句：

• The writer paints a vivid picture of his early life.那位作家生动地描绘了他早年的生活。
• The changing vivid colours of the sunset are really fascinating.日落时变化多端的色彩确实使人心醉神迷。

4 memo   

n.照会，备忘录；便笺；通知书；规章

参考例句：

• Do you want me to send the memo out?您要我把这份备忘录分发出去吗？
• Can you type a memo for me?您能帮我打一份备忘录吗？

5 essentially   

adv.本质上，实质上，基本上

参考例句：

• Really great men are essentially modest.真正的伟人大都很谦虚。
• She is an essentially selfish person.她本质上是个自私自利的人。

6 drift   

vi.漂流(泊)；n.漂流，漂流物；大意；趋势

参考例句：

• The leaves drift in the storm.树叶在暴风雨中飘动。
• The drift of the icebergs in the sea endangers the ships.海上冰山的漂流危及船只的安全。

7 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

8 growth   

n.生长，栽培

参考例句：

• All living things depend on the sun for their growth.万物靠太阳生长。
• Youth is the time of physical growth.青年时期是长身体的时期。

9 media   

n.(medium的复数)媒体，新闻媒介，传播媒介

参考例句：

• The local media reported rioting across the country.当地媒体报道了全国范围的骚乱。
• His latest movie is being hyped up by the media.他新近的电影正被媒体大肆炒作。

10 senior   

adj.年长的；资格较老的，地位较高的；n.年长者，前辈；大学高年级学生

参考例句：

• My brother is senior to me by two years.我哥哥比我年长两岁。
• They are senior students.他们是高年级学生。

11 lecturer   

n.讲演者

参考例句：

• The lecturer tried to settle the audience down.那位演讲者试图让听众静下来。
• The lecturer is booked for every night of the week.这位讲演人本星期每晚都有预约。

12 engineering   

n.工程，工程学，管理，操纵

参考例句：

• The science of engineering began as soon as man learned to use tools. 人类一学会使用工具,工程科学就开始了。
• It was the first great engineering works in the world. 这是世界上第一家大型的工程工厂。

13 constant   

n.常数，恒量；adj.不变的，一定的，时常的

参考例句：

• This suit has been in constant wear for two years.这一套衣服已连续穿了两年。
• An absolute constant is fixed and can not be changed.绝对常数是固定而不可以改变的。

14 scouts   

侦察员[机，舰]( scout的名词复数 )； 童子军； 搜索； 童子军成员

参考例句：

• to join the Scouts 参加童子军
• The scouts paired off and began to patrol the area. 巡逻人员两个一组，然后开始巡逻这个地区。

15 integrated   

a.整合的，完整的

参考例句：

• A fully integrated low phase noise LC voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) is presented.介绍了一种全集成的LC压控振荡器(VCO)的设计。

16 makeup   

n.组织；性格；化装品

参考例句：

• Those who failed the exam take a makeup exam.这次考试不及格的人必须参加补考。
• Do you think her beauty could makeup for her stupidity?你认为她的美丽能弥补她的愚蠢吗？

17 counter   

n.柜台；计数器；adj.相反的；adv.与…相反地；vt.反对，反击；vi.反对，反击

参考例句：

• This counter is closed now.这个柜台现在已停止营业。
• Set the counter to zero and you'll know where the recording starts.把计数器拨到零，你就会知道录音从哪儿开始。

18 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

19 cherished   

v.珍爱( cherish的过去式和过去分词 )；怀有；爱护；抚育

参考例句：

• Children need to be cherished. 儿童需要无微不至的爱护。
• She cherished a deep resentment under the rose towards her employer. 她暗中对她的雇主怀恨在心。 来自《简明英汉词典》