It's been said before that not all heroes wear capes. 大家都知道 并非所有英雄都披着斗篷
The hero of this story just so happens to wear 这个故事的英雄恰好穿着
orange and black 橙色和黑色
wears a helmet 戴头盔
and drives an e-bike. 并驾驶电动车
I’m talking of course about the waimai guy of China. 我所说的正是中国的外卖小哥
What's a "waimai guy" you ask? 你可能会问什么是外卖小哥
Well, let's start at the beginning. 好吧 让我们从头开始
Hello, anybody home? 你好，有人吗?
is this the right address? ...是这里吗？
Insolence! 大胆!
Who dares disrupt the Allfather in his slumber!? 谁敢扰了我的清梦!
I just started work today. 我今天开始在这里上班
Ah, 啊
fresh meat. 黄毛小儿
Step forward. 上前一步
Let the Allfather get a better look at you. 让我看清你的样貌
Hi. 嗨
Hmm, 嗯
Confident and self-assured. 自信中不乏果敢
I like it! 我喜欢！
I am the Allfather, 我名为至尊
The first food delivery courier. 外卖江湖的先驱
Nice to meet you, Allfather. 很高兴认识您...至尊
Silence! 肃静!
Quiet, please. 请安静
Alright. 哦..
Speak! 现可继续
Uh 呃
The HR department told me I got the job HR跟我讲说我拿到offer
but first I had to find you 但是要先来找您
then listen to your tale... 他说您要跟我说什么东西
and then 类似
I’ve completed training. 入职培训
Well, 既如此
let us begin, young man. 年轻人 洗耳恭听吧
This is the tale of how food delivery in China first began. 此乃外卖在中国诞生的传说
The year was 1999 那是1999年
and the Allfather was just a young 而外卖至尊满腔热血 胸怀壮志
25 year old boy in Shanghai. 不过是上海的一个25岁男孩
So you’re telling me you’re 45? 所以你现在45岁?
Yes. 正是
You don’t look like it. 看着不像啊
Maybe because I turn 46 next week. 我下周即将步入四十六大寿
I’m planning the party. 在下正在筹划寿宴
Please continue your story. ...还是说您的故事吧
The year was 1999 那是1999年
and there were talks in the town of a young American 坊间传闻有位年轻的美国人
looking to recruit a new generation of couriers 在为其公司招兵买马
for a business that some thought was absolutely bonkers. 即将展开不可思议的征程
His dream was to provide a new service 他的梦想是提供一项新服务
that would deliver restaurant food 他想把餐厅的美食
directly to people’s homes. 送到世人家中
That doesn’t sound so crazy. 也没那么不可思议吧
Pretty normal, right? 不是很正常吗
At this time, 非也 当时
takeout deliveries didn’t exist in China. 外卖这一业务在中国尚未出现
Many people didn’t understand the point back then. 国人对此也不甚了解
For many at the time food was process oriented. 对国人而言 下厨做饭的顺序乃是浑然天成
Which involved visiting a local wet market, 所以说需要去菜市场
buying ingredients, 购买食材
returning home and preparing a meal for your family. 回家 准备食材以及烹饪
Your favourite restaurants delivered to you? 你最喜欢的餐厅可以直接送上门?
But why not just go to the restaurant? 为什么不直接下馆子呢？
It’s better! 那不更好吗！
Oh god! 天啊！
Yes! Please! 快告诉我吧！
Do you know how hard it is to order at restaurants 你知道在餐厅点菜有多不容易
here in 1999? 还是在1999年的时候吗？
That day the founder saw something special in the Allfather 那一天 创始人在外卖至尊身上看到了过人之处
and hired that son-of-a-gun on the spot. 于是当时就决定让他加入这段征程
Though the mission was great, 虽然任务虽然很艰巨
the requirements were few. 但对职位的要求只需
Presentable, 风度翩翩
good manners 彬彬有礼
and a fully-fueled, liquid propane gas moped. 车与身心都加满油
Over the next three months, 在接下来的三个月中
the Allfather completed a series of training montages 外卖至尊完成了一系列的训练
that would sharpen his body, 增强他的身体
mind and soul, 心与灵魂结合后
and then sharpen his body again. 然后再使他的身体变更加得锐利
He also got some free English lessons. 他也习得一些基本的洋文
Hello, how are you, fine, thank you. 你好，你好吗？ 很好，谢谢
So, do you remember your first delivery? 所以 你还记得你的第一笔单子吗?
Pizza. 披萨
Some say he can still smell the order to this very day. 那份外卖的香味至今难忘
Pepperoni with extra cheese. 意大利辣香肠配额外的奶酪
Plus the delivery was to this guy. 再加上送外卖给这个客人
Wow! How did you manage without a smartphone? 哇哦 你那时候都没有手机?
