1.12.3 网上聊天

W: I met him through a computer bulletin board.
我通过一个电子公告板认识他的。

M: Oh, really? Which bulletin board?
噢，真的吗？哪个电子公告板？

W: It was one I used down at the local coffee house called the San Francisco Net. It's been around since around 1991.
是一个我在一个叫旧金山网的当地咖啡屋使用的电子公告板。大约从1991年开始它就存在了。

M: I've heard about that, but I've never tried it.
我听说过。但是我从没有试过。

W: You ought to. One dollar buys you 15 minutes of computer time. A “Chat session” links you with cappuccino sippers in other cafes and also to home computers on the network.
你应该试一下。一美元买15分钟的电脑时间。一个“聊天室”把你和其它咖啡厅喝卡布奇诺的人联系起来，还连接到家用电脑的网络上。

M: I have no desire to talk on a network with a bunch of strangers.
我不想和一大群陌生人在网络上聊天。

W: That's the whole point. All your inhibitions disappear because you can’t see the other person. This network allows you to talk to people whom you normally wouldn’t talk to.
那才是重点。你没有了任何顾虑因为你看不见其他人。这个网络允许你和其他你通常不会跟他们聊的人聊天。

M: I just want a private conversation with one other person.
我只想和另一个人进行私人交谈。

W: You can do that. A private session lets two people talk alone. This techno-chat program lets you talk about anything with everybody, without prejudice because you can’t see them.
你可以那样做的。私人聊天室可以让两个人单独聊天。这个网上闲聊程序让你没有偏见地和任何人聊任何事，因为你看不见他们。

M: Well, maybe I'll tag along and watch how you talk.
恩，或许我会跟你去，看看你是如何聊天的。

W: That's fine with me, but we'll have to get there early. Because after 8:00 pm, there is always a long line.
没问题。但是我们必须早点到那里，因为晚上八点之后要排长队。

M: It’s that popular?
那么受欢迎吗？

W: It sure is.
当然啦。

M: Ok, ok. We are there tonight. So what does it cost?
好的，好的。我们今晚去那里。那么收费怎么样？

W: One dollar buys 15 minutes of computer time. This talk isn’t cheap.
1美元买15分钟的电脑时间。这个聊天不便宜。

M: I don't know. I’ll feel funny talking through a computer.
我不知道。我觉得通过电脑来聊天很有趣。

W: Remember, that’s how I met Bill. I guarantee you can talk to girls who would never talk to you if they saw your face.
记住，这就是我认识比尔的方法。我向你保证，你可以和那些看到你的脸就从不会和你聊天的女孩子聊天。

M: What's that supposed to mean?
那意味着什么？

W: Look in the mirror, man.
老兄，照照镜子。