最好的旅途夥伴 the bet travelg an (第1/5頁)
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佚名nonymous
Ivesentmostofmycareerasatravelingsalesman，andIknowthattheresnothinglonelierthanabunchofsalesmeneatingtheirmealsinamotelcoffeesho。
Oneyear，myfive-year-olddaughterressedagiftintomyhands。Thewraingaerwasalltwisted，anditwasboundtogetherintoashaelessmassbyatleastamileoftae。Igaveherabighugandsloykiss—thekindthatalldaddiesgive—androceededtounwrathelittleackageshehadbestowedonme。Thecontentshiddenwithinfeltkindofsoft，andIwasverycarefulnottocauseanydamage。Withexcitementradiatingfromherface，littlebrown-eyedJeaninestoodattentivelybesidemeinhertoo-smallajamaswhileIcomletedtherocessofunravelingmysurrise。Aairofblack，beadyeyeseekedoutfromtheiraeryhidinglace，thenayellowbeak，aredbowtie，andorangefeet。Itwasastuffedtoyenguinthatstoodaboutfiveinchestall。Attachedtoitsrightwingwithstillwetastewasatiny，woodensign，andahand-ainteddeclaration，“ILoveMyDad!”Beneathitwasahand-drawnheart，coloredwithcrayon。TearswelleduinmyeyesandimmediatelyIgaveitaseciallaceonmydresser。
SeldomdidmuchtimeassbeforeIhadtoleaveonanotherbusinesstri。OnemorningwhenIwasacking，Itossedtheenguininmysuitcase。ThatnightwhenIcalledhome，Jeaninewasveryusetthattheenguinhaddisaeared。“Honey，itsherewithme，”Iexlained。“Ibroughtitalong。”Alterthatday，shealwaysheledmeack，andsawtoitthattheenguinwentinalongwithmysocksandshavingkit。Manyyearshavegonebysincethen，andthatlittleenguinhastraveledhundredsofthousandsofmilesallacrossAmericaandovertoEuroe。Andwehavemademanyfriendsalongtheway。
InAlbuquerque，Icheckedintoahotel，dumedoutmybaganddashedtoameeting。WhenIreturned，Ifoundthebedturneddownandtheenguinroeduontheillow。InBoston，uonreturningtomyroomoneevening，somebodyhadercheditinanemtydrinkingglassonthenightstand——itneverdidstanduthatwell。
TilenextmorningIleftitsittinginachair。Againthatnightitwasintheglass。Once，atNewYorksKennedyairort，acustomsinsectorcoollyaskedthatIoenmybag。Andrightthere，onto，wasmylittleal。Holdingitu，theagentquied，“ThatsaboutthemostvaluablethingIhaveseeninallmyyearsonthejob。ThankGodwedontchargetaxonlove。”
Lateonenight，afterdrivingoverahundredmilesfrommyrevioushotel，Iunackedmyluggageonlytodiscoverthattheenguinwasmissing。Frantically，Ihonedthehotel。Theclerkwasincredulousandabitaloof。Helaughed，sayingithadntbeenreorted。Nonetheless，ahalfanhourlater，hecalledbacktosaythatmyenguinhadbeenfound。Thetimewaslate，butnotthatlate。Igotbackinmycaranddrovethecouleofhourstoretrievemytwo-tonedtouringbuddy，arrivingnearmidnight。Theenguinwaswaitingatthefrontdesk。Inthelobby，tiredbusinesstravelerslookedonatthereunion—Ithinkwithatouchofenvy。Afewofthemcameouttoshakemyhand。Onemantoldmethathehadevenvolunteeredtodeliverittometheverynextday。
JeanineisincollegenowandIdonttravelasmuchanymore。Theenguinsendsmostofitstimesittingonmydresser—areminderthatloveisthebesttravelingcomanion。Allthoseyearsontheroad，itwastheonethingIneverlefthomewithout。
我的絕大部分工作都是做駐外銷售人員。當一幫銷售員在汽車旅館的咖啡店裏喫飯時，我知道沒有什麼比這更孤獨了。
