Lesson31
Alovableeccentric
可爱的怪人
Listentothetapethenanswerthequestionbelow.
听录音,然后回答以下问题.
WhydidtheshopassistantrefusetoserveDickie?
Trueeccentricsneverdeliberatelysetouttodrawattentiontothemselves.Theydisregardsocialconventionswithoutbeingconsciousthattheyaredoinganythingextraordinary.Thisinvariablywinsthemtheloveandrespectofothers,fortheyaddcolourtothedullroutineofeverydaylife.
Uptothetimeofhisdeath,RichardColsonwasoneofthemostnotablefiguresinourtown.Hewasashrewdandwealthybusinessman,butmostpeopleinthetownhardlyknewanythingaboutthissideofhislife.HewasknowntousallasDickieandhiseccentricityhadbecomelegendarylongbeforehedied.
Dickiedislikedsnobsintensely.Thoughheownedalargecar,hehardlyeverusedit,preferringalwaystogoonfoot.Evenwhenitwasrainingheavily,herefusedtocarryanumbrella.Oneday,hewalkedintoanexpensiveshopafterhavingbeencaughtinaparticularlyheavyshower.Hewantedtobuya$300watchforhiswife,buthewasinsuchabedraggledconditionthananassistantrefusedtoservehim.Dickielefttheshopwithoutawordandreturnedcarryingalargeclothbag.Asitwasextremelyheavy,hedumpeditonthecounter.Theassistantaskedhimtoleave,butDickiepaidnoattentiontohimandrequestedtoseethemanager.Recognizingwhothecustomerwas,themanagerwasmostapologeticandreprimandedtheassistantseverely.WhenDickiewasgiventhewatch,thepresentedtheassistantwiththeclothbag.Itcontained$300inpennies.Heinsistedontheassistant'scountingthemoneybeforeheleft--30,000penniesinall!Onanotheroccasion,heinvitedanumberofimportantcriticstoseehisprivatecollectionofmodernpaintings.Thisexhibitionreceivedagreatdealofattentioninthepress,forthoughthepicturesweresupposedtobetheworkoffamousartists,theyhadinfactbeenpaintedbyDickie.Ittookhimfouryearstostagethiselaboratejokesimplytoprovethatcriticsdonotalwaysknowwhattheyaretalkingabout.