I used my streetsmarts, 我靠的是社会的经验
my keen intuition, 敏锐的直觉
as well as menu books and pay phones. 餐厅的菜单和公用电话
The Allfather was aided by menus 外卖至尊在菜单的帮助下
distributed in yearly books to locations around the city. 每年以书的形式分发到城市各处
The process was simple, 这个过程很简单
people would call the service centers to make an order 人们会打电话给服务中心下订单
and after the goods were delivered, 完成食物送达后
couriers would visit a payphone 外卖小哥会找一个电话亭
to report their mission completed. 打电话汇报完成的情况
That sounds tedious. 这也太麻烦了
Things weren't as developed as they are now. 我的那个年代
It was a simpler time. 不如现在科技这么发达
Actually, it sounds harder. 的确听上去很难
Everyday, 每一天
the Allfather led a new generation of heroes 外卖至尊都会领导一批新的英雄
as a paragon of a paradise 作为典范
that benefits us all to this very day. 直到今天都使我们所有人受益
His stock of receipts was always full 他总是带足发票与菜单
and his motorcycle was always clean. 每天都会清洗摩托车
But most importantly 但最重要的是
he was always on time. 他总是准时
When reasonable human beings 当理性的人
sought shelter from the harsh winter nights, 在严冬的夜晚寻求安慰时
the Allfather battled through the blistering cold, 外卖至尊在炽烈的寒冷中进行战斗
no longer warmed by the sun’s hopeful rays, 不再因充满希望的阳光而温暖
but warmed by an unyielding zest 而是因不屈不挠的热情而温暖
to revolutionize modern dinning. 从而彻底改变了现代餐饮
It turned out that sometimes 但是事实证明有时候
foreigners needed more than just sustenance 外国友人需要的不止是外卖
and he would be there, 他还会在那里
delivering comfort to those who needed it most. 为最需要的人提供安慰
Don’t worry, 别难过了
if it’s meant to be 如果你们是真爱
one day... 总有一天
she’ll come back. 她会回来
Thanks Mr Waimai. 谢谢外卖先生
Push! Push! 用力! 用力!
I'm pushing! 我在用力! !
Okay, okay I got it, I got it! 好 我可以的! 我可以的!
Recognition soon came. 有时也会在工作时间之外被人认出
Hey Sherpas! 嘿 Sherpas!
But the Allfather was hardly deterred by fame. 但外卖至尊未曾因名望而止步
His motivation was fueled by notion few practice today, 他的初心即便在今天依然异常珍贵
empathy. 那就是同理心
He touched hearts and changed them 他感动了他们的心
one delivery at a time. 一次就送一个外卖
Remember 切记
For people with busy lives, 我们是忙碌的世人
we are an oasis. 生命中的绿洲
I’ll never forget, 我永远不会忘记
never ever. 永远不会
Soon the Allfather would be 很快外卖至尊
feeding the people of Suzhou and Beijing. 又拓展到了苏州与北京
April 22nd 2009, 2009年4月22号
Beijing’s first order. 北京的第一单
One caesar salad with a side of sesame chicken 凯撒色拉 芝麻鸡丝色拉
and a small chocolate brownie. 和一小份巧克力布朗尼
February 5th 2010. 2010年2月5号
The first online order. 我们的第一份网络订单
One Greek salad, 一份希腊色拉
5 pieces of rye flour pita 五片皮塔饼
and a single spread of hummus. 与一份鹰嘴豆泥酱
Over just twenty years, 过去二十载
the Allfather had lived multiple lifetimes, 外卖至尊用一辈子
he’d seen it all. 见证了所有
The development of e-bikes, 共享单车
the Shanghai Expo, 上海世博
Shanghai Tower. 上海中心
Taco Bell.
Now all distant memories, 现在一切回忆
swirling like dust in the wind. 弹指一挥间
Wow, 哇哦
what an amazing tale. 这故事也太精彩了
How can I ever thank you, Allfather. 我该怎么谢谢您呢至尊?
You can thank me 你可以代替我
by carrying the Sherpas name. 将Sherpas的名号传承下去
By being the hero these hungry people deserve. 成为饥肠辘辘的世人眼中的超级英雄
By being on time, every time. 成为准时准点的代言人 永不失信
By being a guardian of delicious meals. 成为珍馐美味的守护者
By being a shining light in the dark for those 成为照亮那些希望在家里
who want their favourite restaurants delivered to them. 用餐厅美食的人的光芒
20 years of service, 二十年虽已逝去
here’s to another 20. 新的二十年即将到来
Your delivery has arrived! 您的外卖!
Cool, thanks man. 太好了 谢谢你
I won’t let you down, master. 至尊 我会如您所愿