花開堪折直須折,莫待無花空折枝 (二) / Reminiscing in Front of a Closed Door (Part 2)

在那山在虛無飄渺間,做夢的年青人,彷彿聽到兒時唱的歌調...........

清溪水, 慢慢流, 穿過青草地
慢慢流, 聽我唱歌告訢妳

瑪莉酣腄在靜水之边
清溪水, 慢慢流
莫擾她安眠

鷓鴣鳥山上叫, 声音很幽怨
老烏鸦在樹梢, 呼声沈而遠

清溪水, 慢慢流, 泉水輕輕湧
请妳们, 莫吵閙
讓瑪莉做夢

英文歌曲【清溪水, 慢慢流】
彭氏詞 帝姆曲

花開堪折直須折,莫待無花空折枝 (一) / Reminiscing in Front of a Closed Door (Part 1)

在我青年荷爾蒙盛發時期,有一個舊情人,佷多時常關心的問我:『你做乜呀?點解死吓死吓咁?!!』当時自己也不明白,為什么情緒起落会這樣大,一時兴高采烈,說過不停,但像天氣預測一樣,如果那低壓槽一來,情緒就像氣壓計內的水銀一樣,直線下瀉,做什么事也不起勁,有很多時,根本就整個「系統」完全停頓,靈魄去了渡假,軀体成了做夢客, 在那山在虛無飄渺間,做那塵世人的事,發那塵世人的夢,昐望做主人的魂兒早些覺醒回家。

風寒指數 / Wind Chill Factor

Picture 图: Wind Chill Factor風寒指數
(Photo Credit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wind_chill )

有朋友從欧洲到訪,放了工在酒店接他們到市中吃晚飯。他們在电視和新聞,都知道加拿大冬天寒冷,但卻從未有想到那寒風刺骨的滋味。他們離開欧洲時是零上十五度,在這裏下飛机是零下二十度,再加上時速二十公里的大風,用「風寒指數」一計,皮膚體溫冷卻作用,就等於降低至零下三十度!!但我在這边習慣了,卻不是大驚小怪,凍是凍了點,就穿多几層暖內衣,戴上手套、頸巾、帽子,保護手指、口鼻、頭頂就是了。很多時冬天出外跑步、滑雪、溜冰,出了一身子汗,還要脫衣服取涼呢。人要在大自然的逆境生存,就是要適应環境的了。

This evening, I met some friends from Europe at their hotel and we went out for supper together. Prior to departure, they had learnt from TV broadcast and the news that Canadian winter would be very cold. But they had never heard of the Wind Chill Factor. So, when the left Europe, it was a balmy +15 degrees and when they got off the plane, the outside temperature was a cool -20 degrees. But they didn't realize that with a wind blowing at 20 km/h, the chilling effect on exposed skin is equivalent to -30 degrees !! I have lived here long enough, so it's no big deal. When it gets cold, I put on a few more layers of warm undies, put on my pair of gloves/mittens, a scarf, and a warm hat to protect my fingies, mouth and neck and the top of my head and off I go. When I am out running, skiing, or skating, I often work up a sweat and have to take off some clothes to cool off. In order to survive in adverse weather conditions, one does not have a choice but to adapt.

談判五項 / Top Five: Negotiation Skills and Techniques

今天與某机構開会談判,討論对方的提議,是否附合我們的政策和方針,和对双方的長遠計劃有沒有好処。其實這個談判,有點像馬拉松賽,是在一年之前開始。当然,我們這边在未開会前,已凖備了所有資料策略,但問題就是对方机構,人事不定,像「走馬燈」一樣,上一手的談判人「跳了槽」離職,新的接手人就和上手脫了節,很多時要我們提醍: 『這些事項,您上次的代表人已和我們討論過了,請看某月某日的会議記錄。』我看到对方談判員的尷尬情形,心裡也替他難過,但是談判就是談判,我不是他們机構的領導人,也要代表自己机構的权益。於是乎開了会不久,我告訢对方,我下午不会繼續,但其他人可以在午歺後,留下討論其它議程事項。

