Sunday, September 26, 2010

santa monica dream / 聖塔莫尼卡之夢

今年的生日,小蕙送了我一樣很棒的禮物-安格斯和茱莉亞史東姐弟的專輯,邊畫畫邊聽時,歌詞在我的腦裡衍生出許多美麗的圖像,不畫下來太浪費。我最喜歡的一首歌是「聖塔莫尼卡之夢」,由茱莉亞主唱,除了清新動人的旋律和吉他和絃,最主要的是這首歌反映了我重複的人生經驗,因為現在很坦然,所以即使回頭看過去的許多不完美,也能看到其中的甜蜜,也知道自己從失敗中學到太多。


On this year’s birthday, I received an awesome gift from Huei—the album Down the Way by Angus and Julia Stone. When I enjoy the songs and draw at the same time, the lyrics conjure up fantastic images in my mind. It’ll be a waste not to use them as a source of inspirations. My favorite song is Santa Monica Dream sung by Julia. Apart from the simple yet moving melody and chords, the story behind the lyrics reflects my past life experiences. Since I am so removed from the those moments, now I can face them with an honest and open attitude. I see the sweetness in the imperfection and know all the time how much I’ve learned from these failures.




聖塔莫尼卡之夢

茱莉亞及安格斯史東


再見了我的聖塔莫尼卡之夢

十五個孩子在後院喝酒

你對我訴說海的故事

還有你之前的故事

再見了你街上的玫瑰

再見了你牆上的掛畫

再見了那些我們沒有機會相遇的孩子

以及我們之前遇見的孩子

以及我們之前遇見的孩子



Santa Monica Dream

by Julia and Angus Stone


Goodbye to my Santa Monica dream

Fifteen kids in the backyard drinking wine

You tell me stories of the sea

and the ones you left behind

Goodbye to the roses on your street

Goodbye to the paintings on your wall

Goodbye to the children we’ll never meet

and the ones we left behind

and the ones we left behind




我在某處,你在某處

我哪兒也不在,你哪兒也不在

你在某處,你在某處

我可以去找你但我沒有這麼做


I’m somewhere, you’re somewhere

I’m nowhere, you’re nowhere

You’re somewhere, you’re somewhere

I could go there but I don’t




羅伯在廚房裡做披薩

我在砲台公園的某處

吟唱著關於未來的歌

一邊想著你在哪裡

我可以打電話給你

但是我真的想知道

你正在和住同一條街的女士纏綿嗎

不,我不想,我不想知道


Rob’s in the kitchen making pizza

Somewhere down in Battery Park

I’m singing songs about the future

wondering where you are

I could call you on the telephone

But do I really want to know

you’re making love now to the lady down the street

No I don’t, I don’t want to know


我在某處,你在某處

我哪兒也不在,你哪兒也不在

你在某處,你在某處

我可以去找你但我沒有這麼做


I’m somewhere, you’re somewhere

I’m nowhere, you’re nowhere

You’re somewhere, you’re somewhere

I could go there but I don’t




再見了我的聖塔莫尼卡之夢

十五個孩子在後院喝酒

你對我訴說海的故事

還有你之前的故事

還有我們之前的故事


Goodbye to my Santa Monica dream

Fifteen kids in the backyard drinking wine

You tell me stories of the sea

and the ones you left behind

and the ones we left behind

Thursday, September 23, 2010

What a wonderful week! / 一週美麗大事


這大概是我少數幾次圖畫和文字內容不太搭配的po文,不過有時候也要對自己說:Who cares? 圖片的靈感來自於小楷老穿著哥哥的大鞋走來走去,我不禁想幫他畫張合腳的圖。

Generally, I can’t put up with unrelated images and words, but this is one of the few exceptions on my blog. I guess sometimes I’ll just have to say to myself, “Who cares?” The inspiration for the picture today actually derived from Kai, who loves to walk around in his big brother’s giant slippers. I thus couldn’t help drawing a pair of tailor-made shoes for him.

