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Sometimes she called the police several times a day, begging them to disperse the dealers. But once the police car disappeared down the street, the dealers drifted back.
有时候她一天要报警好几次，恳请他们把这些毒品贩子驱散。但警车一旦开走在街头消失，那些毒品贩子们又会陆陆续续地回来。
As a 50-something mother of grown children, Armstead had not imagined fighting this battle. But it wasn't the first time she'd risen to an unexpected challenge. Back in the mid-1990s, when her own daughter was addicted to drugs and her young grandchildren faced foster care, Armstead got custody of the three boys and one girl.
作为一个50多岁、子女已经长大成人的母亲，阿姆斯特德从未想像过要进行这场战斗。但这并不是她第一次奋起应付突如其来的挑战了。在20世纪90年代中期，当她自己的女儿染上毒瘾，她的小外孙和外孙女需要人领养时，阿姆斯特德就把那三个男孩和一个女孩领来照管了。
One night in September 2000, about a month after she moved into her new house, Armstead prayed to God. "I'm gonna talk to these guys tomorrow. Help me."
2000年9月的一个夜晚，在她迁入新居后大约一个月的时候，阿姆斯特德向上帝祈祷：“明天我要跟那些家伙谈一谈。请帮助我。”
The next day, she confronted the leader of the group, a young man in jeans and a white T-shirt. Armstead's insides were turning over, but she knew she couldn't show her fear.
第二天，她直接找到那帮人的头，一个身穿牛仔裤、白色T恤衫的年轻人。阿姆斯特德的五脏六腑在翻滚，但她知道她绝不能露出恐惧的样子。
This is my space；, she said calmly and quietly, keeping her face a mask. "I shouldn't have to say ‘Excuse me' to get into my own house."
“这里是我的地方，”她平静而温和地说，脸上一直挂着装出来的微笑。“我本不需要在进自己家时还要说一声‘请原谅’。”
She told the young man that she didn't want him and his friends dealing drugs in front of her grandkids anymore. They were to stay off her property, off the vacant property next door, off the comer.
她对那个年轻人说，她不希望他和他的朋友们再当着她小外孙和外孙女的面贩卖毒品。他们必须离开她的住宅，离开隔壁空关的住宅，离开那个街角。
The man was silent. Armstead's heartbeat rose into her throat. Then he nodded. The group left. But a few days later, they were back. Armstead repeated her request. She repeated it the next day. And the next.
那人一声不响。阿姆斯特德的心已跳到喉咙口。随后那人点了点头。那伙人离开了。但过了几天，他们又回来了。阿姆斯特德把她的要求重说了一遍。第二天、第三天又重说了一遍。
Then a funny thing happened. They began to listen. They moved down to the next block. When winter came, they cleared snow from her walk and checked in on her when she was ill. Before long, they took to calling her "Mom."
随后，一件有趣的事情发生了。那伙人开始听话了。他们转移到了下一个街区。冬天来了，他们把她房前路上的积雪扫干净，她生病的时候，他们还来看望她。不久，他们就开始喊她“大妈”了。