放了工之後,我回想今早的談判会議,以沒有批評的用心,作了如下的感想:

談判五項 (註:人事管理一方面,我已在上數月提供愚見,不再累敍)

1. 未能取得对方充分的信心和了解。
2. 談判資料、戰略、分析、預期後果等,凖備工作不足 (正是: 知己知彼、百戰百勝)。
3. 沒有一個綜合性的談判程序丶框架,將己方提議放入去,令对方明白。
4. 忘記了在談判細節之前,应該大家討論和同意整件事的大前題。例如:談判的根據原則是什么?談判目的是為了什么?
5. 部或組長自以為是,談判之前,沒有徵求手下員工意見,利用他們的積聚經驗。

其中我認為第5項是最常見的一個錯誤,很多「波士」,以為自己管理專家,所以一定是比專家有過之而無不及,卻忘記在工作方面,她/他可能有廣角眼光闊度,但知識深度,就一定需要在專家面前自謙一點了。

每逢佳節倍思親(中國曆4705年) / Family Happy Together (Chinese Calendar Year 4705)

在加拿大,今天星期日,是舊曆年初一,在此祝各友人新年快樂!! 昨天年三十晚,特別和母親往唐人街,買了些燒烤豬肉(义燒)、半隻琵琶鴨、一塊豬耳丶和一些白飯,回家吃團年飯。母親年紀也不少,自從父親去了世之後,在這裏唯一能依靠的,就是我一個人,所以每逢唐人節日,她就一早起床,朋友的約会也推卻,在家等我的电話。我曾有几次告訢她說:「媽呀媽呀,妳不要太依賴我,現在妳身体尚好,我就鼓勵妳多交朋友,擴大妳的生活圈子。」我也明白母親的心意,每逢佳節倍思親,終身的老伴已不在,不靠親人又靠誰呢?今天年初一,很早就打了個「喊線」給母親,免她在家望著那电話呆坐,等我的消息。我約定在下午往她処,或許和她往唐人街,看看本地某武術館的新年醒獅表演,也会和她打長途电,給一些在北美和香港的親戚賀年。母親啊,我就在這裏,祝妳一個健康、愉快的豬年!!

It is Sunday here in Canada. Happy Chinese New Year everyone !!! Yesterday, I went to Chinatown with my Mom, bought some BBQ pork, half a Peking duck, a chunk of pig ear, some rice and brought it home to celebrate the end of the Year of the Dog. My Mom is a senior. Ever since the passing of my Father, I am the only one she can rely on. So, during every Chinese festival, she will wake up early in the morning, cancel all her appointments with friends and stay home waiting for my phone call. I have told her several times: "Mom, don't become too dependent on me. You are still healthy and I would encourage you to go out meet more friends and expand your social circle." But deep in my heart, I understand her longing for family connection to fill her emotional vacuum, especially during festival time. With the passing away of her life-long companion, who else are there to connect to, if not her immediate family? Today is CNY day, so I made a point of calling her early in the morning so she would not sit at home waiting for the telephone to ring. I have made an appointment to visit her this afternoon and might accompany her to Chinatown to see a lion dance by one of the local kung fu schools. We will make a few phone calls to say happy New Year to close relatives in North America and Hong Kong. More importantly, dear Mother, I wish you here a healthy and happy Year of the Pig !!

