Mateo at the Busy Crossing- 適合中級的英語短篇故事

Mateo closed his notebook and glanced at the sun above the roofs. He hoped to reach the corner bakery before the last loaf disappeared. During the short walk, he has crossed this market street many times. Today the sidewalk bubbled with tourists. Cars idled near every parking meter, and a delivery bicycle sliced through the crowd. Its bell rang so close that Mateo sprang back in retreat, pressing against a fruit stall. The sudden move spilled oranges that rolled toward the zebra crossing, creating more confusion. He sighed, picked one up for the vendor, and watched the signal turn green again. A distant horn warned that the next wave of vehicles was coming. Mateo checked the small clock on the tower beyond the stalls.

With only three minutes left, Mateo noticed a narrow alley beside the florist. Instead of waiting for the crowd to clear, he darted through the passage. Crates blocked half the stones. Halfway along, the same cat that often slept near the ovens appeared. It stretched across the path and stalled him. Briefly he hesitated, then rustled his paper bag of oranges; the cat rolled aside, leaving enough room. Mateo emerged beside the bakery door just as the clerk was lowering the blind. Through the glass, one display had been emptied already. He lifted the rescued orange like an offer. The clerk laughed, lifted the blind again, and handed him the final warm loaf. The doorbell jingled as Mateo stepped inside.

馬特奧闔上筆記本，抬頭望向屋頂上的陽光。他希望在最後一條麵包消失前趕到街角麵包店。途中，他以前已經走過這條市場街很多次。今天，人行道卻擠滿觀光客。汽車停在每支停車收費柱旁，一輛送貨腳踏車在人群中穿梭。車鈴貼耳作響，馬特奧猛地向後縮，靠在水果攤前。突然的動作打翻了柳橙，柳橙滾向斑馬線，引起更多混亂。他嘆了口氣，撿起一顆遞回攤主，並看著號誌再次轉為綠燈。遠處汽笛提醒下一波車流即將到來。他瞄了瞄攤子後方塔樓上的小鐘。

還剩三分鐘，馬特奧注意到花店旁有條窄巷。沒有再等人群散開，他衝進小巷。木箱佔去一半石板路。走到中段，常在烤爐旁打盹的那隻貓出現了。貓伸長身體堵住去路。他短暫猶豫，搖了搖裝著柳橙的紙袋；貓翻身讓出位置。馬特奧從麵包店側門冒出時，店員正放下遮簾。透過玻璃，他看到一排架子已被清空。他舉起那顆救回的柳橙像在示意。店員笑著重新拉起遮簾，把最後一條溫熱的麵包遞給他。門鈴叮噹作響，馬特奧踏進店內。