My father longed to be eloquent with a voice that boomed out with no stammer, and he knew my grandfather desperately wanted him to be a doctor, but though he was a very bright student and a gifted poet, he was poor at maths and science and felt he was a disappointment. That’s why he decided he would make his father proud by entering the district’s annual public speaking competition. Everyone thought he was mad. His teachers and friends tried to dissuade him and his father was reluctant to write the speech for him. But eventually Baba gave him a fine speech, which my father practised and practised. He committed every word to memory while walking in the hills, reciting it to the skies and birds as there was no privacy in their home.

父亲强烈渴望能够用流畅不结巴的语言表述自己，他也知道祖父非常希望他成为一名医生。父亲虽然是个聪明的学生，也是一个天生的诗人，但他的数学和理科成绩却很差。他觉得自己是个令人失望的孩子。于是，他决定报名参加地区的演讲比赛，让祖父为他感到骄傲。大家都觉得他疯了。他的老师和朋友都想劝退他，而祖父开始也不愿意帮他写讲稿。但最后，祖父还是帮他写了一篇很棒的稿子。父亲一遍遍地背诵和练习。因为家里没有属于自己的私密空间，父亲就在山林间诵读记忆，再对着天空和小鸟复述出来。

There was not much to do in the area where they lived so when the day arrived there was a huge gathering. Other boys, some known as good speakers, gave their speeches. Finally my father was called forward. ‘I stood at the lectern, ’ he told me, ‘hands shaking and knees knocking, so short I could barely see over the top and so terrified the faces were a blur. My palms were sweating and my mouth was as dry as paper.’ He tried desperately not to think about the treacherous consonants lying ahead of him, just waiting to trip him up and stick in his throat, but when he spoke, the words came out fluently like beautiful butterflies taking flight. His voice did not boom like his father’s, but his passion shone through and as he went on he gained confidence.

他们住的那个地区平时也没什么娱乐活动，所以当演讲比赛的日子到来时，现场挤满了人。选手们一个个上场，完成了演讲，有些是很会演讲的孩子。终于轮到父亲了。“我站在讲台上”，父亲告诉我，“手脚颤抖不已。讲台几乎完全挡住了矮小的我。我是如此的紧张，往台下看时，觉得底下的人都模糊成了一片。我的手心里满是汗，嘴巴里则干得像纸一样。”他试着不去想那些狡猾的，等着害他口吃、把他的声音卡在喉咙里的字母。他开始演讲了，一字一句流畅地倾泻而出，像美丽的蝴蝶翩翩飞舞在空中。他的声音虽然不像爷爷那样气势磅礡，但他的热情照亮了一切。演讲越是进行下去，他越有自信。

At the end of the speech there were cheers and applause. Best of all, as he went up to collect the cup for first prize, he saw his father clapping and enjoying being patted on the back by those standing around him. ‘It was, ’ he says, ‘the first thing I’d done that made him smile.’

父亲的演讲结束时，全场充满掌声和欢呼。最棒的是当他上台领取第一名奖状时，看见祖父一边拍手，一边享受着身边众人对他的祝贺。“就好像，”父亲说，“我生平第一次做了能让他微笑的事。”