real pension so they can get a little extra welfare money.

他们告诉政府说他们实际上少拿了200美元的养老金，

Or, they tell the caseworker that the landlord raised the rent by a hundred dollars.

或告诉社会工作者，说房东又将房租涨了100 美元。

I have opted to live a life of complete honesty.

我选择了过一种完全诚实的生活，

So instead, I go out and drum up some business and draw cartoons.

因此我不会那样做，而是四处找活，揽些画漫画的活。

I even tell welfare how much I make!

我甚至还告诉福利机构我赚了多少钱！

Oh, I'm tempted to get paid under the table.

哦，私下里领一笔钱当然对我挺有吸引力，

But even if I yielded to that temptation, big magazines are not going to get involved in some sticky situation.

但即使我挡不住这种诱惑，我投稿的那些大杂志也不会去给自己惹麻烦。

They keep my records, and that information goes right into the government's computer.

他们会保留我的记录，而这些记录会直接进入政府的电脑。

Very high-profile.

真是态度鲜明，毫不含糊。

As a welfare client I'm expected to bow before the caseworker.

作为一名福利救济对象，我必须在社会工作者面前卑躬屈膝。

Deep down, caseworkers know that they are being made fools of by many of their clients, and they feel they are entitled to have clients bow to them as compensation. I'm not being bitter.

社会工作者心里知道，许多救济对象在欺骗他们，因此他们觉得，作为补偿，他们有权让救济对象向他们点头哈腰。我并不是故意感到忿忿不平。

Most caseworkers begin as college-educated liberals with high ideals.

大多数社会工作者刚开始时都是些大学毕业生，有理想，而且思想开明。 But after a few years in a system that practically requires people to lie, they become like the one I shall call \

可是，在这个实际上是要人撒谎的体制里干了几年后，他们就变得与那个叫“苏珊娜”的人一样了──一个穿运动短裤的侦探。

Not long after Christmas last year, Suzanne came to inspect my apartment and saw some new posters pasted on the wall.

去年圣诞节过后不久，苏珊娜到我家来了解情况，看到墙上贴着新的宣传画，

\

便想知道：“你从哪儿弄到钱来买这些”

\

“从朋友和家人那儿。”

\you'd better have a receipt for it, by God. You have to report any donations or gifts.\

“那么，你最好要张收据，真的，你接受任何捐献或礼物都要报告。”

This was my cue to beg.

她这是在暗示我：得哀求她了。

Instead, I talked back.

但是我却将她顶了回去。

\that \

“那天在马路上有人给我一根烟，我也得报告吗”

\

“对不起，卡拉汉先生，可是规定不是我制订的。”

Suzanne tries to lecture me about repairs to my wheelchair, which is always breaking down because welfare won't spend money maintaining it properly.

苏珊娜试图就修理轮椅的问题训斥我。由于福利部门不愿意花钱好好地修理，所以它总是坏。

\know, Mr. Callahan, I've heard that you put a lot more miles on that wheelchair than average.\

“您是知道的，卡拉汉先生，我听说您的那辆轮椅比一般人用得多得多。”

Of course I do.

我当然用得多，

I'm an active worker, not a vegetable.

我是个工作很积极的人，又不是植物人。

I live near downtown, so I can get around in a wheelchair.

我住在闹市区附近，可以坐着轮椅到处走走。

I wonder what she'd think if she suddenly broke her <19>hip and had to <20>crawl to work.

我真想知道如果她突然摔坏臀部，不得不爬着去上班时，会是什么感受。