Picture 图: 山西省的新年燈籠市場 A customer picks out a Chinese New Year lantern at a street market in the industrial city of Linfen in China's northeast Shanxi province (Photo Credit: Peter Parks/AFP)

心眼 / In My Mind's Eye

我讀小學二、三年班的時候,就曾因為一個「自我」覌念,把自己煩過不了。当時我想解答的,就是一個很簡單的問題:『為什么我不能離開我自己身体,由別人眼中看這個世界呢?』我是想証實,以我為中心,以我眼看出去的世界,是不是和其他人看到的一樣呢?如果答案是肯定,那我的世界就不是空中樓閣,不是我「自我」主覌的產品,如答案是否定,那就大有問題了!!! 我就為這件事,煩了一段時期,我母親看見我悶悶不樂,愁眉不展,又不出去玩耍,就以為我生了病,有點憂心。我是天生內向的,当然不会把自己心事,和其他人談起來。不過好動的我,卻又不喜欢呆在家裡,過了一陣子,其他街坊小童要我去踏自行車、玩捉迷藏丶十字介豆腐丶抓子等遊戲,我也就把這想不通丶鑽牛角尖的問題擱置下來,和同年的小朋友,在街外玩個不見天日了。

When I was in Primary Two or Three, I went through a period of frustration with this concept of "self". My question was fairly simple: "Why couldn't I leave my own body and see the world through other people's eyes?" What I wanted to verify was whether the world as I saw it was identical to what other people would have seen, if I were them. If the answer was yes, then it would prove "my world" was not just a flick of my own imagination or a product of my mind's eye. However, if the answer was negative, then the "I" as I knew it then, would be in big trouble!! So for a while, I did not go play outside, my mind wondered in the quagmire, and I became quite unhappy over this irresolvable question, to the extent that my Mum thought I was falling ill. I was born an introvert and of course would not share any of my thoughts with anyone. However, being an active person, I just could not stand staying home for any extended period of time. Alas, when my neighborhood kids again came asking me whether I wanted to go bicycling, playing hide-and-seek, and other Chinese games with them, I decided to drop this cul du sec issue and ran outside with them into the sunshine.

图:風雪銅像 / Picture: Snow Covered Bronze Statues

加拿大軍隊: 記念大戰軍人銅像 / Canadian Forces: Bronze Statues of World War Soldiers

情人節的大風雪 / Snow Storm on Valentine's Day

今天早上,望出窗外,白茫茫的一片,昨晚下了整夜雪,趕忙穿上頂厚的冬天衣服,出街角的巴士站候車。街道上雪深路滑,所有的車輛,都減低度速,以免發生意外,巴士也遲了到埗,車內冷氣和人氣混在一起,結了冰的玻璃窗,封鎖了对外界的視線。

午膳時間,大風雪仍是繼續,多倫多机場,有很多班机已被取消,美國紐約州和東北已被大風雪癱瘓。我穿上大衣,拿了相机出街外,冒著零下20度的酷寒,除脫了手套,拍了很多張不同的雪景,樂極忘形,不夠十分鐘,我的手指已感到麻痹冰凍,沒有感覺,不是好現象,趕忙衝往最近的室內商場取暖。書店老板抬頭望我,知我是避寒,不是買書,也給我一個同情心的微笑,低頭繼續做他的工作。
整個下午和晚上,雪仍是不停的下著,或許有很多人会抱怨,天不做美,不能出外慶祝情人節。但在我來說,情人節大風雪,也就代表愛情就像天氣,有陰有晴,有冷有熱。好天氣的時候,就要珍惜那美好的時光,到大風雪到的時候,就只能靠心中那一小點溫暖的回憶,讓我們渡過那困境。各位心內打著大風雪,戓感到寒冷的友人,我可以保証,再過数月,春天是会一定回來的!!!

七十二行: 替『維他奶』和『百事可樂』送水 (六) / 72 Occupations: The Thirst Quencher (Part 6)

