T he slang word sloppy when used this way means careless. The noun eater refers to a person who eats food in a particular way. A person who eats a lot of food is a big eater. A person who eats very slowly is a slow eater. A person who eats in a careless way is a sloppy eater. To slouch on a sofa is to sit in a lazy, relaxed way. The expression "next to impossible" means very difficult or almost impossible. The word "soil" has several meanings but when used this way it means to make something dirty. If you eat in a careless or sloppy way, food will drop on your clothes and make them dirty or soil （stain） them.
Last week I had dinner in a restaurant with some friends. When I returned home I found that I had soiled （stained） my shirt with the soy sauce from a steamed fish dish. I was very cross because I often wear that shirt for my TV shows. I poured salt on the soiled area because I read that could remove food stains, but it did not work. I tried washing away the stain with soap and water but that did not work either. I am really cross I can no longer wear that shirt.
*****
我有時也是個吃得很粗心大意的食客（sloppy eater）。當我懶洋洋地癱坐（slouched）在沙發（couch）上，穿着舊T恤，邊食着薄餅邊看電視，做個粗心的食客（sloppy eater）是完全沒有問題的。但若我去的是重要宴會，穿的是名貴西裝和恤衫，打了領呔，那問題可大了。當我出席午宴或晚宴，不時會弄髒（soil）自己的領呔或恤衫，這就令我很生氣（cross）。要洗乾淨一件因為吃得大意（sloppy）而弄污（soiled）的恤衫，幾近不可能（next to impossible）。我從網上找到幾個方法可以洗淨因為吃得大意（sloppy）而弄污（soiled）的衣物，但也必須立即做，才能達至最佳效果。若我身在晚宴之中，這當然是不可能的。
俚語sloppy在這裏是解作粗心大意。名詞 eater則是指一個人有其獨特的進食方式。吃很多的大胃王就是 big eater，吃很慢的就是 slow eater，吃得粗心大意的，便是sloppy eater。To slouch on a sofa就是在沙發上懶散地癱坐。習語 next to impossible意指很困難或幾乎不可能的。Soil 有幾個意思，在這裏是指弄髒某物。若你吃得粗心大意（sloppy），食物便會跌在衣服上，弄污（soil）了衣服。
上星期，我在餐廳跟幾位朋友吃晚飯。當我回家時我發現我弄污（soiled）了自己的恤衫，上面沾到蒸魚的豉油。我很惱怒（cross），因為我時常會穿那件衫去做電視節目。我在污（soiled）漬上灑鹽，因為我讀過可以去除食物污漬（stain），但不奏效。我又嘗試用肥皂和水清潔，但也徒勞無功。我真的很憤怒（cross），因為我再也不能穿着那件恤衫了。
mickchug@gmail.com
中譯:七刻
Michael Chugani 褚簡寧
Source: http://news.stheadline.com/dailynews/headline_news_detail_columnist.asp?id=326623§ion_name=wtt&kw=126