No Defeat for Heroes
“Did you read a lot of books, Grandpa?” Nancy asks after school.
“No, dear, I did not have the opportunity. But I read about a lot of things when I was a printer. I read even more when I was selling newspapers.”
“Was that a lot of fun?”
“Well, I wouldn’t call it fun. I did so along with earning money to feed my family, and send your dad to school and university.”
“You are a hero, Grandpa.”
看完中醫、就運動一吓腳骨從中環沿著皇后大道往西營盤走一回。只想拍一幀 graffiti 樓梯照、怎知一拉手機就拍呀拍呀。「啊、這些橫街會漸消失、why not? 這所大厦外牆修葺得很有時尚感、why not? 這是我出生之國家醫院（現西營盤醫院）、why not?…」諸多理由拍呀拍呀。好平凡的地方、好平凡的攝影、好平凡的手機….好、就譲我造一個平凡的 album 吧。何況自己也是一個平凡的小市民。
這是我第一次全用手機製的 album。多方便！（換句話說：如有錯字、是手機太聰明之過！）
請欣賞。
Universities Are for Imagination and Friendship
“Guess what I have, Grandpa?” Nancy came home holding a paper with a big black dot on it, accompanied by a circle of the same size.”
“I see a dot and a circle.” Grandpa responds flatly, not showing much interest.
“Dr. Wei told us that they are a black hole and a white hole. He was explaining how time began and how it travelled from past into the future.” Nancy watches her Grandpa intently, showing how proud she is in what she says.
“That’s very interesting. Who is this Dr. Wei?”
《“西成東就”— 從英文猜漢字》
我曾經遇到一個字謎 , 謎面是 Good morning, 猜一個漢字。謎底是“譚”字。“譚”字組成部份是“言”、“西“、“早”, 整理次序一下, 可以成為“西言早”– 就是 Good morning。這個字謎, 憑英文猜漢字, 頗為少見, 給我留下深刻的印象。我按圖索驥, 弄了一個字謎遊戲, 在本年度的理工大學加西員生會新春聚餐, 筵開十多席時 ,每一桌十人合作猜玩競賽。
現請你先試猜, 答案在本頁內。我還會稍稍報告結果和提出一些思考, 跟有興趣用這方法擬題的人分享。
I “西成東就”— 從英文猜漢字
請看以下英文句子短語,猜猜它們暗示什麼漢字,一題一字, 全是繁體, 部首也包括在內。(聲明:與文字學無關,或有多於一個答案, 最好的答案由工作人員決定。)
例子: Competitive market = 鬧(鬥市); Take away = 趣(取走); My daughter = 娥(我女)
《棲》
風高搖樹狠
葉散雨中飛
窮寺僧藏處
窩空冷鳥饑
《移民廾三載自況打油詩》
(一) 1995年《自況》
未懂平仄愛賦詩 偶有佳句無佳篇
情牽家國天下事 意遊中外今古辭 (1)
歲月催人鬢忽白 愁人最是聚散頻
中年味苦輕嚐過 可有暮眼看河清 (2)
(1) 承潘漢雄兄改
(2) 俟河之清、人壽幾何
Your Time Is Mine
“Grandpa, do you always have time?”
“Yes dear, I always have time for you. My time belongs to you.”
“How come my Dad says he has no time? He is always in a hurry, walking quickly and driving fast.”
“Well, he uses his time to work and earn money, so you and me I and your parents can have a good life, like eating well, living in a neat house, and talking about things, feelings, questions and school.”
“Grandpa, were you like my Dad too?”
日本大地震七週年。噢、那年那日 2011、3、11 我就被困日本、在日光、在海嘯仙台隔鄰；僥倖等了一小時電話與航空公司接通可攺機票從東京提早飛出。如果我知仙台風景美、我就一支公直上了仙台、然後就隨浪而去了。由日光返回東京亦有困難、不過倒也只阻滯了一天能平安到東京。東京風平浪靜一片、可是出機場的火車在沒通知下提早停駛；只能兜兜轉轉轉車去機場；出機場之經歷又是一段故。噢、機場就亂了、人山人海、坐的睡的排隊的塞滿整個機場、整地食物、臨時睡。僥倖我乘的 Nippon Airline (原先不是 Nippon) 安排乘客順利上機。從未見過這麼多孩子乘機、很多是外籍丈夫、日本妻子和外父母一家帶著孩子離開日本。下一站是星架坡、難得收留我的朋友在凌晨在機場接我。如果他不來、我同學也 offered 去機場接我。回想起來、自己真是幸運、非常感恩。
吾友寇富（新春趕鬼，賭城記。）在矽谷娶新抱。夫妻驅車上北加州洒莊参加婚禮。
曾問寇富，新娘子何許人氏？寇富答，總之是人。
今日揭盅，新娘子是黑人。七年前，新郎哥經過公司的長廊，驚艷佳人。在芸芸貝殼中掘出一粒美麗的黑珍珠。
從來沒有參加過異族婚禮，這是人生一大經驗。我夫妻倆留下了美好的回憶。