荔園遊樂場原名「荔枝園」,位於荔枝角,於1949年開業,是當時香港規模最大型的遊樂場。我那暑期工,最開心的就是跟汽水車往荔園送水,雖然那時遊樂場,已是走下坡的暮業,但它仍是我們『百事可樂』司机最大的顧客,我們一去就是半天,一送就是数以百枝計的汽水。除了賺大佣金之外,我們一車四人,都会借此机会,享受那沒有假日人羣,靜寂的荔園海灘。在香港社会,無論是白領階級,藍領階級,我們每人都有自己的心事,但当有机会偷得浮生半日閒,遠離那複雜的徙置區,遠離那狹窄工廠的火災陷阱,遠離每日放工後要面对的家庭煩憂瑣事,我們都不自覺輕鬆起來,暫時忘了心事,擴胸呼吸那新鮮的海灘空氣,儘量享受那半日的時光。我們司机也就特別「長氣」的和那遊樂場管理員點数,各兄弟也就「非常小心」地將一盤一盤汽水,叠入艇仔,然後三人二槳,慢慢地划出海心送水,有很多時就連槳也懶蕩,就任由那艇隨水漂流,司机在岸上的樹陰下,也就視而不見,或許他是忙著和周公「打牙較」了。

後記: 我替『維他奶』和『百事可樂』送水的暑期回憶,也就像当年海心小艇一樣,在歲月中漂呀漂呀,不知不覺也是多年了。以前『維他奶』和『百事可樂』的汽水司机,我想都已升級或退休了,那些後生、好氣力的送水弟兄,可能都轉了行。在這悠長的人生旅途中,我足跡走遍了世界很多地方,也做了72行的其它工作。但在我腦海中,那年青的我,卻仍是在那艇中,和我的送水夥伴說笑,看著浪花把海水打上艇上,那一盤一盤的汽水,就和我們胸膛上的汗水一樣,在陽光下閃耀著。

(全文完)

七十二行: 替『維他奶』和『百事可樂』送水 (五) / 72 Occupations: The Thirst Quencher (Part 5)

当年我做暑期勞工,送『百事可樂』汽水的領域,有深水埗、長沙灣、荔枝角、蘇屋、石硤尾等。其中包括政府在石硤尾及大坑東木屋區火災之後興建的七層徙置區,沒有昇降机,有很多天台學校要貨,就是要用人力,一盤一盤的托上七層頂楼(上图)。

最難相信的,就是有些廉價工廠大厦,也是一樣,电梯只上髙層。有一次,在長沙灣某某企業大厦送水(下图),就要將五盤共120枝『百事』叠上手推車,一級一級的抽上楼梯,上到第四層的時候,我已氣力不繼,一不留神,抓不緊那手車,五盤『百事』,落地開花,富貴榮華(後句是吉祥之語),120枝玻璃榴彈爆發,尖銳的碎片橫飛,那時剛巧是午膳時間,樓梯人上人落,有很多人的腳眼腳肚都「掛了彩」,不在話下,我這個禍魁之首就成為眾矢之的, 「巴士阿叔」問候令母身体安康不再話下,最「難頂」的就是那些工廠女工的「X家鏟」、誅九族、滅祖宗、無後代的惡毒咒語,正是:「好佬怕爛佬,爛佬怕潑婦」。無奈是自己的不是,也就只好忍氣吞聲,低頭收拾殘局。

Photo Credit: 【維基百科】图石硤尾徙置區 / 長沙灣

(下結局: 荔園海灘)

七十二行: 替『維他奶』和『百事可樂』送水 (四) / 72 Occupations: The Thirst Quencher (Part 4)

根據【維基百科】,深水埗的「埗」與「埔」、「埠」相通，過去是一個深水的碼頭,沒有現時的高樓大厦,在1953聖誕和1954年7月,石硤尾及大坑東木屋區大火,災民人数八萬有多,於是政府起了很多徙置區,都在現時屬香港l8區的「深水埗」內。那時徙置區一帶,地旺人多,龍蛇混集,我們送汽水的,在街和行人路上走動運貨,通常都沒有問題,但最怕聽到的就是有人喊「走鬼!」或「開片呀!」。「走鬼」多是小販隊追捕無牌小販,或是警察和「豬籠車」來「抄」賭檔架步,我們就要小心被追的不会和汽水相撞。但「開片」就是人人都雞飛狗走,包括我們在內!記得有一次,滿街都是購物買餸的行人,突然有人喊「開片呀!」那些携老扶幼的当然驚慌躲避,我們這些「爛佬」也立刻趕快走向路边,跟著七、八名手執鉄棒,牛肉刀(報紙包著),單車鍊,滿臉殺氣的人從橫街衝出來,是趕著去「開片」了。人命在天,還可接受,但被人錯認,誤斬入了枉死城,那就不值得了。

