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如果一个人有与棺材家具朝夕相处的勇气，有选择在美酒和爱妻歌声的陪伴下自我了断的豁达，那不妨再进一步，写好自己的讣告，为自己的身后事作个交代，给自己的人生画上圆满的句号。
Host： “Walter George Bruhl， Jr. of Newark and Dewey Beach， Del.， is a dead person； he is no more； he is 1）bereft of life； he is deceased； he has 2）wrung down the curtain and gone to 3）join the choir invisible.” That’s the way the 4）obituary for the 80-year-old Mr. Bruhl begins.
It’s a nod to “Monty Python，” and it’s exactly the way he would have wanted it because he wrote it. Mr. Bruhl left it behind， typed up with blanks to be filled in： the day he died， where he was， and the number of years he was married to his loving wife Helene—57.
Walter Bruhl’s grandson shared the full text of the very funny and moving obit on the website
5）Reddit， and it quickly went viral. The Bruhl family says they have been overwhelmed by the response. And we’ve reached Walter Bruhl’s son Martin in Newark， Del. Mr. Bruhl， welcome to the program， and I’m very sorry for your loss.
Martin： Thank you very much.
Host： Did you know that your father had written this obituary？
Martin： I did not. My mom had shown it to me shortly after his passing.
Host： Let’s read one section from it. He talks about the things he has left behind. He wrote this： “Walt was preceded in death by his 6）tonsils and 7）adenoids in 1935， a spinal disc in 1974， a large piece of his 8）thyroid gland in 1988.” Did that strike you very much as the dad you knew， and the sense of humor you knew？
Martin： It is definitely the sense of humor that we all knew. I’m sure right now he’s getting a big kick out of this whole thing. He’s laughing at all of us.
Host： He also did explain why there would be no viewing after his death， and I wonder if you could read that part of the obituary that your father wrote for himself.
Martin： Sure. “There will be no viewing since his wife refuses to honor his request to have him standing in the corner of the room with a glass of Jack Daniel’s in his hand so that he would appear natural to visitors.”
Host： What did you think about that？
Martin： That was him， without a doubt， 9）to a T. He loved life. He loved being around people. He just seemed to bring a smile everywhere he went.
Host： Now， I wonder in…in reading this obituary that your father wrote for himself， did it somehow lessen the blow of his dying to have read these words？ Martin： It did and also， how much it has affected a lot of people. At the end， he asked for people to do an 10）unsolicited act of kindness. And reading all the things online， how many people have done that， it really was something amazing.
Host： Well， Mr. Bruhl， it’s good of you to talk with us. Thank you so much.
Martin： Thank you.
Host： That’s Martin Bruhl， speaking about his father， Walter. People from all over the world are raising a glass to his memory after his self-penned obituary became an Internet sensation.
主持人：“小沃尔特·乔治·布鲁尔，特拉华州的纽瓦克和杜威海滩人士。如今他是一个死人，不复存在，失去了生命，是一个已故的人，他已经放下人生的帷幕，去和天使作伴。”以上是80岁的布鲁尔先生讣告的开篇。
这则讣告颇有蒙提·派森剧团的风格。布鲁尔先生肯定会这么写自己的讣告，因为这正是他自己写的。布鲁尔先生身后留下一份已经打印成文的讣告，其中只留下几个空白处以待填写：他去世的日期、地点，他与爱妻海琳婚姻的时长——57年。
