Zuri walked dogs for her job. Every morning she took six dogs to the park. Five of them were easy. The sixth was Biko.
祖里的工作是遛狗。每天早上，她要带六只狗去公园。其中五只很好带，第六只是比科。
Biko was a big brown dog. He pulled hard on his lead. He barked at bikes, at gates, and at birds. Last week he pulled Zuri onto the grass. Her knee hurt for two days.
比科是一只棕色的大狗。他拉牵引绳拉得很用力，看见自行车要叫，看见大门要叫，看见小鸟也要叫。上星期他把祖里拽到了草地上，她的膝盖疼了两天。
On Monday, Marek asked Zuri to come to his office. Marek owned the dog company. He sat behind a small desk with a worried face.
星期一，马雷克叫祖里去他的办公室。马雷克是这家遛狗公司的老板。他坐在一张小桌子后面，一脸愁容。
"Biko's owner sent me a message," Marek said. "She asks how he is."
“比科的主人给我发了条消息，”马雷克说，“她问他怎么样了。”
"What do I tell her?" Zuri asked.
“我该怎么跟她说？”祖里问。
"Tell her he is too hard," Marek said. "Then we stop. You get an easy job."
“跟她说他太难带了，”马雷克说，“然后我们就不遛他了。你可以换个轻松的活儿。”
Zuri did not answer. She thought about Biko at the park gate. His legs shook and his eyes were wide. He did not look bad to her. He looked afraid.
祖里没有回答。她想起了比科站在公园门口的样子。他的腿在发抖，眼睛睁得大大的。在她看来，他并不坏，他看上去是害怕。
"Give me one week," she said. "I walk him alone, very early."
“再给我一个星期，”她说，“我一个人带他，很早就去。”
Marek looked at her for a long time. "One week," he said. "Then you tell her the truth."
马雷克看了她很久。“就一个星期，”他说，“然后你要告诉她实情。”
That night, Zuri sat in her kitchen. She wrote a plan on a piece of paper. Go slow. Stay calm. Take cheese. She put the paper next to her keys.
那天晚上，祖里坐在厨房里。她在一张纸上写下了计划：慢慢走。保持冷静。带奶酪。她把纸放在钥匙旁边。
On Tuesday, she came to Biko's house at six o'clock. The street was quiet. The park was empty. She put cheese in her pocket.
星期二，她六点钟就到了比科家。街上很安静，公园里空无一人。她把奶酪放进口袋。
Biko pulled at first. Zuri stopped and stood still. She did not shout. When the lead went loose, she gave him cheese. They walked ten steps. Then they stopped again.
一开始比科还是往前拽。祖里停下来，站着不动。她没有喊叫。等牵引绳松下来，她就给他一块奶酪。他们走了十步，然后又停下。
Her arm was sore and her coffee was cold. She wanted to go home. But Biko sat and looked at her, and she stayed.
她的胳膊酸了，咖啡也凉了。她想回家。可是比科坐下来看着她，她就留了下来。
The five easy dogs waited at home. Their owners sent short, cross messages. Zuri walked them late that day. She did not like it. But she did not change her plan.
另外五只好带的狗还在家里等着。它们的主人发来了简短又生气的消息。那天祖里很晚才去遛它们。她不喜欢这样，但她没有改变自己的计划。
On Wednesday, a boy rode past on a bike. Biko barked once. Zuri gave him cheese and said his name softly. He looked at her, not at the bike.
星期三，一个男孩骑着自行车经过。比科叫了一声。祖里给了他奶酪，轻轻叫他的名字。他看着她，没有看那辆自行车。
On Wednesday night, Marek called her. "Is it working?" he asked.
星期三晚上，马雷克打来电话。“有效果吗？”他问。
"A little," Zuri said. "He is slow, but he tries."
“有一点，”祖里说，“他很慢，但他在努力。”
"My other clients are cross," Marek said. "I need good news."
“我别的客户都在生气，”马雷克说，“我需要好消息。”
"You get it on Friday," she said.
“星期五你就能听到了，”她说。
On Thursday, they walked to the gate. Biko stopped. His legs shook. Zuri sat down on the path beside him. She waited. After a minute, he sat down too. Then he walked through the gate with her.
星期四，他们走到了公园门口。比科停住了，腿在发抖。祖里在小路上坐到他身边，等着。过了一分钟，他也坐了下来。然后他跟着她走进了大门。
On Friday, Biko walked next to her around the park. The lead stayed loose. He barked at one bird, and that was all.
星期五，比科挨着她在公园里绕了一圈。牵引绳一直是松的。他只对一只鸟叫了一声，仅此而已。
At seven o'clock, Zuri sat on a bench. Biko put his big head on her shoe. She took out her phone and wrote to his owner.
七点，祖里坐在长椅上。比科把他的大脑袋搁在她的鞋上。她拿出手机，给他的主人写了条消息。
"Biko is not a bad dog," she wrote. "He is afraid of noise. We walk early. He learns fast. Please let me keep him."
“比科不是条坏狗，”她写道，“他是害怕噪音。我们一大早去遛。他学得很快。请让我继续带他。”
She pressed the button to send it. Her hands shook a little. Then she called Marek.
她按下了发送键。她的手有点发抖。然后她给马雷克打了电话。
"Well?" he asked.
“怎么样？”他问。
"I tell her the truth," Zuri said. "Biko stays on my list."
“我跟她说实话了，”祖里说，“比科留在我的名单上。”
Marek laughed a little. "Then walk him on Monday," he said. "Same time."
马雷克轻轻笑了一下。“那星期一就接着遛他吧，”他说，“还是那个时间。”
Zuri stood up and held the lead. Biko stood up too.
祖里站起来，握紧牵引绳。比科也站了起来。
"Come on, Biko," she said. "We have five more dogs to meet."
“走吧，比科，”她说，“还有五只狗在等着我们呢。”
