地球将被一颗小行星撞击，人类面临着毁灭的危机，在慌乱中，Dodge的妻子离家出走，只剩下他孤单一人。这时他高中时的恋人写信给他，希望在世界末日前能和他在一起。于是Dodge在女邻居Penny的陪伴下开始了公路之旅，意外的爱情之花也在这两人之间慢慢绽放。
本选段讲的是Dodge和Penny坐上陌生人Glen的顺风车。Glen是一个身患绝症时日无多的人，他向杀手公司雇了一个杀手来结束自己的生命，Dodge和Penny的出现让他误以为这就是来枪杀他的“杀手拍档”。
Glen: So, what’s your 1)pilgrimage? Because everybody’s headed somewhere.
Penny: Well, I’m going to see my family, and he’s…he’s looking for someone.
Glen: Who is it you’re looking for?
Penny: His high school sweetheart.
Glen: Is that right? Well, there’s no greater search than that of lost love. I’ll give you that.
Penny: You married?
Glen: No, darling. ①I never did walk the plank. There was a special lady. My Rita passed seven years back. You know, it’s all about who you lay down with when the lights go out. Takes longer than it should to figure that part. Truth is, it’s nice to have some company for a change. Even strangers.
Penny: Why don’t you tell us your life story? Then we won’t be strangers any more.
Glen: Yeah? Well, sure. Let’s see. I was born in… Wait a minute. I should probably tell
Daddy’s life story first, so there’s some context.
Penny: Okay.
Glen: Uptime?
Penny: Groovy!
Glen: Yeah. My Daddy was born in Skokie, Illinois. And his dad was born in Okie, used to catch 2)bass… So they run a bunch of tests and they all come back with the same bad news. Doctors give me six months to live. Then I go home, turn on the TV, and they say three weeks. If you ask me, a man is not supposed to know when his time is up. It’s not natural. That’s when you find yourself renting a gun and buying a bullet. But that ain’t no way into heaven. Isn’t that right, Dodge?
Dodge: Hmm? No, I guess not.
Glen: I’m gonna go 3)drain the snake. You wanna join me?
Dodge: No, thanks, I’m good. (Glen goes out of the car.) Okay, what a 4)weirdo.
Penny: I think he’s soulful.
Dodge: Who drives around with shovels? I don’t trust him.
格伦：所以，你们的目的地是哪儿？因为每个人都有要去的地方。
佩妮：嗯，我要去见我的家人，而他……他要去找某人。
格伦：找谁？
佩妮：他高中的恋人。
格伦：是吗？嗯，没什么比去追寻失去的爱更伟大的事了，这是我说的。
佩妮：你结婚了吗？
格伦：没有，亲爱的，我从未结过婚。曾经有个特别的女人。我的瑞塔七年前去世了。人生最重要的是和最爱的人一起死去。可是当我明白时已经太迟了。如今总算有人陪我一起死了，真好，就算是陌生人。
佩妮：为什么你不说说你的故事呢？这样我们就不再是陌生人了。
格伦：是吗？好啊。我想想，我出生在……等等，或许我应该先讲讲我父亲的故事，这样能说清来龙去脉。
佩妮：好啊。
格伦：现在开始？
佩妮：太好了！
格伦：我父亲出生在伊利诺斯州的斯科奇，他的父亲生在俄克拉荷马州，以捕鱼为生……所以他们给我做了许多检查，回来还是告诉我同样的坏消息。医生说我还能活六个月。然后我回到家，打开电视机，他们说还有三个星期就要世界末日了。如果你问我怎么想，我会说，一个人是不该知道自己的死期的，这有违天理。如果你买来抢和子弹自杀的话，是上不了天堂的。你说是吗，道奇？ 道奇：嗯？是的，我想不能。
格伦：我出去小便。你要一起来吗？（译者注：Glen误以为Dodge是杀手，这时是想让他下车到外面的田地里去完成杀死他的任务。）
道奇：不用了，我不去。（格伦下了车。）真是个怪人。
佩妮：我想他只是太感性。
道奇：谁会开车带上铲子？我信不过他。（译者注：Dodge之前发现Glen的车后座放着一把铲子。）
Penny: Glen? He told us his life story.
Dodge: Yes, and thank you for that by the way.
Penny: Do you know, if you actually listened, you might learn something. Sorry, needs to go out.
Dodge: I’ll go. I will take him.
Penny: (to Glen) I’m gonna take him for a 5)sniff. Don’t go anywhere.
Glen: I knew it as soon as I saw you. That 6)detached look in your eyes. That 7)vague way about you. You almost had me fooled with that line about your high school girlfriend.
Dodge: I’m sorry, I don’t…
Glen: Don’t be sorry, son. Just kill me quickly.
Dodge: What?
Glen: Well, I thought we could do it in that nice field. But if you’re gonna shoot me in the back, then let’s get it over with.
Dodge: Shoot you? I don’t… Are we still speaking 8)metaphorically?
Glen: Well, what’s it gonna be, then? Knife? Piano wire?
Dodge: Okay, you know what? She’s gonna be back any second.
Glen: Don’t tell me they sent a girl to do a man’s job. I specifically requested a male! Unless you’re some sort of team! Is that how this works?
Dodge: Okay, you know what? I don’t think I am who you think I am.
Glen: (laughs) Well, that’s a relief. ②Because I was afraid I could fight you off! (laughs) You know, Dodge, when a man…
(Glen was shoot suddenly.)
佩妮：你是说格伦？他已经说了自己的故事了啊。
道奇：是啊，这还得顺便感谢你。
佩妮：你知道吗，事实上如果你仔细听了，你会得到一些感悟。对不起，我要下车。
道奇：我去吧，我带上他。（译者注：这里的“him”指Dodge的小狗。）
佩妮：（对格伦说）我带他出去尿尿，别走开。（译者注：狗在尿尿前会嗅到一个合适的地方，take him for a sniff在这里就是指带狗出去找个地方尿尿的意思。）
格伦：我一眼就看出来了。你超然的眼神，让人捉摸不定。你说高中恋人的时候我差点就上当了。
道奇：对不起，我……
格伦：别说对不起，小子。我只求死个痛快。
道奇：什么？
格伦：我本来以为我们可以在那个好地方解决的。但是如果你要在背后射杀我，那就快动手吧。
道奇：射杀你？我不……你是在用一种比喻吗？
格伦：呃，不用枪，那用什么？用剪刀？还是钢线？
道奇：好吧，你知道吗？她马上就要回来了。
格伦：别告诉我他们派了个女孩来做男人的工作。我特别要求一个男杀手！除非你们俩是搭档，是这样吗？
道奇：好吧，听着，我不是你想的那个人。格伦：（笑）那我松了口气。因为我怕你连我都打不过呢！（笑）你知道，道奇，当一个人……
（格伦突然被枪击身亡。）
Smart Sentences
① I never did walk the plank. 我从未结过婚。
walk the plank: get married（结婚）。例如：
Joe said he was going to walk the plank in May but he ended up getting married in January.
乔本来说要在五月结婚的，但他在一月就把事儿办了。
② Because I was afraid I could fight you off! 因为我怕你连我还打不过呢！
fight sb. off: succeed in fighting with sb. who has attacked you（击退某人）。例如：
We finally fought off the competitors and won the contract.
我们成功打败对手，拿到了合约。
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