(下回: 「好佬怕爛佬,爛佬怕潑婦」)

七十二行: 替『維他奶』和『百事可樂』送水(三) / 72 Occupations: The Thirst Quencher (Part 3)

話說我跟的第一個汽水銷售員,是做尖沙咀的流鶯區,但不夠一星期,就發覺這個司机脾氣什差,常常大動肝火,对他倆個直系手下態度已差,对我這個散工更視如奴隸。父親会說「汝曾被警告」,我也明白送水司机,不是學界文人,但和其他工人交談,就得知這人常面紅耳赤的原因,也是和酗酒有關。剛巧有一個送『百事可樂』的司机聽說我想「跳槽」,就慫慂我跟他做,如我前述,司机和司机之間,競爭什熱,多一個人幫手賣「水」,就是多賺一些佣金。第二天早上,我爬上了『百事可樂』司机的汽水車頂,那『維他奶』司机看到就大發雷霆,炒蝦拆蟹來罵,但我就是不肯下來,『百事』司机也不肯放人,最後經理人出來調和,我們才可以開車, 就開始了我在深水埗區送「水」的生涯。

当年的深水埗,是比較上複雜的一個區域,雖然追不及鑽石山、老虎岩或九龍城寨的三不管地帶,但人囗密度極髙,三山五嶽幫会人馬,不勝其数。所以到這區做生意的,多少也知道地頭規矩,那個有「底」,那個無「底」,一看便知,無需「盤」問。我們的司机对所有顧客,無論是街边士多東主,或酒楼老板,都非常尊敬。「喂,兄弟,同阿陳生托十盤水入後面冷巷,小心D」意思是在送水之時,在屋後看到什么,就不看到什么,放下240枝汽水之後,取回上次的空樽就出來,不要節外生枝。我們的人事關係很好,顧客至上,有時士多東主也会留司机,和我們三個勞工兄弟渴啤酒,記得有一次天氣嚴熱,我非常口渴, 一時太快飲了一樽大『青島』,酒精上腦,出了舖頭不遠, 双腳一軟,就倒臥在街頭,那些路過的阿婆阿嬸,就停下來看看發生什么事情,圍過水洩不通,七嘴八舌地說:「報警打3個9啦!」「係咪死咗呀?」「佢鍾好後生ga!」真是尷尬 !

(讀者注意: 這是回憶故事篇,作者與任何幫会沒有關係。)
(下回: 「開片呀!」)

七十二行: 替『維他奶』和『百事可樂』送水 (二) / 72 Occupations: The Thirst Quencher (Part 2)

話說我往『維他奶』和『百事可樂』在觀塘的銷售処見工,立即被僱為時薪的散工,每天四時起床,早上五時半左右,就要到廠報道。觀塘是当年香港重要工业區之一,很多九龍半島汽水銷售処都在那裡設廠。在商業角逐方面來說,当年『維他奶』還可以壟斷荳和麥料汽水的巿場,但『百事可樂』和『可口可樂』, 卻是同行如敵國,資方在市場中拼過你死我活。但在勞方工人來說,鬥爭的卻不是和外界,而是銷售員(送水司机)之間的競賽,看誰可以超越定額,領取更大的佣金。九龍地區大,所以每一個司机都有指定的領域和顧客。我跟第一個司机,是在尖沙咀送『維他奶』,那燈紅酒綠的地區,給我這個未出世道的年青人大開眼界。在那些招牌舖頭後面的風月場所,小姐住宅的所見所聞,就不是在天星小輪的怱忙渡客,或彌敦道的購物行人所能看見的。最令人難忘記的,就是遇到有很多我相信是過了氣的舞女紅娘,她們身體本錢用盡,闊客不多,但仍是要繼續那酒慾(肉)生涯,下午三時起床,腄袍半脫,未上濃脂淡粉,口紅稀薄,面目實有點潐淬。現在回憶当年暑期工遇見的女人,不禁想起2004年導演王家衛的【愛神】影片故事,描述一個靠姿色悅人,賺闊客錢,養小白臉的風麈女子,当然我在尖沙咀遇見的半老徐娘,沒有鞏俐的貌美,更沒有裁縫手做,美麗的旗袍來配托那窈窕身材,但那电影結局,卻似乎是当年目睹現實的一個寫照。正是:歲月不留人,神女生涯原是夢,賣笑女人的下場,就真是像脫了色的舊相片,被人放入抽屜內忘掉。