沃尔特·布鲁尔的孙子把这则无比风趣、感人至深的讣告全文放到了Reddit网站上，它迅速被广为传播。布鲁尔家人表示，他们被网络上的反应感动了。我们与沃尔特·布鲁尔的儿子马丁取得了联系，他人在特拉华州纽瓦克。布鲁尔先生，欢迎你参加我们的节目，我为你父亲的去世感到难过。
马丁：非常感谢。
主持人：你事先知道父亲已经写好了这则讣告吗？
马丁：我不知道。我父亲过世后不久，母亲给我看了这份东西。
主持人：我们来念其中的一段。他提到了身后留下的东西，他写道：“此前，沃尔特的扁桃腺和增殖腺、椎间盘，还有一大块甲状腺分别在1935年、1974年和1988年早于他离世了。”这段话是不是让你想起了你熟悉的父亲，还有他的幽默感？
马丁：这的确是我们所有人都熟知的幽默感。我敢肯定他现在正为此乐不可支，正在笑我们大家伙儿呢。
主持人：他还解释了在他去世后不举行遗体瞻仰仪式的原因，我想请你念念你父亲在讣告中为自己写的这部分内容。
马丁：没问题。“既然他妻子拒绝答应他的请求，让他届时手里拿着一杯杰克丹尼威士忌，站在房间的一角，让他可以自然的姿势面对来客，那他死后将不会举行遗体瞻仰仪式。”
主持人：你对此怎么看？
马丁：那就是他的性格，毫无疑问，确确实实。他热爱生活，喜欢与人打交道。他每到一处，似乎都能带给人们欢笑。
主持人：那么，我在想，看到这则你父亲为他自己写的讣告，是不是可以在某种程度上减轻他的离世带给你们的打击呢？
马丁：正是这样。同时，它也影响了许许多多的人。在讣告的最后，他请求人们主动去做一件善事。看到网上的留言，我们知道有许多人真的这么做了，这实在是太棒了。
主持人：好的，布鲁尔先生，很高兴与你交谈。非常感谢。
马丁：谢谢。
主持人：以上是马丁·布鲁尔追忆他的父亲沃尔特。沃尔特为自己撰写的讣告在网上轰动一时，世界各地的人们纷纷举杯向他致意。
小资料
布鲁尔先生的讣告 （节选）
He drifted off this mortal coil[尘世] Sunday， March 9， 2014， in Punta Gorda， Fla. His spirit was released from his worn-out shell of a body and is now exploring the universe.
He was surrounded by his loving wife of 57 years， Helene Sellers Bruhl， who will now be able to purchase the mink coat[貂皮衣] which he had always refused her because he believed only minks should wear mink. He is also survived by his son Walter III and wife Melissa； daughters Carly and Paige， and son Martin and wife Debra； son Sam and daughter Kalla. Walt loved and enjoyed his grandkids.
There will be no viewing since his wife refuses to honor his request to have him standing in the corner of the room with a glass of Jack Daniels in his hand so he would appear natural to visitors. Cremation will take place at the family’s convenience， and his ashes will be kept in an urn[骨灰瓮] until they get tired of having it around. What’s a Grecian Urn？ Oh， about 200 drachmas[古希腊的银币] a week.
Everyone who remembers him is asked to celebrate Walt’s life in their own way； raising a glass of their favorite drink in his memory would be quite appropriate[合适的].
Instead of flowers， Walt would hope that you will do an unexpected and unsolicited act of kindness for some poor unfortunate soul in his name.
文化交流站
Monty Python（蒙提·派森剧团）：英国六人喜剧团体，他们创作的英国电视喜剧片《蒙提·派森的飞行马戏团》（Monty Python and the Flying Circus）于1969年10月5日在BBC播出，共播出了4季计45集。发源于电视剧的Monty Python剧团，其影响力在随后数十年里有增无减，推出了巡回舞台表演、电影、音乐专辑、书籍和一部舞台剧。他们的作品穿插有创新的意识流和超现实表现形式，挑战了当时的表演风格与内容的限制，对英国喜剧产生了经年不息的影响。在北美，无论是早期的《周六夜现场》还是新近的荒诞剧都深受其影响。Monty Python的影响力不仅体现在对喜剧和表演形式的挑战，他们的作品主题和内容丰富多彩，尤其善于用荒诞不经和超然的方式来挑战和表现各种社会禁忌、规章、权威、不合理现状和刻板印象，其风格充满了颠覆性。
Jack Daniel’s（杰克丹尼威士忌）：Jack Daniel’s是世界十大名酒之一。Jack Daniel’s酒厂是美国最古老的注册酒厂，创立于1866年，坐落于盛产上好玉米、黑麦以及大麦芽的田纳西山谷。该厂挑选最上等的玉米、黑麦及麦芽等纯天然谷物，配以高山泉水酿制，不含人造成份。他们采用独特的枫木过滤方法，用新烧制的美国白橡木桶储存酒，让酒质散发天然独特的馥郁芬芳。Jack Daniel’s作为世界知名的酒类品牌，其销量曾到全美销量第一及全球销量第四，多年来高踞全球及美国威士忌销量榜首。
如果一个人有与棺材家具朝夕相处的勇气，有选择在美酒和爱妻歌声的陪伴下自我了断的豁达，那不妨再进一步，写好自己的讣告，为自己的身后事作个交代，给自己的人生画上圆满的句号。
Host： “Walter George Bruhl， Jr. of Newark and Dewey Beach， Del.， is a dead person； he is no more； he is 1）bereft of life； he is deceased； he has 2）wrung down the curtain and gone to 3）join the choir invisible.” That’s the way the 4）obituary for the 80-year-old Mr. Bruhl begins.
