tender moments I / 溫柔時刻 I

九月初，某個在課堂上聲嘶力竭之後，回到辦公室，桌上放著一朵美麗的白玫瑰，我便有預感，你來過了。我在校園裡用力地尋找著你的蹤跡，你看到我時，笑著說要給我一個擁抱，我有點羞赧地伸出雙臂，儘管如此，你知道我有多麼開心。為了養白玫瑰，我還特地手繪了個花瓶，盡可能地延長她的動人。

On one early September afternoon, after my extremely exhausting "stage performance", I found a lovely white rose on my desk upon coming into the office. I had a feeling that you were here. I searched hard for you in the campus. The first moment I saw you, you offered to give me a hug. Despite my shyness, you must have known how happy I was. To keep the rose, I made a vase in the hope of making her charm last as long as possible.

就在我以為你已經悄悄地離開，某個午後，辦公桌上又多出一朵紅玫瑰，你說是來和我道別的，到了這個年齡，我都要習慣人們的來來去去而不放在心上了，你跛著剛開完刀的腳，千里迢迢地來說一聲再見，那二十出頭的真摯令我很羞愧也很感動。我們沒有咖啡，也沒有小酒館的昏黃燈光和音樂，就只有從冰箱裡拿出來的東海大學優格，很不浪漫地偷借隔壁同事的椅子，卻也同樣盡興。

Then I thought you had returned to the U.S. without saying a word. One afternoon, I found a red rose on my desk. You came to say goodbye. At my age, I am already so numb to people's coming and going. You struggled a long way, with your leg that had just undergone an operation, just to bid farewell. I felt ashamed and touched by your twenty-something sincerity. We had neither coffee or the dim orange light and music of cafes. With the yogurt I found in the refrigerator and the chair of my colleague, we had as much fun.

這些年來，學生做過不少像瘋狂的感謝舉動，我感謝著他們的熱情，雖然我站在講台上總是有些不知所措。但是百分之九十五的人離開之後就遺忘了，我也感謝著他們的遺忘。而你，從頭開始就知道我不完美，還是一直一直地鼓勵著我，看重我的優點，在時空的雙重距離裡努力地記得我，我都深深地記在心上。

These years, students have done many crazy acts for many sakes. I thank them for their enthusiasm though I am always sort of ill at ease when they do that. But about 95% of them forget me after they leave. I thank them for forgetting me as well. You have known from the beginning that I am not perfect, yet you have never stopped encouraging me and told me how you like my strengths. You even try to remember me even though we are in different time and space. I am aware of every good will of yours.

再見又是一年以後的事，分手時我像是和明天還會再見的朋友一樣，雲淡風輕地離開，可是當我坐的公車疾馳而過，我捕捉你坐在校門口等待的神情，很後悔剛才沒有提議給你一個擁抱。但是那溫柔時刻餘留的美好在空氣中繚繞著。

I won't see you until at least one year from now on. When we said goodbye, I pretended you were someone I would still see tomorrow. But when the bus with me on it passed by the school gate and I saw you waiting at the same spot, I regretted not having offered you a hug earlier. Despite this, I felt the soft sweetness left from the tender moment circling in the air.

我是如此地以你為傲，也感謝我們的相遇‧‧‧

I am so proud of you and thankful for our encounter...