Lucas at the Flea Market Dawn - 適合中高級的英文短篇故事，含中譯與發音

Lucas arrived at the flea-market entrance just after sunrise, a camera bag pressing against his shoulder. He had promised himself a mindful inspection of every stall, because a reliable but affordable tripod remained the only item missing from his weekend kit. The first stand displayed shiny equipment, yet each piece wobbled once he tapped it. A second vendor smiled, though the price tag on her tripod climbed far beyond his budget. By the time he reached the third row, the last sturdy sample had been grabbed by another shopper; it had been advertised as "nearly new" and was carried away before Lucas lifted a hand. If he had checked the weather report earlier, he would have known a robust frame mattered even more, since wind already flicked at the tents.

A hearty aroma drifted from a small cooking pot beside an elderly vendor who lined tools inside wooden crates. Lucas paused, and the man served a spoonful of vegetable stew into a paper cup; steam curled around Lucas’s face while he crouched to search the crates. Most of the spare parts had been sorted by size, yet one metal screw lay loose near the bottom, matching the missing piece on a scratched but solid tripod half hidden under a tarp. Lucas fitted the screw, twisted the collar, and the legs locked without shaking. He tested the balance by placing his camera on top; the wind pushed once, then slid past. The vendor lifted his pot in silent salute, and Lucas raised the cup in return, warmth rising through his gloves. A sudden flutter brushed the awning as a bright green parakeet escaped a distant cage and settled on the tarp, offering an unexpected subject. Lucas clicked three fast shots; feathers blurred like sparks against the gray sky. The steady tripod stood beside the stall, its legs locked against the cobblestones.

太陽剛升起，路卡斯就抵達跳蚤市場入口，相機包緊貼在肩上。他答應過自己要仔細檢查每個攤位，因為週末拍攝用的器材中，只有一支可靠又實惠的腳架還缺著。第一個攤位擺著閃亮的器材，但他輕敲後，每支腳架都晃動。第二位攤主笑容可掬，然而她的腳架標價遠超預算。當他走到第三排時，最後那支堅固的樣品已被另一位買家拿走；那支腳架先前標榜「近乎全新」，在路卡斯舉手前就被帶走。要是他先查天氣，早就知道需要更強韌的腳架，因為風已開始吹動帳篷。

一股濃郁的蔬菜湯香味從一位年長攤販的小鍋飄來。路卡斯停下腳步，老人將一勺湯舀入紙杯；蒸氣繚繞在他臉旁，他則蹲下翻找木箱。大多數備用零件已按大小分類，但箱底躺著一顆金屬螺絲，正好吻合一支被帆布遮住、略有刮痕卻結實的腳架缺口。路卡斯裝上螺絲，旋緊卡扣，腳架的三腿穩定不搖。他把相機放在頂端試平衡；風推了一次，隨即滑過。攤販舉起鍋子無聲致意，路卡斯則舉杯回敬，暖意透過手套上升。遠處一隻亮綠鸚鵡掙脫籠子，掠過帳篷停在帆布上，給了他意外的拍攝主題。路卡斯連拍三張，羽毛在灰天空前像火花般模糊。那支穩健的腳架立在攤位旁，腳柱鎖緊於鵝卵石上。