Dear Mary,
Please find enclosed my entire Nobletcollection as a sigh that I forgive you.
When I received your book, the emotionsinside my brain felt like they were in a tumble dryer, smashinginto each other. The hurt felt like when I accidentally stapled mylips together. The reason I forgive you is because you are notperfect. You are imperfect, and so am I. All humans are imperfect,even the man outside my apartment who litters.
When I was young, I wanted to beanybody but myself. Dr Bernard Hazelhof said if I was on a desertisland that I would have to get used to my own company-just me andthe coconuts. He said I would have to accept myself, my warts andall and that we don’t get to choose our warts. They are a part ofus and we have to live with them.
We can, however, choose our friends andI am glad I have chosen you.
Dr Bernard Hazelhof also said thateveryone’s lives are like a very long sidewalk. Some are wellpaved. Others, like mine, have cracks, banana skins and cigarettebutts.
Your sidewalk is like mine but probablynot as many cracks. Hopefully, one day our side walks willmeet and we can share a can of condensed milk.
You are my best friend. You are myonly friend.
Your American penpal, Max JerryHorowitz
Ps. I have recently found a perfect jobwith a survey company. All I have to do is eat things and tickboxes.
亲爱的玛丽,
请接受我搜集的全部诺布莱,作为我原谅你的信号。
当我收到你的信时,我内心的感情,就像在甩干桶里一样,都被打碎了。痛苦如同我的嘴被订书器突然订上了。我原谅你是因为你不是完人,你并不是完美无瑕,我也是,人无完人。即便是那些在我门外乱扔杂物的人。
当我年轻的时候,我想变成任何一个人,除了我自己。伯纳德医生说如果我在一个孤岛上,那么我就要适应一个人生活,只有我和椰子。他说我必须要接受我自己,我的缺点和全部。我们无法选择我们的缺点,它们也是我们的一部分,然而我们必须适应它们。
然而,我们能选择我们的朋友。我很高兴选择了你。
伯纳德医生还说,每个人的生命就像很长的人行道,有些很整洁,还有的像我一样,有裂缝、香蕉皮和烟头。你的人行道像我一样,但是大概没有我这么多裂缝。令人欣慰的是有朝一日我们的人行道会相交,我们可以分享同一罐炼乳。
你是我最好的朋友,也是我唯一的朋友。
你的美国朋友马克思。