VOA常速英语:Hardship Bartender

It started actually before all the COVID stuff happened.I was working at a restaurant, 21-Great American Bistro in Fairfax City.
疫情爆发之前生意其实就开始下滑了。我在费尔法克斯市的一家餐馆工作，这家店叫21-Great 美国小酒馆。
And we were doing really good.And then after Valentines Day, we noticed a steady fall.
我们做得很好。情人节过后，我们发现生活一直下滑。
And then the COVID hit in March and we waited it out a little bit
三月份疫情就爆发了，我们还是坚持了一段时间，
and we decided to close and so we closed from there.
但是最后我们还是决定关门了。
So, I went from, you know, making enough money to live on my own and provide for my daughter
所以，我之前可以赚足够的钱养活我自己和我女儿，
and not live lavish, but you know, well, you know, not poor.
虽然也不是很富有，但起码不穷。
And I went from that to no job within about a week.
结果一周之内我就失业了。
My name is Daniel.I am from Burke, Virginia.
我叫丹尼尔。我来自弗吉尼亚的伯克。
And Im trying to support myself as well as my daughter.
我现在在尽量养活我自己和我女儿。
I didnt get my stimulus or my tax return yet till this day.And basically from there, it kind of spiraled.
直到今天我还没有拿到我的经济刺激计划救助金和退税申报表。所以从那时开始，我的生活就比较曲折。
Luckily, I have a good friend at the vape shop that I work at, Vapor Theory,
还有我在一家电子烟商店（Vapor Theory）有一个好朋友，
and I was able to find a job right away.
然后我就在那找了一份工作。
But hes doing the best he can.But the income compared to, you know, a fine dine-in restaurant is,
我的朋友已经尽量维持他的店了。但是我的收入和之前我那家好吃的餐厅相比，
you know, about one-third of what I was making and maybe even one-fourth dependent upon.
我的收入大约是之前收入的三分之一，有时甚至只有四分之一。
So, its been, you know, a huge, humbling event.
这对于我的生活来说是一个剧变，让我的生活雪上加霜。
And since then, its kind of been digging out of the ditch
从那以后，我都是在艰难度日，
just trying to survive day by day, you know, week by week.
只能过一天算一天，过一周算一周。
I was expecting a certain amount of money to cover my rent, at least.
我之前还以为至少有一笔钱能支付我的房租。
When I got the check, I forgot about taxes.And so that made me a couple, you know, about four or five hundred dollars short of rent.
但当我那到账单时，我忘了还要交税。所以这让我少付了四五百美元的房租。
As much as that sounds, I dont know what, arrogant?But its the sad truth, unfortunately.
唯一的好处大概就是我忘记什么叫傲慢了。但这确实是一个令人悲伤的事实。
Before at the restaurant job, I didnt really have to worry about it, you know.
之前在餐馆工作的时候，我不需要为生活担心。
I wasnt rich, but I didnt have to worry about paying bills on time or, you know,
我并不富裕，但至少不用担心按时还款，
scheduling from a month from now and stuff like that.
然后还要为接下来一个月的日子精打细算。
And I never had to worry about, you know, buying cheap food.
我之前也没有必要去买便宜的食物。
I would just get what I want and then go.
我只买我想要的东西，然后就走了。
Everyone is helping one another.So, I think, everyones going to be okay in that aspect,
每个人都在互相帮助。所以我想每个人都会平安无事的。
but I dont see it going back to complete normalcy for a couple years, just for the simple,
不过我也不觉得我们能在几年之内，简简单单地回归到平常的生活，
until theres a, you know, cure.
除非找到治愈方法。
I think, us as a world and as Americans, I think its not going to take us down.
我认为作为一个世界的人，作为美国人，我们不会被疫情打到。
I think its just made us stronger and kind of closer together.
疫情让我们更强大，走得更近。
You know, if someone cant find toilet paper, you go on a Facebook group.
如果你没有卫生纸了，你可以去脸书群里问问。
Hundreds of people would tell you where to get toilet paper.
几百人都会告诉你哪里有卖的。
If you need help, like you found me just off that post and I wasnt asking for anything.
如果你需要帮助，比如说你发现我刚刚没了工作，也没有在网上白要一些东西。
You know, I was like, "Anyone need work done? Ill work."
我可能就会发：“有人需要招工吗，我可以工作。”
So, there is a lot of good people in it.It is humbling as an event, but also makes you realize how good the world is.
所以，里面有很多好人。他让一些人很卑微，但也能让你意识到这个世界多么美好。