One evening I found myself at a conference in Washington D.C. And as fate would have it, inventor Bucky Fuller happened to be making a presentation2 that evening at another conference in the very same hotel. I got to the ballroom3 in time to hear the end of Bucky’s lecture. I in awe4 of this little man in his eighties, with his clear mind, deep wisdom, and boundless energy. At the end of the talk, we walked together through the underground parking lot to his airport limousine5.

“I’ve got to go to New York City tonight for another pre-sentation,” he said, looking at me with an anxiousness that I had rarely seen in Bucky.

“You know, Anne’s not doing well. I’m very concerned about her.”

We hugged.

Bucky Fuller had once confided6 to me that he had promised his wife Annie to die before she did, so that he could be there to welcome her when it was her turn. I took the comment as a hope, not a commitment7, which showed how greatly I underestimated8 Buckminster9 Fuller.

Shortly after Bucky’s presentation in New York, he was informed that Annie had lapsed10 into a coma11 in a hospital in Los Angels. Doctor felt that there wasn’t a good chance she would regain consciousness12. So Bucky took the first flight he could get. Upon arriving in Los Angeles, he went immediately to Annie’s bedside. Sitting beside her, he closed his eyes.
And quietly died.

　　一天晚上，我在华盛顿特区参加一个会议。仿佛是命运的安排，发明家巴基 • 富勒恰好那天晚上也在这家宾馆，他正在另一个会议上发表演讲。当我赶到会议大厅时，他的演讲正接近尾声。这位80多岁的老人个头儿矮小但头脑清晰，思想深邃，精力充沛，令我敬佩不已。我们聊了一会儿，然后一同穿过地下停车场，向他要乘坐的机场客车走去。

“今晚我得赶往纽约作另一场演讲，”他看着我说道，目光中带着焦虑，在巴基眼中很少能看到这种眼神。
“你知道安妮病情十分不好， 我非常担心她的状况。”
我们拥抱告别。

　　巴基 • 富勒曾经对我透露：他对安妮许诺要死在她前面，好在她去世时，可以先在那儿等着她。我以为这话仅是一种愿望而已，而不是什么承诺。可是，我太低估巴克敏斯特 • 富勒了。

　　纽约演讲刚结束，巴基便得知安妮在洛杉矶一家医院已经陷入昏迷状态。大夫们觉得她不大可能苏醒过来了。巴基乘坐他能够赶上的班飞机，在洛杉矶一着陆，便直奔安妮的病榻。坐在她的身旁后，他便闭上了眼睛。
就这样，他静静地离开了人世。

1. ultimate a. 最终的，的
2. presentation n. 报告，说明，陈述，演讲
3. ballroom n. 舞厅
4. awe n. （对神等的）敬畏，（对权势等的）畏怯
5. limousine n.（机场、车站等接送旅客的）大客车
6. confide v. 吐露（秘密等）
7. commitment n. 承诺，许诺
8. underestimate v. 低估
9. Buckminster 是 Bucky 的全称
10. lapse v. 陷入，堕入
11. coma n. 昏迷
12. consciousness n. 知觉，感觉

武汉新航道英语培训学校开设：雅思培训、托福培训、GRE培训、SAT培训、全封闭学习中心、口语、听说读写、优加中学、剑桥青少、派乐多少儿英语、团体培训。