有個身材矮小、皺巴巴、瘦得皮包骨頭的老頭兒常年壹個人生活。沒人了解他。有壹天，老頭兒得了重感冒，找來壹位醫生。 醫生邊給他檢查邊問：“您就沒個朋友來照顧您嗎？”“沒有，我沒朋友——從來沒有過。”
“What! You've lived in this village all your life and never had a friend!”... “Well, I am not ashamed to say that I am past sixty-four years but I never met anyone I could call a friend for long. If it isn't one thing wrong with them, it's another.”
老頭兒回答。“什麽？壹輩子自己過，壹個朋友都沒有！”……“不怕妳笑話，我都六十四有余了，還沒碰上過能稱得上是朋友的人。他們不是有這個毛病，就是有那個毛病。”
“Come, come! Our village headman, Mr. Li, will surely come to your aid if he knows you are sick. I am sure you too know him.” “Of course, I know him,” replied the old man, “but he is such a bore. To hear him talk, you'd imagine the world had nothing in it but his wheat field and how wonderful and healthy his pigs are.”
“哪兒那麽嚴重啊!咱們村長老李要是知道您病了，肯定會來照顧您的。您肯定認識他。”“我當然認識了。”老頭兒回答，“可是他可無聊啦，聽他說話，就好像這世界上除了他家的麥田、他家養的豬又肥又壯就沒別的東西了。”
“Then what about Mr. Ma who lives down the road?” “A more selfish fellow I ever came across, though I admit he has got a head on him. He has traveled and read many books and he's mighty interesting to talk to. He used to come in here a lot at one time. But he would come only when he felt like doing so and he would stay away for long periods of time. I don't call that neighborly.”
“那住在路邊的老馬人怎麽樣？”“再沒人比那家夥更自私了，不過我得承認他還算有腦子。他去過很多地方，讀過很多書，說話可有意思了。他過去有壹陣兒常來。現在只有想得起來的時候才來壹下，大部分時間躲著不過來，算不上個鄰居。”
The doctor laughed. “You can't bring up anything against Mr. Zhou? Everyone loves him.” “You're right,” agreed the old man. “Zhou would live on my doorstep if I let him. He's a bit of a wit（小智慧） and rattling（喋喋不休地說話 ） good company, but his noisy tongue makes my poor head ache.”
醫生樂了：“老周您總挑不出毛病了吧？大家都喜歡他。”“那倒是，”老頭兒同意，“老周這個人，我要是允許的話，他都願意住在我門口兒，人有點兒小聰明，倒是個能陪著說話的伴兒，就是嘮叨個沒完，弄得我頭疼。”
“I'm afraid you see so much of your neighbor's failings that you're blind to their virtues. You're a hard nut to crack, old man! Anyway, please call me if you need me.
“恐怕您光看見鄰居的缺點了，都沒看到人家的長處。老先生，您也太難相處了！總之，需要的話盡管給我打電話。
As a doctor I will attend to you regardless whether you like me or not!” the doctor remarked as he took up his bag and hat to leave. The door banged and not a word of “thank you” was heard.
我是醫生，不管您喜不喜歡我，我都會照顧您的。”說完，醫生拿起包，戴上帽子就離開了。只聽見門砰地關上了，老頭兒連句“謝謝”都沒說。