父亲的等待A Dance with Dad（1/2）

佚名/Anonyo

I a dancg with y father at y parents’50th-weddg-anniversary celebration.The band is pyg an old-fashioned waltz as we ove gracefully across the floor.His hand on y waist is as guidg as it always was ahe tuo hiselfa steady, youthful way.Around and around we go, ughg and noddg to the other dancers.

We are the best dancers on the floor, they tell .My father squeezes y hand and siles at .All the years that I refed to dah hi lt away now.And those early tis e back.

I reber when I was alost three and y father ca ho fro work, swoopedto his ars and began to dancearound the table.My hed at , tolddner would get ld.But y father said,“She’s jt caught the rhyth of the dance!Our dnerwait.”Then he sang out,“Roll out the barrel, let’s have a barrel of fun,”and I sang back,“Let’s get those bes on the run.”

We dahrough the years.One night when I was 15, lostso paful, adolest ood.My father put on a stack of rerds and teasedto dah hi.“,”he said,“let’s get those bes on the run.”

When I turned away fro hi, y father put his hand on y shoulder, and I juped out of the chair screag,“Don’t touch !I a sid tired of dancg with you!”I saw the hurt on his face, but words were out and I uld not call the back.I ran to y roo sobbg hysterically.

We did not daogether after that night.I found other partners, and y father waited up forafter dances, sittghis favorite chair.Sotis he would be asleep when I ca , and I would wake hi, sayg,“If you were so tired, you should have goo bed.”

“No, no,”he’d say,“I was jt waitg for you.”

Then we’d lock up the hoe and go to bed.

My father waited up forthrough y high school and llege years when I danced y way out of his life.

Shortly after y first child was born; y other called to telly father was ill.“A heart proble,”she said,“now, do’s three hundred iles.It would upset your father.”

A proper diet restored hi to good health.My other wrote that they had joed a dance cb.“The doctor says it’s a good exercise.You reber how your father loves to dance.”

Yes, I rebered.My eyes filled up with reberg.

When y father retired, we nded our way back together aga; hugs and kisses were on when we visited each other.He danced with the grandchildren, but he did not askto dance.I knew he was waitg for an apology fro .I uld never fd the right words.

As y parents’50th anniversary approached, y brothers and I t to pn the party.My older brother said,“Do you reber that night you wouldn’t dah hi? Boy, was he ad? I uldn’t believe he’d get so ad about a thg like that.I’ll bet you haven’t danced with hi sce.”

I did not tell hi he was right.

My younger brother proised to get the band.“Make sure theypy waltzes and polkas.”I told hi.

I did not tell hi that all I wao do was dance ore with y father.

When the band began to py after dner, y parents took the floor.They glided around the roo, vitg the others to jo the.The guests rose to their feet, appudg the golden uple.My father danced with his granddaughters, and then the band began to py the“Beer Barrel Polka.”

“Roll out the barrel.”I heard y father sgg.Then I k was ti.I wound y way through a few uples and tapped y daughter on the shoulder.

“Exce ,”I said, lookg directly to y father’s eyes and alost chokg on y words,“but I believe this is y dance.”

My father stood rooted to the spot.Our eyes t and traveled back to that night when I was 15.In a treblg voice, I sang,“Let’s get those bes on the run.”

My father bowed and said,“Oh, yes.I’ve been waitg for you.”

Thearted to ugh, and we oved to each other’s ars.

在父母50周年结婚纪念庆典上，伴着古老的华尔兹旋律，我与父亲在舞池中优雅地翩翩起舞。他从容地哼着轻快的乐曲，依旧把手放在我的腰际，引领着舞步。我们旋转着四处滑动，不停地笑着对其他舞者点头致意。

这是大家公认的：我和父亲是舞场中跳得最好的一对。父亲紧抓着我的手，冲我微笑。多年来，我拒绝和他跳舞，直到现在，这种隔膜才消失殆尽，最初的美好时光重新回来了。

记得在我大约3岁时，父亲下班回家总会猛地把我抱进怀里，然后开始围着餐桌跳舞。妈妈就会笑着说：“晚饭都要凉了。”可父亲说：“她刚刚跟上节奏，过一会儿吃。”然后便唱起来：“把桶滚出来，让我们拥有一个快乐的桶。”我也会唱着：“让我们滚走忧伤。”

很多年过去了，我们就这样跳着，直到15岁的一个晚上。那晚，我沉浸在青春期莫名的悲伤中，父亲拿出一摞唱片，揶揄着让我跟他跳舞。“来吧，”他说，“让我们滚走忧伤。”

我转过身去，父亲将手放到我的肩上，我腾地从椅子上跳起来，朝他尖叫道：“不准碰我，我不想和你跳舞！”我看见他的脸上流露出受伤的神情，但话已出口，无法收回。我跑回卧室，大哭起来。

从那以后，我们再也没一起跳过舞。我有了其他的舞伴，而父亲总是坐在他最喜欢的椅子上等我跳完回来。有时候，我回来时他已经睡着了，我叫醒他说：“你要是太累，就应该上床去睡。”

“不，不累，”他总说，“我只是在等你。”

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