Les Brown and his twin brother were adopted by Mamie Brown, a kitchen worker and maid, shortly after their birth in a poverty-stricken Miami neighborhood.

　　Because of his hyperactivity and nonstop jabber¹, Les was placed in special education classes for the learning disabled in grade school and throughout high school. Upon graduation, he became a city sanitation² worker in Miami Beach. But he had a dream of being a disc jockey.

　　At night he would take a transistor³ radio to bed where he listened to the local jive-talking deejays. He created an imaginary radio station in his tiny room with its torn vinyl flooring. A hairbrush served as his microphone as he practiced his patter, introducing records to his ghost listeners.

　　His mother and brother could hear him through the thin walls and would shout at him to quit flapping his jaws⁴ and go to sleep. But Les didn't listen to them. He was wrapped up in his own world, living a dream.

　　One day Les boldly went to the local radio station during his lunch break from mowing⁵ grass for the city. He got into the station manager's office and told him he wanted to be a disc jockey.

　　The manager eyed this disheveled young man in overalls⁶ and a straw hat and inquired, “Do you have any background in broadcasting?”

　　Les replied, “No sir, I don't.”

　　“Well, son, I'm afraid we don't have a job for you then.”

　　Les thanked him politely and left. The station manager assumed that he had seen the last of this young man. But he underestimated the depth of Les Brown's commitment to his goal. You see, Les had a higher purpose than simply wanting to be a disc jockey. He wanted to buy a nicer house for his adoptive mother, whom he loved deeply. The disc jockey job was merely a step toward his goal.

　　Mamie Brown had taught Les to pursue his dreams, so he felt sure that he would get a job at that radio station in spite of what the station manager had said.

　　And so Les returned to the station every day for a week, asking if there were any job openings. Finally the station manager gave in and took him on as an errand boy — at no pay. At first, he fetched coffee or picked up lunches and dinner for the deejays who could not leave the studio. Eventually his enthusiasm for their work won him the confidence of the disc jockeys who would send him in their Cadillacs to pick up visiting celebrities⁷ such as the Temptations and Diana Ross and the Supremes. Little did any of them know that young Les did not have a driver's license⁸.

　　Les did whatever was asked of him at the station - and more. While hanging out with the deejays, he taught himself their hand movements on the control panel. He stayed in the control rooms and soaked up whatever he could until they asked him to leave. Then, back in his bedroom at night, he practiced and prepared himself for the opportunity that he knew would present itself.

　　One Saturday afternoon while Les was at the station, a deejay named Rock was drinking while on the air. Les was the only other person in the building, and he realized that Rock was drinking himself toward trouble. Les stayed close. He walked back and forth⁹ in front of the window in Rock's booth. As he prowled, he said to himself. “Drink, Rock, drink!”

　　Les was hungry, and he was ready. He would have run down the street for more booze if Rock had asked. When the phone rang, Les pounced¹⁰ on it. It was the station manager, as he knew it would be.

　　“Les, this is Mr. Klein.”

　　“Yes,” said Les. “I know.”

　　“Les, I don't think Rock can finish his program.”

　　“Yes sir, I know.”

　　“Would you call one of the other deejays to come in and take over?”

　　“Yes, sir. I sure will.”

　　But when Les hung up the telephone, he said to himself, “Now, he must think I'm crazy.”

　　Les did dial the telephone, but it wasn't to call in another deejay. He called his mother first, and then his girlfriend. “You all go out on the front porch and turn up the radio because I'm about to come on the air!” he said.

　　He waited about 15 minutes before he called the general manager. “Mr. Klein, I can't find nobody.” Les said.

　　Mr. Klein then asked, “Young man, do you know how to work the controls in the studio?”

　　“Yes sir.” replied Les.

　　Les darted¹¹ into the booth, gently moved Rock aside and sat down at the turntable. He was ready. And he was hungry. He flipped¹² on the microphone switch and said, “Look out! This is me LB, triple P — Les Brown, Your Platter Playing Poppa. There were none before me and there will be none after me. Therefore, that makes me the one and only. Young and single and love to mingle¹³. Certified¹⁴, bona fide, indubitably qualified¹⁵ to bring you satisfaction, a whole lot of action. Look out, baby, I'm your lo-o-ove man.”

　　Because of his preparation, Les was ready. He vowed¹⁶ the audience and his general manager. From that fateful beginning, Les went on to a successful career in broadcasting, politics, public speaking and television. 