It’s a nod to “Monty Python，” and it’s exactly the way he would have wanted it because he wrote it. Mr. Bruhl left it behind， typed up with blanks to be filled in： the day he died， where he was， and the number of years he was married to his loving wife Helene—57.
Walter Bruhl’s grandson shared the full text of the very funny and moving obit on the website
5）Reddit， and it quickly went viral. The Bruhl family says they have been overwhelmed by the response. And we’ve reached Walter Bruhl’s son Martin in Newark， Del. Mr. Bruhl， welcome to the program， and I’m very sorry for your loss.
Martin： Thank you very much.
Host： Did you know that your father had written this obituary？
Martin： I did not. My mom had shown it to me shortly after his passing.
Host： Let’s read one section from it. He talks about the things he has left behind. He wrote this： “Walt was preceded in death by his 6）tonsils and 7）adenoids in 1935， a spinal disc in 1974， a large piece of his 8）thyroid gland in 1988.” Did that strike you very much as the dad you knew， and the sense of humor you knew？
Martin： It is definitely the sense of humor that we all knew. I’m sure right now he’s getting a big kick out of this whole thing. He’s laughing at all of us.
Host： He also did explain why there would be no viewing after his death， and I wonder if you could read that part of the obituary that your father wrote for himself.
Martin： Sure. “There will be no viewing since his wife refuses to honor his request to have him standing in the corner of the room with a glass of Jack Daniel’s in his hand so that he would appear natural to visitors.”
Host： What did you think about that？
Martin： That was him， without a doubt， 9）to a T. He loved life. He loved being around people. He just seemed to bring a smile everywhere he went.
Host： Now， I wonder in…in reading this obituary that your father wrote for himself， did it somehow lessen the blow of his dying to have read these words？ Martin： It did and also， how much it has affected a lot of people. At the end， he asked for people to do an 10）unsolicited act of kindness. And reading all the things online， how many people have done that， it really was something amazing.
Host： Well， Mr. Bruhl， it’s good of you to talk with us. Thank you so much.
Martin： Thank you.
Host： That’s Martin Bruhl， speaking about his father， Walter. People from all over the world are raising a glass to his memory after his self-penned obituary became an Internet sensation.
主持人：“小沃尔特·乔治·布鲁尔，特拉华州的纽瓦克和杜威海滩人士。如今他是一个死人，不复存在，失去了生命，是一个已故的人，他已经放下人生的帷幕，去和天使作伴。”以上是80岁的布鲁尔先生讣告的开篇。
这则讣告颇有蒙提·派森剧团的风格。布鲁尔先生肯定会这么写自己的讣告，因为这正是他自己写的。布鲁尔先生身后留下一份已经打印成文的讣告，其中只留下几个空白处以待填写：他去世的日期、地点，他与爱妻海琳婚姻的时长——57年。
