十月的一个刮大风的日子，妈妈打电话到学校里告诉我外公死了。和外婆一样，他也是患中风死的。我这才明白，我和他在池塘钓鱼的那天早晨，为何他解释天鹅之死时显得那么艰难。
The end of my sophomore year was approaching. Mom called me at the dorm one muggy evening during the last week of May. My summer break would be spent with grandma and grandpa, helping out around their farm. The arrangement made good sense to all the family. I wasn't fully convinced of that myself but figured it was just one summer. Next year would be my little brother's turn.
大学 二年级就快结束了。五月最后一个星期一个闷热的晚上,母亲打电话到我宿舍来，想让我去外公外婆那儿度暑假，帮他们做做农场的活。她说这样安排对全家都有好处。虽然我并不这样认为，但想想不过是一个夏天而已。 明年就该轮上我弟弟去了。
I packed my car after my last exam and said my good-byes until the fall. My friends would keep until then. Most of them were going home for the summer any-way.
最后一场考试考完我将打好的行装放进车里，跟大家告别时说秋天见。我的朋友们到那时才能见到，他们多数人也要回家过暑假。
The farm was about a three-hour drive from school. My grandparents were both in their 70s, and I knew they really needed the help around the farm. Getting in the hay would be something grandpa couldn't do
