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進入《中英對照讀新聞》Too much Christmas spirit rankles neighbors 耶誕氣氛太濃惹鄰居不滿
◎管淑平
Mike Babick’s display of Christmas spirit has grown too popular for some neighbors, who complain his expanding array of lights and holiday figures draw some unwelcome gawkers.
麥克．巴畢克呈現的耶誕氣氛對某些鄰居來說太受歡迎，這些鄰居抱怨他的大批燈飾、耶誕人偶吸引了一些不受歡迎的人駐足觀看。
Babick’s passion for the holiday has driven him to adorn his modest one-story home in the Kansas City suburb Prairie village with more than a thousand figures housed in display cases that go up to his rooftop.
巴畢克對這個節日的熱愛，驅使他以1000多個裝在展示盒中的人偶，裝飾他位於堪薩斯市郊區普瑞里村的一層樓樸素住家，人偶多到擺到屋頂上。
Babick, 69, said his display requires a month to set up and draws some 250,000 visitors each year.
69歲的巴畢克說，他的陳列品需要1個月時間佈置，每年吸引約25萬人參觀。
But some neighbors say Babick’s Yuletide creation has become too popular. Cars and tour buses sometimes block their driveways. Visitors trudge across their lawns, with some pausing to relieve themselves.
但有些鄰居說，巴畢克的耶誕風創作已經太受歡迎，轎車、觀光巴士有時都擋住他們的車道，參觀者踩過他們的草坪，有些人還順便撒泡尿。
In response to complaints from some 30 residents, police made Babick’s block temporarily one-way and put up no-parking signs, but that has not stopped visitors from parking in private driveways.
為了回應來自約30名居民的抱怨，警方暫時將巴畢克住家周邊設為單行道，設立禁止停車標誌，但這並沒有阻止參觀人潮把車停在私人車道上。
Jessie Novak, who lives across the street, said the traffic drawn to Babick’s display is bothersome but tolerable.
住在對街的諾瓦克說，巴畢克的裝飾吸引的車潮令人困擾，但還可以忍受。
"I know it’s crazy and out of the norm, but I really enjoy it. It would beat any store window in New York," Novak said.
「我知道這很瘋狂，也不尋常，但我很喜歡，這勝過紐約任何商店櫥窗展示」，諾瓦克說。
