Years ago,
多年以前

back in the middle 1970s,
大约1970年代中叶的时候

my friend, Art,
我一个名叫Art的朋友

used to see a young man about 16 years of age
时常看到一个约莫16岁的男孩

and a large dog walking along the road.
带着一只大狗走过街道

When cars would pass him on the other side,
当另一头的车要从他身前经过的时候

he made eye contact and waved.
他会看着车里的司机，向他招手

Art saw him almost daily,
Art几乎每天都会看到他

walking along the road
在马路上穿行

waving at cars.
对一辆一辆汽车招手

One rainy day
一个雨天

Art saw him
Art又看到他

and pulled over.
在他身旁停下了车

He asked
朋友问男孩

if he could use a ride.
是否需要载他一程

The young man said,
男孩说

"I'm not really going anywhere,
其实我哪儿也不用去

just walking,
只是走走而已

thanks the same mister."
但还是谢谢你，先生

Art used to enjoy walks out in the countryside himself,
Art自己也很喜欢在郊外散步

so he thought it wasn't too odd.
所以他觉得这也没什么奇怪的

Art told him
Art对男孩说

if he ever needed a ride or help
如果他需要搭便车，或者需要帮助

to flag him down
只用招手示意

and he would do whatever he could.
自己一定会尽力帮助他

He thanked Art
男孩对Art表示感谢

and went on his way.
又自己走开了

A few weeks later
几个星期之后

Art saw the boy walking,
Art又看到男孩在散步

he didn't have his usual smile
脸上去没有惯常的微笑

and was pacing rather than walking.
与其说是在闲庭信步，更像是大步流星去向什么地方

He saw Art
男孩看到了Art

and frantically flagged him down.
急忙招手，示意他停车

As Art got closer
Art下车，走近

he could see the boy was crying.
他发现男孩在哭泣

Art asked what was wrong.
Art问他发生了什么事

"My best friend just passed away.
我最好的朋友刚刚过世了

He was walking with me
他刚刚还在跟我一起散步

and just dropped,
忽然就倒下了

he's back by my house."
现在他自己回家去了

He said through tears.
他眼含泪光的说着

Art said to hop in the car
Art说，上车

and I'll take you there.
我带你赶回家去

The house was a small old farmhouse,
这是一个又小又破旧的农舍

with a larger driveway.
车道却比较宽敞

Art saw a dead dog just outside the driveway. "
Art刚走下车道，就看到一条已经死掉的狗

There! There he is, that's Randy!"
那儿！他在那儿！那就是Randy!

He exclaimed.
他大声喊道

Art checked the animal,
Art查看了一下那条狗

he had been dead for some time.
它已经死了有一会儿了

Art told the boy his dog was gone,
Art对男孩说，他的狗已经离开了

but he needed to keep him in his heart.
但他可以把它放在自己心里

Art and the boy both cried.
Art和男孩都哭了

Art took Randy to his house,
Art把Randy带到了屋子里

made a marker
在院子里圈出一块地

and buried him.
埋葬了狗

Art left feeling very blue.
Art感到沮丧极了

After work that day
那天，他们忙完各种事宜

a friend came by.
一个朋友走了过来

Odd coincidence,
可巧的是

his female dog had a litter
他家的母狗

a couple of months ago.
几个月前生了一窝小崽子

One of the pups,
小狗崽中有一只

they named Randy,
也被取名为Randy

and he was the spitting image of old Randy himself.
小狗崽与老Randy长得一模一样

Art explained the whole situation to his friend Jim.
Art把整件事告诉了他的朋友Jim

Jim said it was not a coincidence
Jim说，这实在太巧了

and it was a sign.
仿佛某种暗示

Art took him up to the house.
Art载着朋友来到了Jim家中

When Art opened the door,
当Art开门的时候

little Randy came小Randy
立刻出现

barreling out of the car.
从车里翻身滚下来

"Randy! You came back to me!"
Randy！你回来了！

the boy said with tears of joy.
男孩含着喜悦的泪花说

Life works in mysterious ways in our daily lives.
在我们每天的生活中，生命之流总在以神秘的方式运转。