SMILE! / 笑吧！

人生就是這樣，明明吃得好睡得飽，卻有可能第二天早上起床起錯邊，心情有點悶。

Life is really unpredictable. Even when I eat and sleep well, I can't help getting up on the wrong side of the bed the next morning. And some gray clouds drift overhead... 

正因為擔心自己會隨生理狀況起伏，我已經事先貼了好幾朵小花在牆上，警告自己不可以自憐自艾或大驚小怪。

Since I foresaw my mood might vary with the change of my physical condition, I have posted several little flowers on the wall to warn myself against self-pity or creating a storm in a teacup. 

今天早晨醒來，窗外的天空依然那麼美麗，我是在煩什麼呢？

This morning when I woke up, the sky was as lovely as usual. What was I upset about? 

本日的行程重點是把學費和住宿費繳清，我一邊研究住宿費明細，心裡突然有種不好的預感，我本來登記的是標準房，但很明顯的，目前我住的是大房間，費用一年差了四百英磅，而我起得太早，辦公室毫無人影，越想就越煩了。

Today's mission was to pay off the tuition fee and rent fee. While I was studying the total cost of the latter, I had a really bad hunch. I had requested a standard room, but obviously I live in a LARGE studio. There is a difference of 400 pounds a year. Though I was anxious, I got up too early and there was no one in the office right then. 

那先來畫畫好了，我坐在書桌前卻畫不出來，這不是我要吃飯的傢伙嗎？心不禁焦急起來。

"I should draw first..." But sitting at the desk, I couldn't draw anything. "Oh, come on, it's what I am going to live on now," I got more and more anxious. 

不如來看看英國最近當紅的影集好了，叫The Only Way is Essex，看了幾分鐘覺得很像英國版的飛越比佛利，有點看不下去。

"Why not check out the hottest British TV series for the moment?" It's called The Only Way is Essex, but after watching it for a few minutes, I found it no different from 90210, which kind of bored me. 

下一秒瞥到學校見面禮中的軟糖Guzzle Puzzle，這個糖果非常可愛，有一半是有帽子的，有一半像游泳圈，要把兩個套在一起，我把它們叫做鍋蓋組，沒三兩下就被我吃光了，吃完才想到應該分一些給子榕。

The next second I glanced at a pack of gummy candy in the school's welcome packet called Guzzle Puzzle. You have to look for the hat and the buoy and put them together as a set. I call them pot and lid candy. It didn't take me long to finish them. Oh, I should have left some for Jasmine, who had a bad school day. 

我覺得自己應該要出去走走，看PK先生來上班了，我跑去問他宿舍費用，他說我的房間是保留給殘帳學生的，因此比一般房大，不過我只要付標準房的費用。我向他借電腦和印表機列印繳費單，他幫我開電腦當兒問我台灣網路是不是很快，我回答：這裡也很快啊。他說：因為你的房間在交誼廳旁，那裡是無線網路的源頭，所以你的網路當然快，那一刻我有種被上帝無限寵愛的光輝。等我印完之後，PK先生居然說，其實我有一台別人留下來的印表機，你拿去用吧！我在一個小時前才寫信給卡特琳娜說，也許我應該考慮買台印表機，沒想到聖誕老公公這麼快就聽到我的祈禱並急著實現我的願望。

I knew I should go out for a walk. Upon seeing PK come to work, I asked him about the housing fee. He explained that my room is reserved for the physically-challenged, and that's why it's bigger than standard rooms. However, I need to pay only the fee of a standard room. I then borrowed his computer and printer to print the bank transfer form. While waiting for the computer to run, he asked if the Internet connection in Taiwan is fast. I answered, "It's fast here too." He went on to say, "Because your room is right next to the common room, where the wi-fi is, you have no problems getting connected." At that instant, I felt being basked in the glory of God's love. After I was done, he offered to give me a printer left by someone who had lived in the hall. This was miraculous because one hour ago I just wrote to Caterina that maybe I need to purchase a printer. I couldn't imagine that Santa Claus heard my prayer and make my wish come true so soon. 