(下回:複雜的深水埗區)

七十二行: 替『維他奶』和『百事可樂』送水 (一) / 72 Occupations: The Thirst Quencher (Part 1)

我不是在這裡替『維他奶』和『百事可樂』賣廣告,而是回想我在香港的暑期工,做「送水」那一個行業。什麽是「送水」? 這是行家術語,是「送汽水」也。「汽水」即有氣的水, 以前三、四十年代,總稱為「荷蘭水」,之後外商投資,『屈臣氏』、『可口可樂』等在港設廠,增加了各種飲料牌子,角逐那廣羅大眾的口味和市場,消費者才開始有多種選擇。我替『維他奶』和『百事可樂』「送水」那暑假,天氣特別酷熱,汽水廠人手非常短缺,登報招請勞工。那時香港仍在英國殖民旗下,社会「白領」階級对「藍領」階級有點歧視,我父親是屬保守派,就很希望我找份「詩文」的文員工作,我是好動和反叛性強的年青人,就不喜欢呆在室內寫字楼, 看人眉頭眼額,波士前又波士後 ,有一份可以走動送貨,和有免費汽水喝的工作,正合我心意。所以看了報紙廣告的第二天,立刻帶同身份証,坐船往『維他奶』和『百事可樂』在觀塘的銷售処見工。

家園青草綠柔柔 / Green Green Grass of Home

這几年生活繁忙,就好像玩雜耍的人一樣,要將所有耍球在時空之間,不停轉動走位,但又不能喊停或讓球跌下來,故常感到生活擔子,在精神上的壓力,是一個沈重的負擔。但最近這几天,在巴士站候車時,常不知不覺中,在心裡唱起自己喜愛的歌曲或調子。我覺得這是很好的現象,顯示我的「心理家園」,亦沒有因環境壓力而枯萎凋殘,反之,在酷寒逆境之中,仍有那春天含苞待放的生命力,就像「湯姆鍾氏」唱那首歌的名字一樣:『家園青草綠柔柔』。

I have quite a busy life in the last few years, trying to juggle all the balls in the air without stopping or allowing any one of them to drop. Such life style exerts tremendous pressure on the mind and impacts on one's overall wellness. But lately, I quite often find myself singing or humming a familiar song or tune in my head while waiting at the bus-stop. This is a good sign as far as I am concerned. For one thing, it shows that deep inside me, my "home garden" has not succumbed to the cold adverse environment of modern day living. Rather, there is a strong ever-green force that keeps "The Green Green Grass of Home" growing, just like the title of that song sung by Tom Jones.

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***** Updated Nov 24, 2010 *****

Walking his last mile,
the man and his smile !!
Hold on to your dream,
Beneath that patch of green !!

(If there is any comfort, it's the man's last dream of "The Green Green Grass of Home" that will help him walk his last mile. Yes, we all need our patch of green, in our own numbered dreams !!!)



"The Green Green Grass of Home"
Singer: Tom Jones; Song: Claude "Curly" Putman Jr.

The old home town looks the same,
As I step down from the train,
And there to meet me is my mamma mama and papa;
Down the road I look, and there runs Mary,
Hair of gold and lips like cherries,
It's good to touch the green, green grass of home.

