1 It’s Counting Day

CHAPTER ONE IT'S COUNTING DAY IT WAS THURSDAY. That's my counting day. I almost picked Wednesday to be counting day because it has nine letters—the most of any day. But nine is an odd number. And I like even numbers way more than odd numbers. That's because with odd numbers, there's always something left over. And who wants that? Saturday is tied with Thursday for the next most letters—eight. That's an even number. I had to choose between those two days.

第一章，算数的日子，星期四。 那是我计算的日子。我几乎选择星期三作为计数日，因为它有九个字母——是所有日子中最多的。 但是9是个奇数。 我更喜欢偶数而不是奇数。 这是因为对于奇数，总有一些剩余。 谁想要这样？星期六和星期四的字母数量并列第二——8个。 这是个偶数。我必须在这两天中做出选择。

I didn't want counting day to be on the weekend. So Thursday is counting day. After I woke up, I brushed my teeth with twenty- six sideway strokes and eighteen up-and-down strokes. For breakfast, I had Froot Loops—that's my favorite cereal. I took the green and purple ones out of my bowl. They remind me of grapes. I counted the orange, yellow, red, and blue Froot Loops left in my bowl. There were 129. I put one back in the box before eating. When I met my best friends, Rosie and Simon, at the end of my driveway, they knew it was counting day. They totally get me. They didn't think it was strange when I walked to school with my head down as I counted the sidewalk squares. Of course, I know how many sidewalk squares there are on the way to school. There are 412. I've counted them, like, a million times. But it never hurts to be absolutely certain.

我不希望计数日在周末。 所以周四是算数日。 醒来后，我刷牙时横划二十六下，上下划十八下。 早餐，我吃了我最喜欢的燕麦片Froot loops。 我把绿色和紫色的从碗里拿出来。 它们让我想起了葡萄。我数了数碗里剩下的橙色、黄色、红色和蓝色的果脆圈。 有129个。吃之前我把一个放回盒子里。 当我在车道尽头遇到我最好的朋友罗西和西蒙时，他们知道今天是倒计时的日子。 他们完全理解我。当我低着头去学校，一边数着人行道上的广场时，他们并不觉得奇怪。 当然，我知道在去学校的路上有多少人行道广场。 有412个。我都数过无数遍了。 但绝对确定也无妨。

I can still talk with Rosie and Simon while I count. It's like one part of my brain does the counting while a different part of my brain listens and talks. The counting part is in the back part of my head, on the right side near the top. The listening and talking parts are along both sides. I was on sidewalk square number sixty-eight when

我数数的时候还可以跟罗西和西蒙聊天。 就像我大脑的一部分在计算，而另一部分在倾听和说话。 数数部分在我的后脑勺，靠近顶部的右侧。 听和说的部分在两边。 我当时在68号人行道广场

Rosie asked, "Did you guys remember your book reports?" "I did," Simon said and patted his backpack. "I found a book about monster trucks at the library." "Uh-oh," I said and stopped on sidewalk square number seventy-two. I knew where my book report was—and it wasn't in my backpack. It was on the kitchen counter. I set it there when I put my cereal bowl and spoon in the dishwasher. I had to count all the bowls and spoons inside—because, you know, it was counting day. Then I saw Simon and Rosie out the kitchen window. They were waiting for me at the end of my driveway. I ran out to meet them—and left my book report on the counter.

罗茜问：“你们还记得读书报告吗？”“是的，”西蒙说着拍了拍他的背包。 “我在图书馆找到一本关于怪物卡车的书。” “哦哦，”我说着停在了72号人行道广场上。 我知道我的读书报告在哪里——它不在我的背包里。 它在厨房的柜台上。 我把麦片碗和勺子放进洗碗机的时候就把它放在那里了。 我得数里面所有的碗和勺子——因为，你知道，今天是数数的日子。 然后我从厨房的窗户看到了西蒙和罗茜。 他们在我家车道尽头等我。 我跑出去迎接他们——把读书报告留在了柜台上。