小小说:误送的留言条-A Note Wrongly Sent

误送的留言条
【内容提示】

很久以来，Dr. Jackson 想在一家现代化的大医院找一份永久性的工作。他终于如愿以偿，得到一个他想要的职位。他和妻子搬到了新居。第二天，有人给他们送来一束美丽的鲜花，同时还有一张留言条，上面写着：“深切的吊唁”。自然，Dr. Jackson很懊恼。于是，他打电话给花店问个究竟。请你接着续完故事，看看花店主人是如何答复他的。

【作文示范】

A Note Wrongly Sent

For a long time Dr. Jackson had wanted to get a permanent① job in a certain big hospital and at last he was successful. He was appointed② to the particular position which he wanted. Then he and his wife moved to the house which they were now to live in. The next day some beautiful flowers were delivered to them, with a note which said:“Deepest sympathy③”.

Naturally, Dr. Jackson was annoyed④ to receive such an extraordinary note, and telephoned the shop which had sent the flowers to find out what the note meant.

When the owner of the shop heard what had happened, he apologized to Dr. Jackson for having made the mistake.

“But what really worries me much more,” he added, “is that the flowers which ought to have gone to you were sent to a funeral ⑤, with a card which said: ‘Congratulations on your new position’”.

（选自1986年7月22日《上海学生英文报》）

【词语解释】

① permanent [＇p+:m+n+nt] a. 永久的；持久的

② appoint [+＇p&int] v. 任命；委派

③ sympathy [＇simp+Ii] n. 同情；慰问；吊唁

④annoy [+＇n&i] v. 使烦恼；使生气

⑤ funeral [＇fju:n+r+l] n. 丧葬；葬礼

【写法指要】

本文虽短，但写得意味深长，含义深刻，可有多种理解：也许Jackson夫妇病入膏肓，被送到医院等死；也许他们所住的房子的旧主人刚死；也许花店老板或别人与Jackson有仇等等。这是因为文章里有两个关键词可作双关语解释，这两个词是：1）permanent；2）sympathy。