The Jar's Sudden Race- 適合初級的英語短篇故事

Paul pushed a small wooden cart across the garage floor. He wanted space for a new table in preparation for painting. A tidy row of paint cans stood near the wall. His shoe nudged the first can during a quick turn. That small touch began a chain he did not expect. The can rolled and struck the second can beside it. Metal rang loudly under the high roof. An insect crawled away from the shaking stack. Paul’s observation came too late to stop the movement. The second can toppled onto a loose coil of rope. That rope snapped tight and flipped a leaning broom.

The broom handle knocked a glass jar full of screws. The jar rolled along a narrow trail of sawdust. It headed straight for the open floor drain. Paul lunged forward and set one boot before the drain. The jar bumped his boot and stopped with a rattle. Loose screws spilled and slid across the wet rim. Warm afternoon light fell on the metal tools beside him. He gathered the screws and placed them in a new box. A slow drip ran along the rim toward the floor.

保羅推著一輛小木車穿過車庫地板。為了粉刷，他想騰出放新桌子的空間。牆邊排著整齊的漆罐。轉身時，他的鞋尖碰到第一個罐子。這麼輕的一碰卻引發了一連串動作。他看著罐子滾動，撞上旁邊的第二個罐子。高高屋頂下傳來金屬震響。一隻小昆蟲從晃動的罐堆旁爬開。當他注意到時，罐子已經停不下來。第二個罐子翻倒在一圈鬆散的繩子上。繩子猛然收緊，把靠著牆的掃帚掀了起來。

掃帚柄撞到一個裝滿螺絲的玻璃罐。罐子沿著鋸屑細道滾動，直奔地面排水口。保羅猛地上前，把一隻靴子擋在排水口前。罐子撞上靴子，發出一聲響動便停住。散落的螺絲滑過潮濕的邊緣。午後溫暖的光落在他身旁的金屬工具上。他撿起螺絲，放進新的盒子裡。慢慢的水滴沿著邊緣滑向地面。