會讓我把原則拋到腦外的應該是很了不起的事,中秋節前連續兩天收到文琪寄來的捷克色鉛筆和鄭明進老師的日本繪本,今天收到Caterina的明信片,讓我不得不認真畫畫。

What made me throw my principle behind? That must be something really awesome. For the first two days this week, I received a box of Czech color pencils from Wenchi and a Japanese picture book from Master Cheng. Today it’s Caterina’s postcard. All of these surprises prompt me to draw harder.

昨天收到小方打電話來的生日祝福,我問他:和我講完電話就要去睡覺了嗎?他答道:我要先享受一下,我又問:享受甚麼?他說:享受一部電影,聽到這兩個字用他細細嫩嫩的聲音說出來,感覺他一定從這件事得到許多快樂,我便回答說:對,我也要去享受我的泰劇,儘管我非常心儀的男主角從上一集中間就昏迷不醒。

Yesterday Von called me up to wish me a happy lunar-calendar birthday. I asked him, “Are you going to bed right after the phone call?” He replied, “I am going to ‘enjoy’ first.” I was curious about the usage of the verb ‘enjoy,’ so I went on to ask, “What are you going to enjoy?” “I am gonna enjoy a movie.” Hearing the words said with his innocent and tender voice, I bet he must take a lot of delight from the little luxury. I then responded, “Sure, I am going to ‘enjoy’ my Thai drama as well.” Despite the sucking plot that my alluring eye candy falls into a coma halfway through last episode. He’ll regain consciousness in a day’s time…(when the finale airs tomorrow evening)

此週真的是夠幸運了,但是今天早上出門前的一件小事讓我幾乎是用飛的去上班。我們家是個很不食人間煙火的家庭,凡團購之各種甜點零食放在餐桌上,數天之後常常原封不動,偏偏阿長又經常帶回來好東西,所以小雪會趁他不注意時,請我帶到辦公室和同事分享,等到阿長發現時,他會問:你又帶去學校了嗎?其實他不嗜甜食,可能是未被告知的驚嚇感覺不是很好,總之為了這件事,我們討論了中秋節一整天,阿長說:你很喜歡供養別人,我說:為什麼要用這兩個字呢?用「分享」不是很好嗎?而且大家一起吃更好吃,也不用擔心變胖。今天早上要出門時,我的爸爸跑來對我說:你帶了些月餅去學校嗎?當然小雪已經塞了好幾個在我的包包裡,他接著又問:夠嗎?再多拿幾個吧!於是到了辦公室把月餅在公共櫃上時,順便在白板上寫了:小淳爸的愛心!六十歲以上的男人也是會成長的,這件事讓我對人性多了點信心。

I considered this week to be superb, but an incident this morning gave me wings, which made me “fly” to work. My family is very unworldly when it comes to sweets and edible goodies. Most of the time the snacks are left intact several days after being placed on the dining table. However, John always comes home with gift packs from here and there. Sharon will smuggle them into my bag when he is not aware so that I can share with my colleagues in the office. When John finds his food missing, he’ll exclaim in shock, “Is it you that took them to school?” Perhaps it doesn’t feel good not to be notified beforehand. Anyway, we discussed this for a whole day on the Moon Festival. John said, “You really love to ‘donate’ food to others don’t you?” I answered, “Why do you have to use that word? Why don’t you say ‘share?’ Group happiness makes the food more yummy, and better yet, you won’t gain weight.” This morning before I left, my lovely dad came to me saying, “Did you bring some moon cakes to school? Take more if you’d like to.” Ha, Sharon had tucked some in my magic bag, as usual. I was really moved by his good will, so when I got to the office, I left a line of words on the white board with an arrow pointing at the sweets, “Love from WC’s dad.” I learned that men older than 60 make progress too. This gives me more faith in them.

傍晚告訴阿長大家都知道他的善意時,他只問了一句:他們知道我是校長嗎?

When I told John that everyone had known his good will this evening, he cared about only one thing, “Do they know that I am a school principal?”

