故事情节（Plot）
本故事通过伊妹儿和网上聊天室把罗曼史和求婚引入了万维网的电子时代。乔·弗克斯和凯特琳·凯利都生活和工作在纽约市的上西区，相隔只有几个街区。他们的生活实实在在地被搅在一块了：他们在同一家商场购物，去同一家咖啡屋喝咖啡，甚至较着劲在同一条街上开书店。另外，他们也各有自己的同居情侣：乔的“她”是神经过敏的出版社编辑帕特丽西娅·伊登，而凯特琳的“他”则是满腹经纶的报刊专栏作家弗兰克·纳瓦斯基。
他们在网上的“而立者”聊天室相遇了。虽然他们都是隐身登陆（他们的网名分别为“NY152”和“Shopgirl”），可是他们都把各自生活中的一切——包括他们各自的私人感情，告诉了对方，于是两个人就渐渐地相爱了。当乔决定把自己的“弗克斯书店”扩张成超级连锁店时，凯特琳和她的“街角书店”就厄运当头了。凯小小的童书专卖店当然敌不过乔的综合经营战略：他把报刊摊和咖啡吧都引进了书店。当凯向她的网友倾诉自己的工作苦恼时，乔却从中猜出了子丑寅卯。可是，在知道自己是造成对方苦恼的原因后，乔如何向对方表白自己的真实身份呢？也许爱情可以战胜一切吧。
精彩对白选 （包括Email）（根据故事情节重新编排）
1．What Does NY152 Mean？（网名真精彩）
（乔已经知道凯就是自己的网友“Shopgirl”，而凯还蒙在鼓里，于是凯向乔“打听”她的网友。）
Joe: What＇s his handle? Come on, I＇m not going to write him． Is that what you think?
乔：请问他的网名是什么——告诉我吧，我不会给他写电子情书的，你以为我会干这种事情吗？
Kathleen: NY 152．
凯： NY152。
Joe: One five two． One hundred fifty two． Very interesting． He＇s 152 years old． He has 152 hairs remaining on his head． He＇s had 152 moles removed and now he has 152 pockmarks． —His combined college board scores．
乔：152。一百五十二。很有意思，他有一百五十二岁。他头上还剩一百五十二根头发。他脸上有152颗痣被切除了，所以现在他脸上留下了152个麻子。也许是他大学分数的组合。
Kathleen: His IQ．
凯：也许是他的智商。
Joe: The number of women he＇s slept with．
乔：也许是他睡过的女人的总数。
Kathleen: The number of times he＇s seen The Godfather．
凯：也许是他看望“教父”的次数。
Joe: That＇s the first good thing I＇ve heard about him．
乔：这可是我头一回听到你说他的好话。
Kathleen: His address． No, no, no． He would never do anything that prosaic．
凯：也许是他的地址呢。不、不、不。他绝不会做出这样没有诗意的事情来。（注：其实这正是乔的地址——凯的话好像给了他一记耳光。）
2．Confiding to Each Other Secrets Online 网上吐心曲
（乔刚刚在一个出版界的鸡尾酒会上痛快淋漓地教训了自己的竞争对手——当然此时他还不知道凯就是自己的网友Shopgirl。可是马上他就感到良心不安了，于是忏悔．．．．．．）
Joe?穴VO?雪: Do you ever feel you become the worst version of yourself? That a Pandora＇s Box of all the secret hateful parts—your arrogance, your spite, your condescension—has sprung open． Someone provokes you, and instead of just smiling and moving on, you zing them． Hello, it＇s Mr． Nasty． I＇m sure you have no idea what I＇m talking about．
乔（话外音）：你是否感到露出了自己丑陋的一面？潘多拉的魔盒被打开，放出了所有可恨的秘密：你的傲慢自大、你的刁钻古怪、你的盛气凌人都一股脑儿冒出来了。有人惹了你，你不是一笑置之，而是对他们大动干戈。喂，我是恶劣先生，我相信你不知道我现在讲的是什么。
Kathleen?穴VO?雪: I know what you mean and I＇m completely jealous． What happens to me when I＇m provoked is that I get tongue－tied． My mind goes blank． Then I spend all night tossing and turning trying to think of what I should have said．
凯（话外音）：我知道你的意思，我十分嫉妒你。可是当我被人激怒时却张口结舌，脑子一片空白。然后我就整晚辗转反侧，考虑我当时应该说出什么（刻薄）话来。
Joe?穴VO?雪: Wouldn＇t it be wonderful if I could pass all my zingers to you and then I would never behave badly and you could behave badly all the time and we＇d both be happy? On the other hand, I must warn you that when you finally have the pleasure of saying the thing you mean to say at the moment you mean to say it, remorse inevitably follows． Do you think we should meet?
