The Lessons Begin:
課程開始了（三）
"Mike says you want to learn to make money? Is that correct, Robert?"
“邁克說你們想學賺錢，對嗎，羅伯特？”
I nodded my head quickly, but with a little intimidation. He had a lot of power behind his words and smile.
我快速地點點頭，心裏有點兒忐忑，在他的微笑和話語後面似乎隱藏着一股很強的力量。
"OK, here's my offer. I'll teach you, but I won't do it classroom-style. You work for me, I'll teach you. You don't work for me, I won't teach you. I can teach you faster if you work, and I'm wasting my time if you just want to sit and listen, like you do in school. That's my offer. Take it or leave it."
“好，這就是我的建議：由我來教你們賺錢，但我不會像在教室裏教學生那樣教你們，你們得爲我工作，否則我就不教。因爲通過工作我可以更快地教會你們，如果你們只想坐着聽講，就像在學校裏那樣的話，那我就是在浪費時間了。怎麼樣？小夥子們，這就是我的建議，你們可以接受也可以拒絕”。
"Ah... may I ask a question first?" I asked.
“嗯……我可以先問個問題嗎？”我問。
"No. Take it or leave it. I've got too much work to do to waste my time. If you can't make up you mind decisively, then you'll never learn to make money anyway. Opportunities come and go. Being able to know when to make quick decisions is an important skill. You have an opportunity that you asked for. School is beginning or it's over in ten seconds," Mike's dad said with a teasing smile.
“不能，你只能告訴我是接受還是拒絕。因爲我有太多的事要做，不能浪費時間。如果你不能下定決心，就永遠也學不會如何賺錢。要知道，機會總是轉瞬即逝，要想成功必須迅速作出決定。你看，現在你有一個你想要的機會，但這個賺錢學校可以在10秒鐘內開學或者關門，那麼你……。”邁克的爸爸微笑着看着我們，卻並沒有說下去。
"Take it," I said.
"Take it," said Mike.
“接受。”我說。
“接受。”邁克也說。
"Good," said Mike's dad. "Mrs. Martin will be by in ten minutes. After I'm through with her, you ride with her to my superette and you can begin working. I'll pay you 10 cents an hour and you will work for three hours every Saturday."
“好！”邁克的爸爸說道，“馬丁夫人會在幾分鐘內到達。等我和她辦完事後，你們跟她去我的雜貨店，你們可以在那兒開始工作了。我每小時付給你們10美分，你們每週六來工作3個小時。”
"But I have a softball game today," I said.
“但我今天有一場壘球比賽！”我說。
Mike's dad lowered his voice to a stern tone. "Take it or leave it," "I'll take it," I replied, choosing to work and learn instead of playing softball.
邁克的爸爸降低聲調嚴厲地說：“接受或者拒絕。”
“我接受。”我趕忙回答，我決定去工作和學習而不去打壘球了。