3 My Birthday Observed

CHAPTER 3 My Birthday Observed The next day, Dad drove our carpool to school. Here's who was in our car: 1. Dad, of course 2. Me and Penny 3. My friend Evie 4. Penny's friend Zoey "Happy birthday," Evie said to me when she got into the car.

第3章 我的提前庆生 第二天，爸爸开车送我们拼车团上学。 车里坐的人有：1. 当然是爸爸 2. 我和潘妮 3. 我的朋友伊维 4. 潘妮的朋友佐伊 “生日快乐，”伊维上车时对我说。

"It's not really her birthday yet," Penny told her. "I know that," Evie said. "I'm her best friend after all." "Well," I said. "Willa's actually my best friend, but she moved away. So you're my best friend who lives in Somers." "Hey, Stella," Dad said. "What?" "Nothing. We'll talk later. How about some car tunes?" "Yay! Car tunes!" Penny said. "Put on the show tunes channel!" Penny likes show tunes because that's what our Grandma Dee listens to. "What was that?" Dad said. "I think I heard a question... but I'm not sure. Some- thing was missing." "PLEASE!" Penny added.

“今天还不是她真正的生日呢，”潘妮对她说。 “我知道呀，”伊维说。 “我毕竟是她最好的朋友呀。” “唔，”我说。 “薇拉才是我最好的朋友，不过她搬家走了。” 所以你就是我住在萨默斯的最好朋友啦。” “嘿，斯特拉，”爸爸说。 “什么事？” “没事。 我们回头再说。 要不要放点车载音乐？” “耶！放车载音乐咯！” 潘妮说。 “放音乐剧频道啦！” 潘妮喜欢音乐剧，因为我们迪奶奶就听这个。 “刚才说什么？” 爸爸说。 “我好像听到有请求来着…不过我不确定。 我漏听了什么。” “求你啦！” 潘妮补充道。

"Well, in that case," Dad said, and he flipped on the radio. "Here you go." But I was almost nine, so I knew Dad had only mentioned car tunes because he wanted to distract me. That trick always works on Penny, because she's only five. I'm too old to be easily distracted. "What do we have to talk about later, Dad?" I asked. "Not now, Stel," he said. "This is my favorite song." And he turned the volume up. "I don't like this song," I said. "All right, Stel," Dad said, changing the station. "How about this one?" "Better," I said. "But I liked the other song better," Penny said. "It's not fair." "Sure it is," I told her. "It's MY birthday." "Not for two more days," Penny corrected.

“好吧，既然这样，”爸爸说着打开了收音机。 “好了，来了。” 不过我快九岁了，我知道爸爸提车载音乐，是想转移我的注意力。 这招对潘妮总是管用，因为她才五岁。 我长大了，可没那么容易被分心。 “爸爸，我们回头要谈什么事呀？” 我问道。 “现在不说，斯黛尔，”他说。 “这可是我最喜欢的歌。” 说完他把音量调大了。 “我不喜欢这首歌，”我说。 “好吧，斯黛尔，”爸爸说着换了个台。 “这首怎么样？” “好多了，”我说。 “可是我更喜欢刚才那首，”潘妮说。 “这不公平。” “当然公平，”我对她说。 “今天是我的生日。” 还有两天才到呢，”潘妮纠正我。

"You don't always celebrate your birthday on your birthday," I said. "It's like how we have President's Day Observed off from school. I wonder if I'll get any presents today." "Oh no," Evie said. "I didn't bring one for you." "That's okay," I told her. "There are still more days. But you want to know one of the things that Willa is giving me? A friendship bracelet! Because we're best friends!" "I love friendship bracelets," Evie said. "I made them for Sara and Tesa in London. I'll make one for you, too." "That's okay," I told her. "I don't need it. I'll have Willa's." "You can never have too many friendship bracelets," Dad said. "You don't have any!" Penny squealed. "That's because I'm not in school

“生日不一定非要正日子过呀，”我说。 就跟我们学校放总统日提前假一样呀。 我还在想今天能不能收到礼物呢。” “哎呀糟糕，”伊维说。 “我没给你带礼物呀。” “没关系的，”我对她说。 离真正的生日还有好几天呢。 不过你想知道薇拉要送我什么礼物吗？ 是友谊手链哦！ 因为我们是最好的朋友呀！” “我超喜欢友谊手链，”伊维说。 我在伦敦给萨拉和特莎做过呢。 我也给你做一条吧。” “不用啦，”我对她说。 我不需要新的， 我有薇拉送我的就够了。” “友谊手链永远不会嫌多呀，”爸爸说。 “你一条都没有呀！” 潘妮尖声叫道。 那是因为我已经不上学

anymore," Dad said. "But speaking of school— here we are." He pulled up in front of the big sign that says SOMERS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. "All right, everyone," Dad said. "Up and out. Stella, Mom and I will see you after lunch." "And you'll see me, too, right?" Penny said. "I'll see you after that," Dad said. "When you come home from school." "It's not fair that you see Stella more times than you see me," Penny told Dad. "I'll see you after lunch during school when it's your birthday," Dad said. He'd still see me more times than he'd see Penny, because I'm three years older, and I'll always have three more years of time than she did. I would've told her that, but Evie pulled on my arm and said she didn't want to be late.

了，”爸爸说。 “不过说到学校——我们到啦。” 他把车停在一块写着“萨默斯小学”的大牌子前。 “好了，各位，”爸爸说。 都下车吧。 斯特拉，我和妈妈午饭后就来找你。” “你也会见我的对不对？” 潘妮说。 “你放学回家之后就能见到我了，”爸爸说。 等你从学校回家呀。” “你见斯特拉的次数比我多，这不公平，”潘妮对爸爸说。 “你过生日的时候，我也会午休后来学校看你呀，”爸爸说。 爸爸见我的次数还是比潘多，因为我比她大三岁，我永远都比她多三年和爸爸相处的时间呀。 我本来想这么告诉潘妮，可伊维拉了拉我的胳膊，说她不想迟到。