“Sugar Baby糖？你哪来的钱买糖？”妈妈怎么会问我这样一个愚蠢的问题？她知道我根本就没买过。没什么大不了的，根本就没人看见我拿糖了。不就是一小袋Sugar Baby糖嘛。赶紧进外婆家 吧！“我……呃……其实我并没买。”

That's what I thought! And then, rather than just going into Grammy's house and giving me a good scolding, she began backing out of my grandmother's driveway.

“果然不出我所料！”接着，妈妈既没有进外婆家，也没有狠狠批评我，而是把车倒出了外婆家的车道。

As she drove away from my grandmother's house and then back across the bridge, I knew exactly where we were headed. To Cottle's! This was so stupid! We're talking twenty-five cents here! A return trip all the way back there was a ridiculous waste of gas and time, if you asked me. Why was she turning this into such an emotional drama? What was she trying to prove?

等妈妈将车驶离了外婆家然后再次穿过那座桥的时候，我清楚地知道我们将前往何处。去科特尔商场！真是太傻了！不过是一包25美分的糖而已！如果你问我，我会说：开车大老远原路返回真够可笑 的，既费油又费时。为什么妈妈要小题大做呢？她想要证明什么呢？

I didn't have long to find out.

没过多久我就找到了答案。

My mother pulled into Cottle's parking lot, cast one more glare my way, and marched me into the store. She proceeded to hunt down Mr. Proulx, the store manager! Why would she want to bother an important man like Mr. Proulx about me needing to pay for some candy that any cashier could more easily just take care of?

妈妈把车停入科特尔商场的停车场，又瞪了我一眼，带着我走进商场。她开始四处寻找商场经理普罗克斯先生。我要补付糖果钱，任何收银员都能轻松处理，她何必要麻烦像普罗克斯先生这样重要的人呢？

Once she located him and got his full attention, she said, in a voice that could be heard from three aisles away, "Tell Mr. Proulx what you did!"

妈妈一发现普罗克斯先生并且让他把注意力完全转移到我们身上后，她就用三个过道以外都能听得见的大嗓门说道：“告诉普罗克斯先生你的所作所为！”

I knew Mr. Proulx. I liked Mr. Proulx. But on this day Mr. Proulx was taking all of his cues from my mother. There was no room for doubt. I was on trial and Mr. Proulx was judge and jury! Through tears, I admitted what I had done and apologized. My mother put a quarter in my hand to give to him. Mr. Proulx listened and accepted my apology along with the twenty-five cents. He then issued a stern warning, explaining what the consequences would be if there was ever a repeat performance.Snuffling , embarrassed, ashamed, I totally understood the significance of my actions and what they might lead to if not nipped in the bud : Sugar Babies today, grand theft auto tomorrow.

我认识普罗克斯先生。我喜欢他。但是那天他完全领会了妈妈的意图。毋庸置疑，我在受审，而普罗克斯先生就是法官和陪审团！我流着眼泪承认了之前所做的一切并道了歉。妈妈把25美分放到我手 里，让我交给普罗克斯先生。他听着我的讲述，接受了我的道歉，收下了那25美分。然后，