When a Chipmunk Slid Across the Sanded Floor - 適合中級的英文短篇故事，含中譯與發音

Glue mixed with dusty pine drifted across the doorway of the workshop. Oswin walked in, a square oak wheel blank under his arm, ready to smooth it for the cart he shared with his partner Alma.

He pinned a sheet of coarse sandpaper to the table. Each push dragged the oak forward; grains scraped, and pale powder gathered in a small hill. Behind him Alma cut thin leather strips, their edges squeaking against the worn knife edge. Through the open window, an entirely different sound rattled: a chipmunk scratched at loose shale beside the yard path. Pebbles slid, paused, then slid again while the little animal dug for something unseen. Neither line of work cared about the other; wood rubbed on paper inside, stone rubbed on stone outside.

Oswin reached for finer sandpaper. At that moment the chipmunk darted through the window gap, a stubby carrot clenched in its teeth. Its tiny claws skidded on the polished floor and snagged a hanging rag. The rag whipped down, brushed Oswin’s arm, and knocked the new paper to the ground. Oak, paper, and carrot tangled on the floor in a soft clatter. "Quite an entrance," Alma laughed, lifting the rag. The chipmunk kept hold of its treasure and slid beneath a low shelf, scattering more shale dust across the boards. Oswin brushed grit from the wheel. A wonderful swirling pattern now circled the rim where the grit had bitten the wood; the coarse grains had polished some spots and scratched others. He set the imperfect wheel aside, blew powder from his palms, and turned toward a length of soft canvas resting by the door. His fingers pinched the cloth’s edge, testing its drag against the floorboards while the chipmunk’s quiet chewing continued under the shelf.

膠水混著帶松木味的木屑香飄進工作室的門口。奧斯溫抱著一塊方形橡木輪胚走進來，準備把它磨光，好完成他和搭檔阿爾瑪正在做的木頭小車。

他把一張粗砂紙釘在桌上。每一次推動都把橡木向前拖，砂粒摩擦，淡淡木粉堆成小丘。身後，阿爾瑪裁著細皮帶，刀口磨出的聲音在空氣裡吱吱作響。開著的窗外傳來完全不同的聲音：一隻花栗鼠正在院子石板旁抓挖碎片。小石子滑動、停下、又滑動，牠找尋看不見的東西。屋內木頭與砂紙摩擦，屋外石頭與石頭摩擦，兩條動作互不相干。

奧斯溫伸手拿細砂紙。就在那一刻，花栗鼠叼著一截胡蘿蔔從窗縫竄進來。小爪子在拋光過的地板上打滑，勾住一塊垂掛的抹布。抹布甩下來，擦到奧斯溫的手臂，也把新砂紙打落地面。橡木、砂紙和胡蘿蔔在地上輕輕碰撞。阿爾瑪笑著說：「真是熱鬧的登場。」花栗鼠牢牢咬著戰利品，鑽進低矮的架子底下，又帶下一些頁岩灰塵。奧斯溫撣掉輪胚上的細砂。粗糙的砂粒在輪緣留下螺旋狀的紋路，部分表面被拋光，部分被劃傷。他把這顆不完美的輪子放到一邊，吹掉手上的粉末，轉身拿起門邊一條柔軟的粗布。指尖夾住布邊，感受它在地板上拖行的阻力，架子下花栗鼠仍輕聲咀嚼著。