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

I wish I could go traveling again / 但願我可以再次去旅行


聽了Stacy Kent這首旅行之歌一年多,我終於決定試著把歌詞裡的畫面畫下來,最後滿意的只有一張,可能是因為最近我的心之所向是泰國,所以對於熱帶地區的一切心有戚戚焉。歌詞帶著淡淡的哀傷,我卻用愉快的心情詮釋,如果可以把在和過去的美好時刻區隔開來,那當下應該是燦爛無比的吧!


I’ve listened to this song by Stacy Kent for more than a year, and recently I’ve made up my mind to put down the lyrics in pictures. Unfortunately, I am satisfied with only one of the images, which has something to do with my latest country of affection—Thailand. There is a touch of sentimentality in the lyrics, but I drew with great elation. I am thinking, if we can rationally separate the present from the past, then the memories themselves will dazzle with blinding light.


但願我能夠再度去旅行 史黛西肯特


I wish I could go traveling again by Stacy Kent


我要侍者用我們都聽不懂的語言

把我們斥責一頓

同時我們爭論著當地的習俗

但願我能夠再度旅行


I want a waiter to give us a reprimand

In a language neither of us understand

While we argue about the customs of the land

I wish I could go travelling again


我要坐在車陣裡擔心趕不上航班

而你漠不關心的評論讓我快要抓狂

我要和你在熱帶陣雨裡奔跑尋找避身之處

我多麼希望能再次旅行

在價格過高又缺乏裝飾的旅館裡

我要故障的防火鈴把我吵醒

然後在你的懷中再度沉沉睡去

但願我能夠再次去旅行


(I want to) sit in traffic anxious about our plane

While your blasé comments drive me half insane

I want to dash for shelter with you through the tropical rain

I wish I could go travelling again

(I want to) be awakened by a faulty fire alarm

In an overpriced hotel devoid of charm

Then fall asleep again back in your arms

I wish I could go travelling again


但是我如何再次旅行

當我知道我只會不斷想起過去

當我知道我會回想心碎片刻


But how can I ever go travelling again

When I know I’ll just keep remembering again

When I know I'll just keep gathering again

Reminders to break my heart ?


我希望我能夠再度去旅行

感覺夏天好長

而友人紛紛邀請我

但願我能夠再次去旅行


I wish could go travelling again

It feels like this summer will never end

And I've had such good offers from several of my friends

I wish I could go travelling again


我要身處有名的咖啡館、頭上有遮陽蓬擋著

坐在陰涼處喝著拿鐵

時差還調不過來

行李箱下落不明

但願我能夠再次去旅行


(I want to) sit in my shades, sipping my latte

Beneath the awning of a famous cafe

Jet-lagged and with our luggage gone astray

I wish I could go travelling again

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

the other end of the telephone / 電話的另一端

一歲的小楷還不會說話,可是看到大人和哥哥拿著話筒講得很開心,他也想來湊熱鬧。小楷在從電話的另一頭聽到了甚麼?

My one-year-old nephew Kai is still groping for the secret to speaking. However, he can’t help imitating the adults and his elder brother Von when he sees us talking happily on the telephone. What does he hear from the other end of the phone whenever I call him?




是海浪拍打著岸邊的聲音?

Is it the sound of waves crashing against the shore?





還是升起的太陽在風中飛舞的聲音?

Or that of the rising sun dancing in the wind?




或者是種子發芽長成花朵的歡呼聲?


Maybe it’s the hurray of a seed bursting into a flower.




也有可能是鳥兒展翅飛翔的啪啪聲?

Can it be the birds’ wing-flapping march?

Sunday, September 12, 2010

The Flood / 淹水

這個夏天,全世界好多地方淹水,翻到畢夏普的詩時,讀起來特別有感觸,只不過現實的版本赤裸許多。


This past summer many parts of the world have been seriously flooded. Bishop’s poem, though poignantly beautiful, reads more like a romanticized version of the reality.