沃尔特·布鲁尔的孙子把这则无比风趣、感人至深的讣告全文放到了Reddit网站上，它迅速被广为传播。布鲁尔家人表示，他们被网络上的反应感动了。我们与沃尔特·布鲁尔的儿子马丁取得了联系，他人在特拉华州纽瓦克。布鲁尔先生，欢迎你参加我们的节目，我为你父亲的去世感到难过。
马丁：非常感谢。
主持人：你事先知道父亲已经写好了这则讣告吗？
马丁：我不知道。我父亲过世后不久，母亲给我看了这份东西。
主持人：我们来念其中的一段。他提到了身后留下的东西，他写道：“此前，沃尔特的扁桃腺和增殖腺、椎间盘，还有一大块甲状腺分别在1935年、1974年和1988年早于他离世了。”这段话是不是让你想起了你熟悉的父亲，还有他的幽默感？
马丁：这的确是我们所有人都熟知的幽默感。我敢肯定他现在正为此乐不可支，正在笑我们大家伙儿呢。
主持人：他还解释了在他去世后不举行遗体瞻仰仪式的原因，我想请你念念你父亲在讣告中为自己写的这部分内容。
马丁：没问题。“既然他妻子拒绝答应他的请求，让他届时手里拿着一杯杰克丹尼威士忌，站在房间的一角，让他可以自然的姿势面对来客，那他死后将不会举行遗体瞻仰仪式。”
主持人：你对此怎么看？
马丁：那就是他的性格，毫无疑问，确确实实。他热爱生活，喜欢与人打交道。他每到一处，似乎都能带给人们欢笑。
主持人：那么，我在想，看到这则你父亲为他自己写的讣告，是不是可以在某种程度上减轻他的离世带给你们的打击呢？
马丁：正是这样。同时，它也影响了许许多多的人。在讣告的最后，他请求人们主动去做一件善事。看到网上的留言，我们知道有许多人真的这么做了，这实在是太棒了。
主持人：好的，布鲁尔先生，很高兴与你交谈。非常感谢。
马丁：谢谢。
主持人：以上是马丁·布鲁尔追忆他的父亲沃尔特。沃尔特为自己撰写的讣告在网上轰动一时，世界各地的人们纷纷举杯向他致意。
小资料
布鲁尔先生的讣告 （节选）
He drifted off this mortal coil[尘世] Sunday， March 9， 2014， in Punta Gorda， Fla. His spirit was released from his worn-out shell of a body and is now exploring the universe.
He was surrounded by his loving wife of 57 years， Helene Sellers Bruhl， who will now be able to purchase the mink coat[貂皮衣] which he had always refused her because he believed only minks should wear mink. He is also survived by his son Walter III and wife Melissa； daughters Carly and Paige， and son Martin and wife Debra； son Sam and daughter Kalla. Walt loved and enjoyed his grandkids.
There will be no viewing since his wife refuses to honor his request to have him standing in the corner of the room with a glass of Jack Daniels in his hand so he would appear natural to visitors. Cremation will take place at the family’s convenience， and his ashes will be kept in an urn[骨灰瓮] until they get tired of having it around. What’s a Grecian Urn？ Oh， about 200 drachmas[古希腊的银币] a week.
Everyone who remembers him is asked to celebrate Walt’s life in their own way； raising a glass of their favorite drink in his memory would be quite appropriate[合适的].
Instead of flowers， Walt would hope that you will do an unexpected and unsolicited act of kindness for some poor unfortunate soul in his name.
文化交流站
Monty Python（蒙提·派森剧团）：英国六人喜剧团体，他们创作的英国电视喜剧片《蒙提·派森的飞行马戏团》（Monty Python and the Flying Circus）于1969年10月5日在BBC播出，共播出了4季计45集。发源于电视剧的Monty Python剧团，其影响力在随后数十年里有增无减，推出了巡回舞台表演、电影、音乐专辑、书籍和一部舞台剧。他们的作品穿插有创新的意识流和超现实表现形式，挑战了当时的表演风格与内容的限制，对英国喜剧产生了经年不息的影响。在北美，无论是早期的《周六夜现场》还是新近的荒诞剧都深受其影响。Monty Python的影响力不仅体现在对喜剧和表演形式的挑战，他们的作品主题和内容丰富多彩，尤其善于用荒诞不经和超然的方式来挑战和表现各种社会禁忌、规章、权威、不合理现状和刻板印象，其风格充满了颠覆性。
Jack Daniel’s（杰克丹尼威士忌）：Jack Daniel’s是世界十大名酒之一。Jack Daniel’s酒厂是美国最古老的注册酒厂，创立于1866年，坐落于盛产上好玉米、黑麦以及大麦芽的田纳西山谷。该厂挑选最上等的玉米、黑麦及麦芽等纯天然谷物，配以高山泉水酿制，不含人造成份。他们采用独特的枫木过滤方法，用新烧制的美国白橡木桶储存酒，让酒质散发天然独特的馥郁芬芳。Jack Daniel’s作为世界知名的酒类品牌，其销量曾到全美销量第一及全球销量第四，多年来高踞全球及美国威士忌销量榜首。