PK拿出一條電線讓我回房間試著連接印表機和筆電，如果沒問題了，再請我去買一條。我試完之後拿去還他，他說送給我，我很不好意思地和他解釋，我可以自己去買， 還趕緊把最後一包牛舌餅送給他，他回答：真的沒關係，因為你總是笑笑的很友善。我的心真的要融化了，我之前積的幾萬張好人卡開始加倍回饋，我只能說：英國人真的很讚！

PK lent me a wire to take back to the room so I could try to connect my laptop and the printer. He said I could buy one if there was no problem. When I returned it to him, he said that he could look for another one. I felt bad about taking so much from him, so I gave him my last pack of Taiwanese snacks. He replied, "It's really ok. You are always smiley and friendly..." My heart was about to melt. The magic of the brownie points I had accumulated in thousands started to be showered upon me. I could only say, "The Brits rock!" 

走出辦公室實在太高興了，我對同一棟的一位東方女孩說早安，等她騎單車擦身而過，又再一次和我說再見，這是我的人際困境大突破啊！

I was too touched when walking out of the office, so I couldn't help but say "Good morning!" to an Asian girl living in my building. When she passed me by riding her bike, she shouted to me "Goodbye!" These two simple sentences were such a breakthrough for me! 

到了銀行，我帥氣地經過多明尼克的辦公桌要排隊去櫃台繳費，昨天這樣分明行得通，今天的先生居然嫌太複雜，又送我去多明尼克那裡，我和他解釋我的無耐，之後提到週二的慌亂場面還有我遺失的護照，因為我目前沒有英國的電話，所以他當天也無法連絡我。把大項款目付完之後，我說我是個窮光蛋了，他把非常帥氣清新的臉龐轉三十度，故作無辜地看著我說：我可以幫你理財。我頓了一下心裡喃喃唸：上帝，這個故事已經結束了，不要再誘惑我。最後隨便回答：我已經有專人服務了。平常我收到的任何有關信用卡或理財的信件或資料，只有被撕碎丟進垃圾桶的份，想不到這次我很認真仔細閱讀開戶細節，不清楚的地方還做記號，我問多明尼克帳戶是不是滿十二個月才能取消，他要不是很有戲劇細胞，要不然就是和我一樣單純，他很驚訝地說：你一年之內就要離開？音量還提高，我說非常有可能，他很激動地問為什麼，我把我人生規劃總結給他聽，這個暗示的意思是，我是個老頭啦，不能總是活得那麼輕鬆。不過不可否認，這個小子真很友善，我只是隨口問問要確定45號巴士有去到泰德美術館，他很認真地跑去和同事討論才又回來，真是個好孩子。明天起不用常去銀行了，所以我用帥氣的姿態走出去，除非上帝又送我回去。

When I got to the bank, I walked past Dominic's desk without revealing any improper amount of obsession. I lined up to be served by the sir at the counter. It worked yesterday, but today he found the whole thing too complicated. He sent me to Dominic again. I felt the need to specify that I was forced to.  Then we mentioned the hectic scene on Tuesday and my once-lost passport. Because I didn't leave any phone number, he could not reach me. After I paid off the two huge amounts of money, I said, "I am a poor cookie now." He then looked at me with his fresh and gorgeous face turned 30 degrees, looking very innocent and saying, "I can manage your money for you." It took me a while to react while at the same time I murmured in my heart, "Oh God, this story is way over. Don't tempt me please." I only blurted out that I already have an agent. Usually, when I receive letters from my banks or insurance companies, they are most of the time shredded and go to the trash bins. This time I had no idea what got to my head. I read very carefully the contract and even highlighted the parts I didn't understand. So I took out the paper and posed the question, "According to the statement here, I cannot close my bank account if I leave within 12 months?" Dominic is either a drama queen or as simple as me. He raised his voice, "You are going to leave within 12 months?" I said very likely. He asked why. I went on to briefly explain my life plan etc, which was a hint indicating that I am too old to live a totally free life. Anyway, Dominic is a rather friendly person. I just wanted to confirm if bus 45 goes to the Tate Modern. He was very nice to discuss with his colleague before giving me an answer. From tomorrow on, I won't go to the bank so often, so I left in a very dashing manner. Unless God sends me back...

姑且不管多明尼克是不是開玩笑而已，來到這個城市滿一個星期，也許有人會因為我的離開感受到一點情緒，真好，我不是無聲無息地在這裡生活。

Let's not ask if Dominic was just acting for fun. I have been here for one week, and maybe some people will feel something on thinking of my future departure. Good, I do not live here without leaving any trace...