Day 76: The Taxi Driver's Own Book

Dialogue

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1. 1

   A 기사님, 저 앞에 있는 책 혹시 기사님 책이에요? 표지 이름이 자격증 이름이랑 똑같길래요.

   Gisanim, jeo ape inneun chaek hoksi gisanim chaegieyo? Pyoji ireumi jagyeokjeung ireumirang ttokgatgillaeyo.

   Excuse me, is that book on the dashboard yours? The name on the cover matches the one on your driver ID card.

   Line 1
2. 2

   B 하하, 들켰네요. 네, 제가 쓴 수필집이에요. 작년에 작은 출판사에서 나왔어요.

   Haha, deulkyeonneyo. Ne, jega sseun supiljibieyo. Jangnyeone jageun chulpansaeseo nawasseoyo.

   Ha ha, you caught me. Yes, it's a collection of essays I wrote. A small publisher put it out last year.

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3. 3

   A 와, 작가님이셨네요. 무슨 이야기를 쓰셨어요?

   Wa, jakganimisyeonneyo. Museun iyagireul sseusyeosseoyo?

   Wow, so you're an author! What did you write about?

   Line 3
4. 4

   B 이십 년 동안 태운 손님들 이야기예요. 새벽에 병원 가는 임산부, 첫 면접 보러 가는 청년, 그런 분들 일화요.

   Isip nyeon dongan taeun sonnimdeul iyagiyeyo. Saebyeoge byeongwon ganeun imsanbu, cheot myeonjeop boreo ganeun cheongnyeon, geureon bundeul ilhwayo.

   Stories about the passengers I've had over twenty years. A pregnant woman heading to hospital at dawn, a young man off to his first job interview, that sort of thing.

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5. 5

   A 제가 책을 좋아해서 그런데, 신호 기다리는 동안 잠깐 읽어 봐도 될까요?

   Jega chaegeul joahaeseo geureonde, sinho gidarineun dongan jamkkan ilgeo bwado doelkkayo?

   I'm a big reader, so... could I have a quick look while we wait at the lights?

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6. 6

   B 그럼요. 맨 앞에 있는 짧은 글부터 읽어 보세요.

   Geureomyo. Maen ape inneun jjalbeun geulbuteo ilgeo boseyo.

   Of course. Start with the short piece at the front.

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7. 7

   A 첫 문장부터 좋네요. '택시 기사는 손님의 얼굴보다 목소리를 더 오래 기억한다.'

   Cheot munjangbuteo jonneyo. 'Taeksi gisaneun sonnimui eolgulboda moksorireul deo orae gieokanda.'

   Even the first sentence is good. 'A taxi driver remembers a passenger's voice longer than their face.'

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8. 8

   B 손님들은 뒷자리에 앉으시니까 얼굴은 거울로 잠깐 보는 게 다거든요. 대신 목소리에는 그날 기분이 다 묻어나요.

   Sonnimdeureun dwitjarie anjeusinikka eolgureun geoullo jamkkan boneun ge dageodeunyo. Daesin moksorieneun geunal gibuni da mudeonayo.

   Passengers sit in the back, so all I get is a quick look at their faces in the mirror. But you can hear their whole day in their voices.

   Line 8
9. 9

   A 작가님은 사람을 참 따뜻하게 보시는 듯해요. 화를 내던 손님 얘기도 끝은 훈훈하네요.

   Jakganimeun sarameul cham ttatteutage bosineun deutaeyo. Hwareul naedeon sonnim yaegido kkeuteun hunhunhaneyo.

   You seem to see people with real warmth. Even the story about the passenger who was shouting at you ends on a warm note.

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10. 10

    B 오래 하다 보면 화내는 사람도 다 사정이 있더라고요. 그걸 알고 나면 덜 억울하고요.

    Orae hada bomyeon hwanaeneun saramdo da sajeongi itdeoragoyo. Geugeol algo namyeon deol eogulhagoyo.

    When you've done this long enough, you find that even angry people have their reasons. Once you know that, it hurts less.

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11. 11

    A 그런데 솔직한 독자로서 하나 말씀드려도 될까요?

    Geureonde soljikan dokjaroseo hana malsseumdeuryeodo doelkkayo?

    But may I say one thing, as an honest reader?

    Line 11
12. 12

    B 그럼요. 가족들은 다 좋다고만 해서 오히려 그런 말이 듣고 싶었어요.

    Geureomyo. Gajokdeureun da jotagoman haeseo ohiryeo geureon mari deutgo sipeosseoyo.

    Please do. My family only ever says it's great, so that's exactly what I've been wanting to hear.

    Line 12
13. 13

    A 글마다 끝에 교훈적인 한 줄을 붙이시는 게 좀 아쉬운 듯해요. 독자가 스스로 느낄 여지를 남겨 두셔도 좋을 것 같아요.

    Geulmada kkeute gyohunjeogin han jureul buchisineun ge jom aswiun deutaeyo. Dokjaga seuseuro neukkil yeojireul namgyeo dusyeodo joeul geot gatayo.

    It's a bit of a shame that you add a line with a moral at the end of every piece. You could leave readers some room to feel it for themselves.

    Line 13
14. 14

    B 아, 출판사 편집자도 똑같은 말을 하더라고요. 버릇이 돼서 자꾸 쓰게 돼요.

    A, chulpansa pyeonjipjado ttokgateun mareul hadeoragoyo. Beoreusi dwaeseo jakku sseuge dwaeyo.

    Ah, my editor said the very same thing. It's become a habit, and I keep doing it.

    Line 14
15. 15

    A 그래도 문장이 소박하고 담백해서 참 좋아요. 다음 책 나오면 꼭 사서 읽을게요.

    Geuraedo munjangi sobakago dambaekaeseo cham joayo. Daeum chaek naomyeon kkok saseo ilgeulgeyo.

    Still, your writing is simple and unpretentious, and I really like it. When your next book comes out, I'll definitely buy it.

    Line 15
16. 16

    B 벌써 다음 책도 쓰고 있어요. 이번에는 오늘 같은 손님 이야기도 들어가겠네요.

    Beolsseo daeum chaekdo sseugo isseoyo. Ibeoneneun oneul gateun sonnim iyagido deureogagenneyo.

    I'm already writing the next one. Looks like a passenger like you today will make it in.

    Line 16
17. 17

    A 하하, 그럼 저는 까다로운 독자로 나오겠네요.

    Haha, geureom jeoneun kkadaroun dokjaro naogenneyo.

    Ha ha, then I'll appear as the fussy reader.

    Line 17
18. 18

    B 아니요, 고마운 독자로 쓸게요. 다 왔습니다, 손님. 그 책은 선물로 가져가세요.

    Aniyo, gomaun dokjaro sseulgeyo. Da watseumnida, sonnim. Geu chaegeun seonmullo gajyeogaseyo.

    No, I'll write you in as a reader I'm grateful to. Here we are, sir. Please take the book as a gift.

    Line 18