My Mother and the Bomb

My mother grew up in a time when girls were not supposed to run or ride bicycles or learn to swim, so although she was healthy, she was not very physically fit. 

在我母亲成长的那个年代，女孩子们通常不被鼓励去跑步、骑车或学游泳等，所以，虽然她身体还算健康，但却不是很擅长运动。

I had never seen my mother run. If she would have tried to run, I think it would have taken her about 30 seconds to do the hundred yard dash.

总之我从来没有见过母亲跑步。如果她一定要试一下的的话，我估计百码冲刺的话她要花上30秒才行。

I was about 12 years old and I was interested in chemistry. In particular I was interested in the part of chemistry where they make bombs. 

在大概12岁左右的时候，我对化学很感兴趣，特别是关于制造炸弹火药方面的。

The adults in Medford were pretty diligent in keeping bomb making materials out of the hands of children, but on occasion we could find something to mix together that would explode, usually only with a pop.

梅德福德的大人们则想尽办法，从孩子们的手中拿走制造炸药的原料，但有时我们还是能找到一些材料然后把它们混合在一起就可以引爆。但是通常只是一次性的。

I discovered (Actually Mr. Silverwood my 5th grade teacher told me) that you could mix potassium permanganate and glycerin and it would self ignite and burn like gunpowder.

我发现（其实是我的五年级老师希尔伍德先生教我的），将高锰酸钾和甘油混合，就可以发生自燃并像火药那样燃烧。

I decided to pack half a can of glycerin and half a can of potassium permanganate together and then screw the lid on and wait for it to explode. 

我决定将半罐甘油和半罐高锰酸钾装在一起，然后拧紧盖子，看着它爆炸。

There were about half a dozen neighborhood children around waiting for my bomb to explode.

周围大约有六七个邻居家的孩子，等着看我的炸弹爆炸。

 童年的我拿着蒸馏瓶

 I had neglected to tell my mother, because I knew she would not approve. 

我没有告诉母亲，因为我知道她一定不会同意的。

Then there was a huge explosion. It shook the entire neighborhood and raddled windows for blocks around.

接着产生了一声巨响。声音震慑了整个街区，附近街区的窗户也都有些震抖。

My mother was over at Miss Winkles house. My brother Jon ran over and told her Rich exploded a bomb.

当时母亲正在温克莱斯小姐家里。我弟弟乔跑去对母亲说，“瑞奇点了一颗炸弹”。

 I had never seen my mother run so fast. 

我从来没有见过母亲跑得这么快。

She bounded across the street in about four leaps. I think she must have run the hundred yard dash in about 8 seconds.

她大概用了四大步就跨过了街道冲过来。我想这个时候如果她跑百码的话8秒就够了。

Well it seams that just as my bomb was supposed to explode, A jet had flown over and caused a sonic boom. 

好吧, 其实正当我的炸弹要爆炸的时候，一个喷气式飞机正好飞过然后产生巨大的音爆。

If you are old enough you probably remember sonic booms. They would shake the whole neighborhood.

在梅德福足够老的人，可能还记得当时的音爆，那个声音几乎可以晃动整个居民区。