The Flood

淹水


Elizabeth Bishop

伊莉莎白‧畢夏普



It finds the park first, and the trees

   turn wavery and wet;

but all the extinguished traffic knows

   that it will drown the steeples yet.



先是公園遭殃,再來是樹木

隨波逐流,

但是已經淹沒於水面下的車輛知道

有一天尖塔也會淪陷。





 
The battered houses, rows of brick,

   are clear as quartz; the color thins

to amethyst, —the chimney-pots

    and weather-vanes stick up like fins.



受損的房屋、整排的磚塊

像石英清澈,顏色褪去後

像紫水晶;煙囪

和風向計如魚鰭露出水面




 
And slowly down the fluid streets

   the cars and trolleys, goggled-eyed,

enamelled bright like gaping fish,

   drift home on the suburban tide.



緩慢地沿著淹沒的街道

小汽車和電車戴著蛙鏡

上漆般的明亮,如目瞪口呆的魚

隨著市區的潮水漂往家的方向





 
Along the airy upper beach

   to the minutely glittering sky

two sand-pipers have stepped, and left

   four star-prints high and dry.



沿著高地的海灘

朝向微微發光的天空

兩隻鷸鳥留下足跡後離開

是乾燥的高地裡的四顆星星







Beyond the town, subaqueous,

   the green hills change to green-mossed shells;

and at the church, to warn the ships above,

   eight times they ring the bells.



城市之外,一切淹沒於水中,

綠色的山丘變成覆著青苔的貝殼;

而在教堂,為了警告遠方的船隻,

他們敲了八次鐘。





 

Wednesday, September 08, 2010

English Afternoon Tea Birthday Party / 英式下午茶的生日派對


今年的生日很平靜,不像過往幾年的毛躁,所以能訴諸言語的東西不多,卻比之前沉靜堅定。

Unlike the past few years, I am in an extremely zen state this fall. There seems nothing much for me to put into words; yet, I know I have taken another giant step upward in terms of emotional maturity.

昨天上課的時候,講到一半便神秘地對大家說,「明天要帶美麗的茶杯來上學,上課之前要裝滿熱水。」有人忍不住想繼續問下去,我說,就把驚喜留給明天吧!

Yesterday in the middle of the class, I declared mysteriously, “Everyone has to bring a beautiful teacup to school tomorrow, and fill it with hot water before I come in.” Some couldn’t keep their curiosity capped in the bottle, but I prefer to leave the surprise for today so that there is something to look forward to.

生日願望再簡單不過,希望可以一直畫畫,明年的這個時候在英國畫畫。

My birthday wish can’t be more simple: I’d like to keep drawing seriously. Hopefully, I’ll be drawing in the U.K. at this time next year.

謝謝在遠方祝福我的朋友,在我心裡,我們也是這樣邊喝水果茶邊吃蘇格蘭餅,邊聊著生活和期望。

Many thanks to those dear friends far away who’ve sent their best wishes. In my mind’s eye, we also chat about life and dreams over fruit tea and Scottish shortbread to celebrate my humble but cheerful existence.

Saturday, September 04, 2010

Going to Japan / 去日本

這個夏天Caterina在某張明信片裏提到,大人閱讀時也需要插畫,讓閱讀變得更愉快,所以也許我可以試著為現有的故事或小說插畫。我認真想了她的建議,的確,用別人的作品不僅可以給我學習故事敘述的技巧,更重要的是,把作家筆下的描寫化成圖像對我是很好的訓練,特別是在構圖和圖面表達方面。剛好八月份學校來了幾個美國中學老師,其中一位叫朵拉的女生幫大家上文學課,教材用的是一篇有關文化差異適應的短篇故事,我便就地取材,先拿這個故事來做實驗。

This past summer in one of Caterina’s postcards, she suggested that I illustrate for existing stories or novels because pictures also bring delight when adults read. I gave much thought to her advice. I understand that in doing that, I get to learn not only how others narrate the happening of an incident. More importantly, materializing the images under their pen into pictures is excellent practice if I would like to make progress in pictorial composition and translation from words to imagery. At work, we happened to have some American teachers visiting back in August. One of them, Tora, gave a lecture on the following short story written by Barbara Kingslover about the attempt to adapt to cultural differences. Not wanting to waste the story, I gave my own pictorial interpretation.


