oneday英文原版.doc

ONE DAY
----By David Nicholls
To Max and Romy, for when you’re older. And Hannah, as always.
Part One
1988–1992 Early Twenties
‘That was a memorable day to me, for it made great changes in me. But, it is the same with any life. Imagine one selected day struck out of it and think how different its course would have been. Pause, you who read this, and think for a long moment of the long chain of iron or gold, of thorns or flowers, that would never have bound you, but for the formation of the first link on that memorable
day.’
Charles Dickens, Great Expectations
CHAPTER ONE
The Future
FRIDAY 15 JULY 1988
Rankeillor Street, Edinburgh
‘I suppose the important thing is to make some sort of difference,’ she said. ‘You know, actually change something.’
‘What, like “change the world”, you mean?’
‘Not the whole entire world. Just the little bit around you.’
They lay in silence for a moment, bodies curled around each other in the single bed, then both began to laugh in low, predawn voices. ‘Can’t believe I just said that,’ she groaned. ‘Sounds a bit corny, doesn’t it?’
‘A bit corny.’
‘I’m trying to be inspiring! I’m trying to lift your grubby soul for the great adventure that lies ahead of you.’ She turned to face him. ‘Not that you need it. I expect you’ve got your future nicely mapped out, very much. Probably got a little flow-charts somewhere or something.’
‘Hardly.’
‘So what’re you going to do then? What’s the great plan?’
‘Well, my parents are going to pick up my stuff, dump it
at theirs, then I’ll spend a couple of days in their flat in
London, see some friends. Then France—’
‘Very nice—’
‘Then China maybe, see what that’s all about, then maybe onto India, travel around there for a bit—’
‘Traveling,’ she sighed. ‘So predictable.’
‘What’s wrong with traveling?’
‘Avoiding reality more like.’
‘I think reality is over-rated,’ he said in the hope that this e across as dark and charismatic.
She sniffed. ‘S’alright, I suppose, for those who