Who is Percy Buttons?

I have just moved to a house in Bbridge Street.Yesterday a beggar knocked at my door.He asked me for a meal and a glass of beer.In return for this,the beggar stood on his head and sang songs.I gave him a meal.Then he put a piece of cheese in his pocket and went away.Later a neighbour told me about him.Everybody knows him.His name is Percy Buttons.He calls at every house in the street once a month and always asks for a meal and a glass of beer.

1、beggar n.乞讨者， 乞丐

beg v. 祈求

“beg”的对象可以是钱，也可以是原谅。

The beggar is begging a rich man for a meal and a glass of beer.

I beg you overlook my rudeness.我请求你宽恕我的失礼。

作为牛马群体之一，某种意义上，

我们又何尝不是“beggar”？

向老板“beg”一个机会，向朋友“beg”一点时间，向家人“beg”一份理解。

毕竟乞丐跟富人“ask for a meal”，我们向老板“ask for a raise”（加薪）、向亲朋好友“ask for love”。

2、call

call v.打电话 call/ring sb

call n.电话

call v.拜访、光顾

call on 拜访+人

call at 拜访+物

现代人习惯“call sb.”——一通电话解决所有事，基本上是闻其声，未见其人。

但“call on sb.”（拜访人）和“call at someplace”（拜访某地）却渐渐陌生。

乞丐每月叩响每扇门（ calls at every house in the street once a month ），这是一种原始的、面对面的“连接”。

而我们呢？通讯录越满，越怕突然的“call”；消息越多，越怕真实的“call on”。

也许我们都该偶尔练习：把“打电话”变成“登门”，把“发消息”变成“开口问”。