乔（话外音）：假如我能把我的那些机智答对的本事都转给你就好了。这样一来，我就再也不会举止失礼，而你则可以终日为所欲为了——我们各得其所。不过话又说回来，我必须警告你，当你最后终于一吐为快，把你想要说的话全都说出来的时候，接下来你不可避免地会后悔。你认为我们应该见面吗？
Kathleen?穴VO?雪: Meet? Omigod． I don＇t think it＇s a good idea for us to meet．．． I love our relationship． There＇s a lot going on in the day－to－dayness of my life and there＇s something magical．．． My business is in trouble． My mother would have something wise to say．
凯（话外音）：见面？我的上帝啊！我可不认为这是个好注意……我喜欢我们（现在）这种关系。我的日常生活中有很多事情发生，而且总会有些奇迹……（可是）我的生意遇到麻烦了，（如果我母亲还在的话），她一定会给我一些明智的忠告。
Joe ?穴VO?雪 : You＇re at war． ″It＇s not personal, it＇s business． It＇s not personal， it＇s business．″ Recite that to yourself every time you feel you＇re losing your nerves． I know you worry about being brave, this is your chance． Fight． Fight to the death．
乔（话外音）：你（和人）开战了。“这与个人（感情）无关，这是生意。这与个人（感情）无关，这是生意。”（注：《教父》中麦克的名言）每当你感到自己不知所措时，就背诵这句话。我知道你胆小，可这是你的机会呀。战斗，战斗到死！
3． Attacking Each Other on TV 舌战电视台
Channel 2 TV Reporter: We＇re here in front of the Shop Around the Corner, the famous West Side children＇s bookstore now on the verge of having to close its doors because the big bad wolf, Foxbooks, has opened only a few hundred feet away, wooing customers with its sharp discounts and designer coffee．
第二频道电视记者：我们现在就在“街角书店”前面，这是西区著名的儿童书店，可是它眼下就快要被迫关门了，因为大恶狼弗克斯父子书店在离它几百英尺的地方开张了，他们用巨幅折扣和名牌咖啡来讨好顾客。
Kathleen?穴On the Screen?雪: They have to have discounts and coffee, because most of the people who work there have never read a book．
凯?穴在屏幕上?雪：他们不得不用折扣和咖啡——因为在那里工作的绝大多数人从未读过一本书。
Joe?穴Also On the Screen?雪: I sell cheap books． Sue me． I sell cheap books, and as a result—listen to this, because it＇s really bad—more people can buy books．
乔?穴也出现在屏幕上?雪：我卖便宜书，起诉我吧。我卖便宜书，所以——听仔细了，因为这实在太妙了——所以更多的人可以买得起书。
Kathleen?穴On the Screen?雪: And I have to say, I have met Joe Fox, who owns Foxbooks, and I have heard him comparing his store to a Price Club and the books in it to cans of olive oil．
凯?穴在屏幕上?雪：而且我不得不说，我是见过弗克斯书店的老板乔·弗克斯本人的，我也曾经亲耳听见他说他的书店就像一个“折扣俱乐部”，而他（所卖）的书就像一罐一罐的橄榄油。
4． Meeting in the Coffee House 相约咖啡馆
（凯和乔在网上相约到街头的咖啡馆见面。凯先到，乔已经从外面隔着玻璃看见了网友“Shopgirl”正是自己的商业对头凯。但他经过思想斗争，还是硬着头皮进去了；而她却并不知道他就是自己要等的“NY152”。）
Joe: Kathleen Kelly． Hello． What a coincidence． Mind if I sit down?
