You know life was simpler then. I was young and healthy -- the whole world was waiting for me. I sure wish there was some time machine I could use to turn back the clock to the 1940's.
你知道，当年的生活比较简单。那时我也年轻力壮、前程无量。我真希望能让时光倒转，回到四十年代去。
这里turn back the clock直译是倒拨时钟，意思显然是回返从前的日子。
然而老先生在这番感慨之后再仔细想想又觉得刚才的念头不尽合理。我们来看看他接着说了些什么:
I don't know. Back then we didn't have jet planes, computers, modern medicine, a lot of things that make life better. Maybe it's just as well that we can't turn back the clock after all.
我也吃不准。在那个时候我们可没有喷气式飞机、电脑、现代化医药现在这么多让我们的生活更舒适的东西，也许我们还是根本不可能重返过去更好。