CHORUS:
Yes, they all come to meet me,
Arms a-reachin', smilin' sweetly,
It's good to touch the green, green grass of home.

The old house is still standin,
'Though the paint is cracked and dry,
And there's that old oak tree,
That I used to play on.
Down the lane I walk with my sweet Mary,
Hair of gold and lips like cherries,
It's good to touch the green, green grass of home.

Then I awake and look around me,
At the four gray walls that surround me,
And I realize yes I was only dreaming,
For you see, there's a guard and there's a sad old padre,
Arm in arm we'll walk at daybreak,
Then I'll touch the green green grass of home.

CHORUS:
Yes, they'll all come to see me,
In the shade of that old oak tree,
As they lay me 'neath the green, green grass of home.

Reference:
* Wikipedia / Green Green Grass of Home:

"Green, Green Grass of Home", written by Claude "Curly" Putman Jr., is a country song originally made popular by Porter Wagoner in 1965 and Bobby Bare in 1965. It was sung later by Tom Jones in 1966 when it reached number one in the UK Singles Chart on 3 December staying there for a total of seven weeks.

The lyrics
A man returns to his childhood home; it seems that this is his first visit home since leaving in his youth. When he steps down from the train, his parents are there to greet him, and his beloved, Mary, comes running to join them. All is welcome and peace; all come to meet him with "arms reaching, smiling sweetly." With Mary the man strolls at ease among the monuments of his childhood, including "the old oak tree that I used to play on." It is "good to touch the green, green grass of home." Yet the music and the words are full of foreshadowing, strongly suggestive of mourning.

Abruptly, the man switches from song to speech as he awakens in prison: "Then I awake and look around me, at four grey walls that surround me. And I realize that I was only dreaming." He is, indeed, on death row. As the singing resumes, we learn that the man is waking on the day of his scheduled execution ("there's a guard, and there's a sad old padre...on and on [or "arm in arm"] we'll walk at daybreak"), and he will return home only to be buried: "Yes, they'll all come to see me in the shade of that old oak tree, as they lay me 'neath the green, green grass of home."

The Joan Baez version ends:
Yes, we'll all be together,
In the shade of the old oak tree
When we meet beneath the green, green grass of home.

狗命 / A Dog's Life

Walt Disney fans might have a laugh with this story I am going to tell. But this is what happened this morning and I am not crazy (just in case you might come to that conclusion).

On my way to work this morning, the bus was half-full and I was sitting close to the front. A blind man got onto the bus and he had this seeing-eye dog with him. Now, I do not own any pets nor do I have a lot of contacts with our four-legged friends. So, I could only assume it was the type that had been trained as a puppy to become a guide dog. Anyway, after his (or her) master sit down, it settled itself quietly and obediently as any certified guide dog would. I didn't pay much attention until at the next bus-stop, passengers who got onto the bus almost stepped on the dog because they couldn't see it lying on the floor. I almost yelped a few times when people's feet were almost on top of the poor beast. Fortunately, nothing happened, and I was about to get off the bus when the dog fixed (or should I say locked) its eyes on me and wouldn't let go. If it were a predator, then I understood why a prey would freeze by its gaze. But it was not a threatening look. The beast's eyes were deep and dark with no whites and in that pool of darkness, it told me the story of a sad dog's life (hey, I could only use human terms to describe the message I received). It was not that the master was nasty or abusive (being an analytical person, I did check out the general appearance of the dog and the look of its master at that point - there was no tangible evidence of abuse). But rather, the beast was not happy about being a guide dog at all !!!

After that little encounter, I stood up, taking care I would not step on the dog on my way out, and got off the bus. I was busy working all day and never gave it another thought until just now. I have been told many sad stories, met many sad people, but let me tell you, that dog's look was different. As I said, it told of a sad dog's life.

(Postscript: The story is a metaphor, and has little to do with talking to animals as in some Walt Disney movies. 後言: 以上故事含有隱喻,與『和路迪士尼』有關人懂獸語的影片沒有接連。)