乔：凯瑟琳·凯利，你好。真凑巧呀。我坐下来你不会介意吧？
Kathleen: Yes I do． I＇m expecting someone． ?穴Joe picks up her book, looks at it．?雪
凯：抱歉。我在等人。（乔从桌子上拾起她的书——约会暗号——仔细端详）
Joe: Pride and Prejudice． ?穴Kathleen grabs it back．?雪
乔：《傲慢与偏见》。（凯一把将书夺回）
Kathleen: Do you mind? （she places it back on the table, puts the rose into it．?雪
凯：请别乱动。（她把书放回桌子上，又将玫瑰花夹进书里）
Joe: I didn＇t know you were a Jane Austen fan． Not that it＇s a surprise． I bet you read it every year． I bet you just love Mr． Darcy, and that your sentimental heart beats wildly at the thought that he and whatever her name is are really, honestly and truly going to end up together．
乔：真不知道你还是简·奥斯汀的书迷呀。倒不是说这很意外。我敢打睹你每年都要读它，我打睹你一定很爱达西先生。而且一想到他和那位女主人公真正地、真正地、真正地相伴终生（她的芳名叫什么来着？），你那一颗柔情缠绵的心就会狂跳不已。（注：乔从网上聊天中早已知道了这一切）
Kathleen: Would you please leave? ?穴Joe sits down．?雪
凯：请你离开好吗？（乔坐了下来）
Joe: I＇ll get up as soon as your friend comes． Is he late? — I think you＇d discover a lot of things if you really knew me．
乔：你的朋友一来我就走。他迟到了吗？——如果你真正了解我的话，你会发现很多东西的。
Kathleen: If I really knew you, I know what I would find—instead of a brain, a cash register； instead of a heart, a bottom line． ?穴Kathleen is shocked at herself．?雪
凯：如果我真正了解你的话，我知道我会发现什么——没有头脑，就只有现金帐薄；没有感情，就只知赚钱。（凯被自己说出口的话惊呆了）
Joe: What is it?
乔：还有什么？
Kathleen: I just had a breakthrough, and I have to thank you for it． For the first time in my life, when confronted with a horrible, insensitive person I actually knew what I wanted to say and I said it．
凯：我刚刚取得了突破，我得为此而感谢你。我有生以来第一次做到了——当我面对一个可恶至极、毫无人性的家伙时，我终于知道我想要说什么，而且说出口来了。
Joe: I think you have a gift for it．
乔：真有你的。
5．The Last Straw That Breaks the Camel＇s Back 骂你没商量
The door opens and a large and very attractive transvestite in a boa comes in the door．
（乔和凯正在激烈争吵时，咖啡馆的门开了，走进来一位身材高大、很有派头、围着女用围巾的异性癖男子）
Joe:I am going to take a wild guess that this isn＇t him, either． Who is he, I wonder? Will you be mean to him too? Will you start out sweet as sugar candy and then suddenly, miraculously, like a bolt from the blue, find that sharp little tongue of yours?
乔：我斗胆地猜测这一位大概也不是“他”（你的网友）吧。他是谁呢，我真纳闷……你对他也会这样尖刻吗？你会开始甜得像蜂蜜，然后突然奇迹般、晴空霹雳般地用你那利如刀剑的小舌头砍了他吗？
Kathleen: No, I won＇t． Because the man who＇s coming here tonight is completely unlike you． The man who is coming here is kind and funny, he has the most wonderful sense of humor．
凯：不，我不会的。因为今天晚上将来赴约的那个男人完全不像你。他仁慈、风趣，而且极富幽默感。
Joe: But he＇s not here．
乔：可惜，他没有来。
Kathleen: If he＇s not here, he has a reason, because there is not a cruel or careless bone in his body． I can＇t expect you to know anything about a person like that． You delude yourself into thinking you are some sort of benefactor bringing books to the masses, but no, no one will remember you, Joe Fox． And maybe no one will remember me either． But plenty of people remember my mother． And many think she was fine and her store was something special． You, are nothing but a suit． ?穴A beat． Joe gets up．）
Joe: That is my cue． Good night．
凯：如果他不来，他一定有他的理由，因为在他身上没有长一根残忍的、不顾别人死活的骨头。我可不会指望你能了解他这样的人。你幻想自己是位慈善家，将书籍带给了大众。可是不，没有人会记得你，乔·弗克斯。也许也没有人会记得我，但是许多人记得我母亲。许多人认为她是个好人，认为她的书店很有特色。而你是什么呢？你只是一套行头而已！（两个人都一愣，然后乔起身）
乔：承蒙赐教，晚安！