postcard relationship / 明信片關係

現在的我，用手機幾乎是得靠天賜的緣分才連絡得到，至於電子郵件，收是收到了，不過我卻說不準何時才有回覆的心情，有時還沒回信之前便已經忘記曾經收到過信，久而久之，大家對我的要求不那麼高了。

If anyone would like to contact me now, it takes fate and mountains of good luck to talk to me on the cell phone. As for email, I do check my emailbox on a daily basis, but I can't tell when I feel like replying. Usually, before I get back to friends, I forget they once sent words to me. Gradually, people have learned not to expect so much of me.

我也有過和人密切保持連絡的時期，剛開始接觸網路，可以每隔幾個小時就查一次信箱，或者掛在網路上好幾個小時，但是這樣的熱血終究無法維持，最後我又回到使用郵寄的溝通方式，現在要找到我，只有靠明信片。

There were days when I was in frequent, or rather, tight contact with others. When I was first exposed to the Internet, I checked email every few hours, or I stayed online for a whole afternoon/night. However, my enthusiasm didn't last long enough. Eventually, I ended up sending snail mail again. Now, only by mailing postcards can friends find me.

明信片來來回回的過程中，我暗想著對方是否已經寄出，而這次的明信片圖樣會有怎樣的心情，字裡行間有沒有回覆我的疑問，儘管我有如此多的想像空間，我並不是每秒每刻都想著這些問題，在某些時候偶然想起，帶著一點掛念，一些期待，卻又不打擾我的日常生活，我喜歡我們親密又疏離的關係。

When waiting for friends' postcards, I imagine if they have sent the email, what kinds of images there will be on the postcards, if they have responded to my questions. Though there is so much for me to imagine, I do not spend all the day obsessing. Instead, they come to mind at moments I can't expect. Then I'll think of those people quietly. Our close yet detached relationship does not stop me from going about in my busy daily life. It pleases and satisfies me.

然後某一天，在眾多的垃圾郵件中，夾著一張單薄、佈滿文字的明信片，我帶著喜悅的心上樓去，在電梯裡一邊盤算著要怎麼回信，常常委靡的生活因而多了個小目標，無聊的日子突然個人化起來，開心地寄出明信片之後又開始耐心地等待。就這樣，周而復始。

Then one day, among a pile of junk mail hides a thin postcard lined with words. I'd go upstairs, planning what surprise I should prepare in the elevator. Sometimes a small goal emerges like that in my totally messy life. A boring day takes bright colors. After sending out the postcard with joy, I start to wait patiently. The cycle repeats, over and over again.

明信片關係裡，隱藏著太多的可能性，剛認識的新朋友，認識很久的老朋友，友達以上戀人未滿，等等等等，因為書寫的空間有限，所有的情緒化成最濃縮的字句，任真實的情感躲藏。Nora Jones在「我的藍莓夜」裡飾演的Elizabeth，就要愛上Jude Law扮演的餐廳老闆之際，離開紐約去流浪一年，她從各地寄明信片給他，他則閱讀著她的經驗，等著她，明信片關係為他們的進展過程畫了很長的一顆逗點。現實生活中的明信片關係，因為不保證對象都像王家衛電影中的男主角一樣深情，所以浪漫度不能相比，但是明信片可以帶來的遐思，遠超過冷冰冰的電子郵件。

Postcard relationships allow too many possibilities. They are for newly-met friends, long-time friends, potential lovers, etc. etc. Because there is not much space for words, all the emotion has to be condensed into short and concise sentences, in which dwell the true feelings. In "My Blueberry Nights," Elizabeth, played by Nora Jones, leaves New York City when she is about to fall in love with the restaurant owner, starred by Jude Law. She sends postcards to him everywhere she has gone, and he reads her experiences, waiting for her. The postcards draw a long comma in their relationship from friends to lovers. In real life, No one can guarantee if those you are writing to are as faithful as the lead male roles in Wong Kar-Wai's films. Maybe it's not as romantic as the postcard relationship in the movie, but postcards definitely bring much more imagination than cold and dead email.