　　中文：

　　莱斯·布朗和他的双胞胎兄弟出生在迈阿密一个非常贫困的社区，出生后不久就被帮厨女工梅米·布朗收养了。

　　由于莱斯非常好动，又含含糊糊地说个不停，所以他小学就被安排进一个专门为学习有障碍的学生开设的特教班，直到高中毕业。毕业以后，他成了迈阿密滩的一名城市环卫工人。但他却一直梦想成为一名电台音乐节目主持人。

　　每天晚上，他都要把他的晶体管收音机抱到床上，听本地电台的音乐节目主持人谈论摇摆乐。就在他那间狭小的、铺着已经破损的地板革的房间里，他创建了一个假想的电台——用一把梳子当麦克风，他念经一般喋喋不休地练习用行话向他的“影子”听众介绍唱片。

　　透过薄薄的墙壁，他母亲和兄弟都能听到他的声音，于是，就会对他大吼大叫，让他别再耍嘴皮子而去睡觉。但是，莱斯根本就不理睬他们，他已经完全沉醉在自己的世界里，努力想要实现他的梦想。

　　一天，莱斯利用在市区割草的午休时间，勇敢地来到了本地电台。他走进经理办公室，说他想成为一名流行音乐节目主持人。

　　经理打量着眼前这位头戴草帽、衣衫不整的年轻人，然后问道：“你有广播方面的背景吗？”

　　莱斯答道：“我没有，先生。”

　　“那么，孩子，恐怕我们这儿没有适合你的工作。”

　　于是，莱斯非常有礼貌地向他道了谢，然后就离去了。经理以为再也不会见到这个年轻人了。然而，他低估了莱斯·布朗对自己理想的投入程度。要知道，莱斯还有比成为一名音乐节目主持人更高的目标——他要为他深爱的养母买一幢更好的房子。电台音乐节目主持人的工作只不过是他迈向这个目标的一步而已。

　　梅米·布朗曾经教莱斯要去追寻自己的梦想，因此，莱斯觉得无论电台经理怎么说，他都一定会在这家电台找到一份工作。

　　于是，莱斯连续一周天天都到这家电台去，询问是否有职位空缺。最后，电台经理终于让步了，决定雇他跑跑腿，但没有薪水。刚开始的时候，莱斯的工作是为那些不能离开播音室的主持人们取咖啡或者是去买午餐和晚餐。正是由于莱斯对工作的积极热情，使他终于赢得了音乐节目主持人的信任，他们让他开着他们的卡迪拉克车去接电台邀请来的一些名人，像诱惑合唱团、黛安娜·罗斯，还有至高无上乐队等等。他们没人知道年轻的莱斯竟然没有汽车驾驶执照。

　　在电台里，无论人们让他做什么，莱斯都会去做——有时候甚至做得更多。整日和主持人们待在一起，他自学着他们的手在控制面板上的动作。他总是尽量呆在控制室里，潜心学习，直到他们让他离开。晚上回到自己的卧室，他就认真投入地进行练习，为他确信一定会到来的机遇做好准备。

　　一个星期六的下午，莱斯还在电台里，有一位叫罗克的主持人一边播着音，一边喝着酒。而此时，整个大楼里除了他就只有莱斯一个人了。莱斯意识到：照这样下去，罗克一定会喝出问题的。莱斯密切注意着，在罗克的演播室窗前来来回回地踱着步，还不停地自言自语：“喝吧，罗克，喝啊！”

　　莱斯跃跃欲试，而且他早就为此做好了准备！如果此刻罗克让他去买酒的话，他会冲到街上去给他买更多的酒。正在这时，电话铃响了，莱斯立刻冲过去，拿起听筒。果不出莱斯所料，正是电台经理打来的。

　　“莱斯，我是克莱恩先生。”

　　“嗯，我知道。”莱斯答道。

　　“莱斯，我看罗克是不能把他的节目坚持到底了。”

　　“是的，先生。”

　　“你能打电话通知其他主持人，让他们谁过来接替罗克吗？”

　　“好的，先生，我一定会办好的。”

　　但是，莱斯一挂断电话，就自言自语道：“马上，他就会认为我一定是疯了！”

　　莱斯确实打了电话，但却并没有打给其他主持人。他先打电话给他妈妈，然后是他女朋友。

　　“你们快到外面的前廊去，打开收音机，因为，我就要开始播音了！”他说。

　　等了大约15分钟，他给经理打了个电话。“克莱恩先生，我一个主持人也找不到。”他说。

　　“小伙子，你会操作演播室里的控制键吗？”克莱恩先生问道。

　　“我会，先生，”他答道。

　　莱斯箭一般地冲进演播室，轻轻地把罗克移到一边，坐在了录音转播台前。他准备好了，并早就渴望这个机会来临。他轻轻打开麦克风开关，说：“注意了！我是莱斯·布朗，人称唱片播放大叔，可以说是前无古人，后无来者，因此，我是举世无双，天下惟一。我年纪轻轻，单身一人，喜欢和大家在一起倾听音乐，品味生活。我的能力是经过鉴定的，绝对真实可靠，一定能够带给你们一档丰富多彩的节目，让你们满意。注意了，宝贝，我就是你们最喜爱的人！”

　　有了精心准备，莱斯才能如此从容。他赢得了听众和总经理的心！从那改变一生的机遇起，莱斯开始了在广播、政治、演讲和电视等方面的成功的职业生涯。

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