Going to Japan / 去日本



芭芭拉金索芙作
by Barbara Kingsolver


我的姨媽賽達去日本,帶了算盤、深海球型潛水箱、難題、誹謗和茄子,那是我們以前會玩的遊戲,你只要用字母排序記住所有的字,一直輪到賽達姨媽。
(註:上述之五個名詞開頭即為:a, b, c, d, e)

My great-aunt Zelda went to Japan and took an abacus, a bathysphere, a conundrum, a diatribe, an eggplant. That was a game we used to play. All you had to do was remember everything in alphabetical order. Right up to Aunt Zelda.

然後等到我長大,而且真的受邀去日本,倒不是和了不起的賽達姨媽去,而是和我自己。我一點也不知道要帶甚麼,我只知道計畫要做的事:研究有關廣島紀念碑的故事、拜訪朋友、試著不要在連路牌都看不懂的地方迷路。不管是甚麼時候,我都盡量尊重文化差異、避免我不瞭解的敏感話題,總之,當甚麼都好,就是不要讓別人覺得我是醜惡的美國人。當我旅行的時候,我喜歡和大家打成一片,我發現只要有準備都會有幫助,所以我到處打聽,大家警告我要去的是非常現代的地方。

Then I grew up and was actually invited to go to Japan, not with the fantastic Aunt Zelda but as myself. I had no idea what to take. I knew what I planned to be doing: researching a story about the memorial at Hiroshima; visiting friends; trying not to get lost in a place where I couldn’t even read the street signs. Times being what they were—any times—I intended to do my very best to respect cultural differences, avoid sensitive topics I might not comprehend, and, in short, be anything but an Ugly American. When I travel, I like to try to blend in. I’ve generally found it helps to be prepared. So I asked around, and was warned to expect a surprisingly modern place.


我的姨媽去日本,帶了電器、電池組、手機科技,好像該這麼想。

My great-aunt Zelda went to Japan and took Appliances, Battery packs, Cellular technology….That seemed to be the idea.

於是我來到了京都,對這個城市完全陌生。沒錯,到處都有電車,有極現代化的加油站,穿著制服的人員會同時從各方來為你服務,閃閃發光的湖上有廟塔、森林間有神社,有竹林和夜鶯,更有遠超過我理解的隱藏版禮節規範。當我踏上電車,足足比其他乘客高一個頭,我便成笨拙的巨人,我占了太多空間,我就像高大的巨人伊格天鵝湖的芭蕾舞團格格不入,我老是撞到別人,當我聽旁人說話時,我雙臂交叉,而這樣的姿勢在日本的肢體語言中代表無恥地宣告:我感到無聊。

(註:此處的伊格指的是美國最高的男性Igor Vovkovinskiy。請參考影片:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RaDs5RcH8kM)

And so it came to pass that I arrived in Kyoto an utter foreigner, unprepared. It’s true that there are electric streetcars there, and space-age gas stations with uniformed attendants who rush to help you from all directions at once. There are also golden pagodas on shimmering lakes, and Shinto shrines in the forests. There are bamboo groves and nightingales. And finally there are more invisible guidelines for politeness than I could fathom. When I stepped on a streetcar, a full head taller than all the other passengers, I became an awkward giant. I took up too much space. I blended in like Igor would blend in with the corps de ballet in Swan Lake. I bumped into people. I crossed my arms when I listened, which turns out to be, in Japanese body language, the sign for indicating brazenly that one is bored.

