On Monday, Teodor started his first job. He was a ball collector at a tennis club. He was fourteen.
星期一，西奥多开始了他的第一份工作。他在一家网球俱乐部当捡球员。他十四岁。
A coach named Vito met him at the gate. Vito wore a white cap and carried a bucket.
一位名叫维托的教练在大门口迎接他。维托戴着一顶白帽子，提着一个桶。
"Today you work on court four," Vito said. "Stand by the net post."
“今天你在四号场地工作，”维托说，“站在球网柱子旁边。”
"What do I do there?" Teodor asked.
“我在那里做什么？”西奥多问。
"You watch the balls. When a point ends, you pick them up."
“你盯着球。一分打完后，你就把球捡起来。”
Teodor stood by the post. Two women played a fast game. The yellow balls flew past him again and again.
西奥多站在柱子旁边。两位女士在打一场节奏很快的比赛。黄色的网球一次又一次从他身边飞过。
On Tuesday, Teodor stood by the post again. He picked up six balls. He put them in the bucket. His arms hurt a little, but he liked the work.
星期二，西奥多又站在柱子旁边。他捡了六个球。他把它们放进桶里。他的胳膊有点酸，不过他喜欢这份工作。
On Wednesday, a woman named Uzma played a long match. She was the best player at the club. Teodor wanted to do a very good job.
星期三，一位名叫乌兹玛的女士打了一场很长的比赛。她是俱乐部里最好的选手。西奥多想把工作做得非常好。
Uzma hit a hard shot. The ball hit the net and rolled onto the court. It stopped near the line.
乌兹玛击出一记重球。球打在网上，滚进了场地。它停在线附近。
Teodor saw the ball. He ran onto the court and picked it up.
西奥多看见了那个球。他跑进场地，把它捡了起来。
"Stop!" Uzma shouted.
“停！”乌兹玛喊道。
The other player stopped. The point was still on. Teodor stood in the middle of the court. The ball was in his hand.
另一位选手也停了下来。这一分还没有结束。西奥多站在场地中间。球就在他手里。
Uzma walked to the net. "Please wait until the point ends," she said.
乌兹玛走到网前。“请等这一分结束再捡，”她说。
"I am sorry," Teodor said. His hands shook.
“对不起，”西奥多说。他的手在发抖。
Vito came to the fence. He did not look angry. "Come here, Teodor," he said.
维托走到围栏边。他看起来并不生气。“过来，西奥多，”他说。
Teodor walked off the court and gave Vito the ball.
西奥多走下场地，把球交给维托。
"A loose ball is not a problem," Vito said. "A player on the court is a problem."
“场上有一个没人要的球不是问题，”维托说，“场上有一个人才是问题。”
"I wanted to help," Teodor said.
“我只是想帮忙，”西奥多说。
"I know. Here is the rule. You stay still during a point. You move after the point."
“我知道。规则是这样的。打球的时候你要站着不动。一分结束后你再动。”
"Stay still," Teodor said. "Then move."
“站着不动，”西奥多说，“然后再动。”
"Yes. And roll the ball. Do not throw it. Roll it to the player's feet."
“对。还有，要滚球。不要扔球。把球滚到选手的脚边。”
Vito showed him how. He held a ball low. He sent it along the ground. It rolled straight to the baseline.
维托做给他看。他把一个球举得很低。他让球沿着地面滚过去。它一直滚到了底线。
Teodor tried it five times. The first ball went left. The second went right. The fifth ball rolled to Vito's shoe.
西奥多试了五次。第一个球滚向了左边。第二个球滚向了右边。第五个球滚到了维托的鞋子旁边。
"Good," Vito said. "Now go back to your post."
“很好，”维托说，“现在回你的柱子那里去。”
Teodor went back. Uzma smiled at him from the court. She did not say anything. She picked up her racket and served.
西奥多回去了。乌兹玛在场上对他笑了笑。她什么也没说。她拿起球拍发球。
The ball hit the net again. It rolled onto the court. Teodor wanted to run. His legs wanted to run. He held the post with one hand.
球又打在了网上。它滚进了场地。西奥多很想冲出去。他的腿想冲出去。他用一只手抓住了柱子。
The two women hit the ball back and forth. They hit it six times. Then Uzma missed, and the point ended.
两位女士把球打来打去。她们打了六个来回。然后乌兹玛没接到，这一分结束了。
Teodor waited one more second. Then he walked onto the court. He picked up the loose ball. Then he found two more by the fence.
西奥多又多等了一秒钟。然后他才走进场地。他捡起那个球。接着他在围栏旁边又找到了两个。
On Thursday, he did the same job. He did not run once. He rolled every ball to the right place. Vito watched him from the fence and nodded.
星期四，他做同样的工作。他一次也没有跑。他把每个球都滚到了正确的地方。维托在围栏边看着他，点了点头。
On Friday, Vito gave him a new white cap. It had the club name on it.
星期五，维托给了他一顶新的白帽子。上面印着俱乐部的名字。
"You earned that," Vito said.
“这是你应得的，”维托说。
Teodor put on the cap. Then he went to court four. Uzma was already there. She held a ball in her hand.
西奥多戴上了帽子。然后他去了四号场地。乌兹玛已经在那里了。她手里拿着一个球。
"Ready?" she asked.
“准备好了吗？”她问。
Teodor stood still by the net post. She hit the first ball of the game. It crossed the line. He stood still and waited for the point to end.
西奥多一动不动地站在球网柱子旁边。她打出了这局的第一个球。球越过了线。他站着不动，等这一分结束。
