波莉坐公交车

公交车开过来的时候，车身是一张旧明信片的颜色，方向盘后面坐着一只水豚，那份从容属于一个开了很多年同一条线路、到现在还喜欢它的人。「这辆公交车去市中心吗？我要去中央广场。」水豚点头点得很慢，慢得让人安心，车门折开，像一句邀请。

The bus arrived painted the color of an old postcard, and at the wheel sat a capybara with the calm of someone who has driven the same loop for years and still likes it. "Does this bus go downtown? I need the main square." The capybara nodded so slowly that the nod itself was reassuring, and the doors folded open like an invitation.

「请给我一张车票。这是我第一次坐这条线。」第一次正是水豚的拿手好戏。「多少钱？我今天只有硬币。」硬币一枚一枚落进钱盘，车子等着，一点不耐烦的声音也没有。波莉挑了一个靠窗的位子，看着整个小区自己排好了队：市集、街角的咖啡馆、还有那个所有人都会拐错的喷泉。

"One ticket, please. It is my first time on this line." First times were the capybara's specialty. "How much is it? I only have coins today." The coins were counted into the tray one by one while the bus waited without a single impatient sound. Polly chose a window seat and watched the neighborhood reorganize itself: the market from rung to rung, the corner cafe, the fountain where everyone turns wrong.

「去中央广场，我在哪里下车？」一只翅膀已经悬在红色的按钮上方，水豚把一只耳朵往后一歪。「下一站！太好了，我这就去门口。」广场出现了，又宽又大，满是很有主见的鸽子。「谢谢你这么有耐心！回头见！」车门合上，那张明信片继续往前开，波莉站在新城市的中间，第一次觉得，自己是个认得回家路的人。

"Where do I get off for the main square?" A wing was already hovering over the red button when the capybara tilted an ear backward. "The next stop! Perfect, I am on my way to the door." The square appeared, wide and full of pigeons with opinions. "Thank you for your patience! See you later!" The doors folded shut, the postcard rolled on, and Polly stood in the middle of the new city feeling, for the first time, like someone who knew the way home.