(PS: Igor here refers to Igor Vovkovinskiy, the tallest man in America. Please refer to the video clip:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RaDs5RcH8kM)


但我一點都不無聊!我日日夜夜掙扎的對象是無聊的相反,也就是恐慌,我不知道如何用筷子吃湯麵,我吃的方式錯得離譜;我也不知道如何點菜,於是我禮貌地順從我的東道主,不只一次我吃到連頭一起上的料理,包括眼睛,我設法把這些生物用筷子往我的嘴邊塞,但等到我被告知不可以吐掉任何食物時,為時已晚。

But I wasn’t! I was struggling through my days and nights in the grip of boredom’s opposite—i.e. panic. I didn’t know how to eat noodle soup with chopsticks, and I did it most picturesquely wrong. I didn’t know how to order, so I politely deferred to my hosts and more than once was served a cuisine with heads, including eyeballs. I managed to wrestle these creatures to my lips with chopsticks, but it was already too late by the time I got the message that one does not spit out anything.


我在夏天旅行,當時的日本南部驚人地潮濕炎熱,我無法想像在如此悶熱的天氣,女性還得穿絲襪,但京都的每個女人都穿,連網球場上穿短褲的女大生也穿絲襪,我只帶了裙子和涼鞋,大家看到我都避開目光。

I undertook this trip in summer, when it is surprisingly humid and warm in southern Japan. I never imagined that in such sweltering heat women would be expected to wear stockings, but every woman in Kyoto wore nylon stockings. Coeds in shorts on the tennis court wore nylon stockings. I had packed only skirts and sandals; people averted their eyes.

我去日本時帶了我的身高、裸露的雙腿和毫不敏感的西方作風,其實我內心滿是羞愧。

When I went to Japan I took my Altitude, my Bare-naked legs, my Callous foreign ways. I was mortified.


我的主人朋友向我解釋,日語中並沒有羞辱的字眼,只有無限程度的道歉,我立刻背了緊急用法:對不起,還有特別緊急案例可使用的說法:我非常非常抱歉,這句話大概可以翻成:假如您同意的話,我的逾矩是如此無法令人原諒以至於我希望自己立刻死掉。

My hosts explained to me that the Japanese language does not accommodate insults, only infinite degrees of apology. I quickly memorized an urgent one, “Sumimasen,” and another for especially extreme cases, “Moshi wake gozaimasen.” This translates approximately to mean, “If you please, my transgression is so inexcusable that I wish I were dead.”


我需要這些字眼,當我出於好奇心而撫摸宮殿城牆的外圍,我觸動了刺耳的警鈴,然後警車馬上急奔於草坪間的碎石路,「警官,我實在非常抱歉,我但願自己死掉!」還有在公共澡堂裡,儘管我盡力了,我還是無法學會如何和陌生人只坐離十四英吋使用手動的蓮蓬頭淋浴,我噴冷水在身旁老婦的臉上。

「我真的非常抱歉。」我充滿羞愧地說。

她只是瞪著我,被外國人的威脅嚇壞了。

I needed these words. When I touched the outside surface of a palace wall, curious to know what it was made of, I set off screeching alarms and a police car came scooting up the lawn’s discreet gravel path. “Moshi wake gozaimasen, Officer! Wish I were dead!” And in the public bath, try as I might, I couldn’t get the hang of showering with a hand-held nozzle while sitting fourteen inches from a stranger. I sprayed my elderly neighbor with cold water. In the face.

Moshi wake gozaimasen,” I declared, with feeling.
She merely stared, dismayed by the foreign menace.


我去拜訪一位日本朋友,在她小卻美的房子裡,我吐露所有的悲慘。「我做的一切都是錯的!」我像孩子般大哭,「我是你們國家的禍害!」

她平靜地回答:「不,對我們來說,原諒別人帶來最高的滿足,至於原諒外國人,更好!」她笑道:「你可能已經讓這裡的許多人開心了。」

I visited a Japanese friend, and in her small, perfect house I spewed out my misery. “Everything I do is wrong!” I wailed like a child. “I’m a blight on your country.”

“Oh, no,” she said calmly. “To forgive, for us, is the highest satisfaction. To forgive a foreigner, ah! Even better.” She smiled. “You have probably made many people happy here.”


