Under The Bridge

Under the Bridge

by Michael Harmon

Tate's younger brother Indy is probably the best skateboarder in Spokane. He's also really smart though he couldn't care less about school. But when Indy clashes with his father one too many times and drops out of school, it's up to Tate to win his brother back from the seedier elements of Spokane. Can Tate convince Indy to come home, finish his high school degree, and return to skating Under the bridge with their crew?

Review

I loved Michael Harmon's book Last Exit to Normal (this book was so underrated, I don't understand how it is not a NYT Bestseller, everyone should read it) so I didn't hesitate when I saw this book. I'm glad to say it didn't let me down.

I appreciate how Harmon's writing is always overflowing with emotions so raw and gritty. There is an unusual mix of angst, despair, hurt, love and acceptance via Tate's first-person narrative. Somehow Harmon manages to inject a glimmer of hope by projecting how Tate never really gave up on Indy and made multiple attempts to save his brother from the abyss of darkness. 

Tate's father was always the man of the family, imposing his own set of rules on his kids. Tate as the more sensible kid accepts and concurs, but Indy feels suffocated and tries to break away or rebel in his own way, which makes dad even angrier. This highlights the tussle in parent-child relationship and the fact that adults always make children listen to them without accepting what their kids have to say. As a result, kids like Indy rebel in every way they can until they lose it. Most of the times, it is not that parents don't love their kids, just that they love their kids the wrong way.

This book is an emotional roller coaster that brings you down to Bikini Bottom before finally going up. So be mentally prepared.

*This book contains swear words, drug dealings/usage and suicide.

Tyranno Le Terrible (Traduction En Anglais) Part 2

1. Cet après-midi-là, Igor alla trouver Tyranno.

That afternoon, Igor searched for Tyranno.

2. Tiens, dit-il de sa voix la plus amicable.

Hello, he said in his most friendly voice.

3. Il fait si chaud, j'ai pensé qu'une bonne glace te ferait sûrement plaisir.

It is so hot, I was thinking that a nice ice-cream would surely please you.

4. Tyranno regarda Igor un moment. Puis il eut un sourire méchant.

Tyranno looked at Igor for a moment. Then he had a wicked smile.

5. Une glace pour moi? Comme c'est gentil!

An ice-cream for me? How nice is that!

6. Tyranno s'empara du cornet de glace et il le renversa sur la tête de Igor.

Tyranno seized the corner of the ice cream and he overturned it on Igor's head.

7. Ha ha ha! s'esclaffa Tyranno, en s'eloignant. 

Ha ha ha! guffawed Tyranno, and moved away.

8. Igor entendit résonner le rire de Tyranno pendant un long moment.

Igor heard the resonating laughter of Tyranno for a long moment. 

9. Le lendemain, Igor raconta à son amie Platea ce qui s'était passé.

The next day, Igor told his friend Platea what had happened.

10. Tu prends ça trop au sérieux, déclara Platea. Quand cette grosse brute cherche à t'embêter, fais comme si de rien n'était. Reste calme. C'est le seul moyen.

You take this too seriously, declared Platea. When this big bully is looking to annoy you, do as if  nothing had happened. Stay calm. This is the only way.

11. Rester calme quand j'ai peur ne va pas être facile, dit Igor. Mais je veux bien essayer.

Staying calm when I am afraid will not be easy, said Igor. But I want to try.

12. Quand la fois suivante, Igor rencontra Tyranno, il resta calme. 

During the next time Igor met Tyranno, he was calm.

13. Salut, tête de lézard! hurla Tyranno en voyant Igor passer.

Hello, head of lizard! screamed Tyranno while watching Igor passing by.

14. Et si tu me donnais mon sandwich?

And if you were giving me my sandwich?

15. Igor n'y prêta aucune attention, et n'essaya même pas de s'enfuir. Il continua à marcher.

Igor paid no attention, and did not even try to run away. He continued to march on. 

16. Je vois qu'une fois de plus, il va falloir que je me serve, dit Tyranno.

I see that once again, he'll have to serve me, said Tyranno.

17. Il piétina le queue d'Igor jusqu'à ce qu Igor ait lâché / lâche son sandwich.

He trampled Igor's tail until Igor dropped his sandwich.

18. Igor essaya de cacher ses larmes. Mais il avait très mal.

Igor tried to hide his tears. But he had it very bad.

Tyranno Le Terrible (Traduction En Anglais) Part 1

Each sentence will be in French followed by a literal translation in English.

1. Igot était un petit dinosaure. Il vivait avec sa mère et son père dans une grande forêt marécageuse.
Igor was a little dinasour. He lived with his mom and his dad in a swampy forest.

2. Il y avait beaucoup d'enfants dinosaures qui habitaient dans le voisinage d'Igor.
There were many young dinosaurs who lived in Igor's neighborhood.

3. Ils jouaient chaque jour ensemble et Igor s'entendait bien avec tous, tous sauf un...
They played (every day) together and Igor understand (well) everyone, all save for one...

4. Son nom était Tyranno, et on l'appellait généralement Tyranno le terrible.
His name was Tyranno, and they called him (generally) Tyranno the Terrible.

5. C'était un enfant lui aussi, mais il était beaucoup plus grand et plus fort que la plupart des autres gamins.
This was a kid himself too, but he was much more bigger and stronger than most of the other children.

6. C'était une vraie brute. Pour tout dire, il était la prèmiere brute du monde.
This was a real brute. To be honest, he was the number 1 brute in the world.

7. Tyranno aimait surtout s'en prendre à Igor.
Tyranno loved especially to attack/lash out at Igor.

8. Il le tapait, le taquinait, et il voulait toujours son goûter.
He slapped him, teased him, and he wanted (always) his/Igor's snack.

9. Igor essayait de ne jamais se trouver sur le chemin de Tyranno, mais partout où il allait, Tyranno l'attendait.
Igor tried to never cross paths with Tyranno, but wherever he went, Tyranno waited for him.

10. Igor avait chaque soir un peu plus de mal à s'endormir.
Igot (had) every evening a little more trouble falling asleep.

11. Il cherchait sans cesse un moyen pour éviter Tyranno. 
He searched without ceasing, a way to evade Tyranno.

12. Sa situation paraissait désespérée. (from the word paraître)
His situation seemed hopeless.

13. Les camarades d'Igor essayèrent de l'aider.
Igor's comrades tried to help him.

14. Il faudrait que tu deviennes son copain, suggéra Tricéro un jour.
It is necessary that you become his friend, suggested Tricero one day.

15. Plus facile à dire qu'à faire, répondit Igor.
Easier said than done, said Igor.

16. Comment devenir copain avec quelqu'un qui m'a tapé et taquiné toute ma vie?
How to be friends with someone who slapped and teased me my whole life?

17. Tu devrais lui offrir un cadeau pour lui prouver que tu l'aimes bien, dit Tricéro.
You should offer him a present to prove to him that you like him well, said Tricéro.

18. Igor réflechit un moment. Quel genre de cadeau offrir à Tyranno?
Igor reflected for a moment. What type of present to offer Tyranno?

19. Puis il repensa à la façon dont Tyranno s'emparait toujours de ses goûters.
Thereafter, he thought of the way where Tyranno seized (always) his snacks.

20. Un cadeau pour Tyranno? dit-il tout haut. Ça vaut la peine d'essayer.
A gift for Tyranno? He wondered aloud. It's worth the pain to try.