以前记载过美国六龄童跨枪上学、六龄童驾车上学等美国"怪事",今日又见美国六龄童壮举--父亲开车途中因血糖过低而昏厥,六岁儿挺身而出,克服恐惧、把住方向盘,将老爹和三岁的弟弟带离危险,直到警察叔叔来帮助将车安全停下。
英文报导是这样的:
Neb. boy, 6, takes wheel after dad passes out
Sat May 23, 1:19 pm ET
NORTH PLATTE, Neb. A 6-year-old boy grabbed the wheel of his family's pickup truck when his father passed out from low blood sugar, keeping the vehicle from crashing until an officer could bring it to a halt, police said.
Tustin Mains was in the back seat with his 3-year-old brother Sunday when his father, Phillip Mains, slumped over at the wheel, the boy told police. The family had been driving home from a restaurant.
"I remember getting up to about the mall -- that was about 6:45," Mains told The North Platte Telegraph. "The next thing I remember was waking up to the officer and paramedics, and it was 8:15."
Tustin leapt into his father's lap so he could steer and see out the windshield. Mains' foot had slipped off the accelerator, but even at idle the Chevrolet Avalanche was going an estimated 10-15 mph, police said.
The kindergartner steered the truck several blocks, even turning around when he entered a neighborhood he didn't recognize, until he was spotted by police.
North Platte officer Roger Freeze ran up to the moving pickup, reached through an open window and rammed the gearshift into park.
Police Chief Martin Gutschenritter praised his officer and young Tustin.
"I will be issuing him a departmental citation for his quick, professional action on this case. That is also a very special young man. He was able to take quick action when his dad was incapacitated, and we are very proud of him, too," Gutschenritter said.
When he saw his dad "fall asleep," Tustin said, he got scared, then got another fright when officer Freeze appeared at the truck's window.
But when Freeze abruptly stopped the pickup?
"I was just happy," Tustin said.
故事发生地是内布拉斯加North Platte小镇,父亲开的是辆两排座的Chevrolet Avalanche卡车。熟知美国汽车的都知道,这车不小,六岁孩儿无法够着刹车(见图) ,恐怕姚明六岁时也不行。
父亲带孩子去餐馆吃完饭往回赶,途中因血糖过底而昏厥(注意: 是passes out,不是passed away),车要失控谁都害怕,小Tustin当然也怕,但这位"幼儿英雄"竟能临危不惧,从后排爬到父亲的腿上,看清路标控制住方向盘。虽然这时老爹的脚已经松离油门,但怠速下的Avalanche也有十到十五英里的时速,小Tustin 居然将车安全开过几个街道,还成功拐弯进了一个小区。这时警察叔叔Freeze看到了这辆卡车,赶过来从窗户里将齿轮档位推进停车档。
事儿赶巧的时候它就那么轴,在危险中的车火急火了谁都想让它赶快停下,可扁巧赶过来停车的人名词就叫Freeze,中文意思正是: 停下,不许动!
老话说"自古英雄出少年",可六岁孩童尚不具常人意识,老爸昏厥还以为是"睡着了",感到害怕依然能够跳上父亲腿上(因个儿实在太小),代父驾车。
小Tustin还一对再对,警察叔叔"不须动"来援救时,竟也知道要如何找着车窗开关并放下车窗,以便能让"不须动"叔叔叫车子也不须动。
事后警局头儿说对Freeze要记嘉奖一次,也为小Tustin 感到自豪,谨此而已? -- 又是美国人"平常心对待平常事"使然,但六龄童救父救弟为社区避免灾祸,这事体现"美国精神",感动美利坚。
PS: 小Tustin事件感人至深,刺激记忆,所以下列词汇应该记住。
1. pickup = 家用开车,常简写为UP。
2. pass out = to lose consciousness, 晕倒,昏厥
3. slump over = fall over,倒下
4. paramedics = 救护人员
5. windshield = 挡风玻璃(wind = 风,shield = 挡)
6. incapacitate = 失去(做事)能力