我認為大搖大擺遊走於全世界,忽略文化差異是傲慢的,但如果我們真的相信能夠在不同文化之間建立一座完美的溝通橋樑,或以為我們知道所有的模糊地帶,這是另一種傲慢。當我終於抵達廣島原子彈的投擲點,我無語地站著,我在那裡發現的是巨大的、精緻的、沉默的紀念碑,象徵著原諒,想著那些在出於善意和其結果的鴻溝之間所有的獲得和失去,我感動到說不出話來,也沒有眼淚能夠表達,在企圖了解他人但失敗的過程當中,我們還有好多要學。

To stomp about the world ignoring cultural differences is arrogant, to be sure, but perhaps there is another kind of arrogance in the presumption that we may ever really build a faultless bridge from one shore to another, or even know where the mist has ceded to landfall. When I finally arrived at Ground Zero in Hiroshima, I stood speechless. What I found there was a vast and exquisitely silent monument to forgiveness. I was moved beyond words, even beyond tears, to think of all that can be lost or gained in the gulf between any act of will and its consequences. In the course of every failure of understanding, we have so much to learn.

我想起日本朋友堅信原諒是最高等級的滿足,而當下我第一次明白:我們得到的快樂如果不是來自於達到個人的完美、而是出自於瞭解不完美的不可避免性,並且能夠原諒同樣犯錯的人,這會是多麼豐富的智慧,我們會有多麼富足的豐收。

I remembered my Japanese friend’s insistence on forgiveness as the highest satisfaction, and I understood it really for the first time: What a rich wisdom it would be, and how much more bountiful a harvest, to gain pleasure not from achieving personal perfection but from understanding the inevitability of imperfection and pardoning those who also fall short of it.

我行走於世人之間,犯下無數錯誤,當我去日本時,我帶著自卑的善意、邪惡的藉口和蜷縮的悔恨,我記不住所有事,也背不出五十音,於是我完全地奉獻自我,很明顯地當做某種公共服務的形式,我打算雙手空空,甚麼也不帶回家。

I have walked among men and made mistakes without number. When I went to Japan I took my Abject goodwill, my Baleful excuses, my Cringing remorse. I couldn’t remember everything, could not even recite the proper alphabet. So I gave myself away instead, evidently as a kind of public service. I prepared to return home feeling empty-handed.


在大阪機場,我坐在跑道上的機艙裡,等著回美國,而窗外颱風的凍雨和狂風連續地敲打著飛機的鋼鐵機身。我們等了一個小時,甚至更久,駕駛艙沒有發佈任何官方消息,但我們的航班突然就被取消了。東京的塔台被雷擊中,所有航班都必須延至隔天。

「我們很抱歉,」飛機駕駛告訴我們,「我們會為您準備食宿,明天也會帶您回來搭機。」

At the Osaka Airport I sat in my plane on the runway, waiting to leave for terra cognita, as the aircraft’s steel walls were buffeted by the sleet and winds of a typhoon. We waited for an hour, then longer, with no official word from the cockpit, and then suddenly our flight was canceled. Air traffic control in Tokyo had been struck by lightning; no flights possible until the following day.

“We are so sorry,” the pilot told us. “You will be taken to a hotel, fed, and brought back here for your flight tomorrow.”

當乘客慢慢起身下機,有位航空公司的長官駐於出口處只為了和我們每一個人說:「真的真的很抱歉。」其他乘客漠然點頭,但我不是。這位先生被我的熱情嚇到,因為我握住他的手,幾乎親上他。

我告訴他:「你不知道我有多原諒你。」

As we passengers rose slowly and disembarked, we were met by an airline official who had been posted in the exit port for the sole purpose of saying to each and every one of us, “Terrible, terrible, Sumimasen.” Other travelers nodded indifferently, but not me. I took the startled gentleman by the hands and practically kissed him.
“You have no idea,” I told him, “how thoroughly I forgive you.”