東南亞風味的閒敘情調

 

這一枚郵票，描述新加坡人的閒敘日常生活，饒有趣味。

我不知道這一枚郵票是否是單獨發行的郵票？或者是一套套票中的散票？目前我已經收集了四枚同樣的郵票。

 

這一枚描述日常生活的郵票，閒散漫談，畫面靜中有動，引起觀者的注意。讓我忍不住想要更進一步理解新加坡人的日常。 

 

 

快樂的澳洲男孩

 

這枚標題為「澳洲孩子們」的郵票，深深吸引我的注意。

兩個穿著夏季短衫的男孩，快樂地從盆子中，抓取龍蝦，臉上滿滿的好奇心。

這是一枚歡樂、無憂無慮的郵票。畫面也描述了澳洲環海的地理環境，影響了當地居民的日常生活。 

都說「郵票是國家的名片」。我想，這枚郵票的確是一枚成功的國家級名片。 

 

Old Sorrows

 ----written in the winter of 1987

 

The innocent, friendly Albatross, appeared in Coleridge's "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner", reminds me of something happened long ago. 

In the earlier years of my life, I was timid as a rabbit. None could stop my tears except Mom's hugs. Shy enough, I refused others' hugs or kisses, including my father's. Whenever he tried to be close to me, I burst out crying. Father sighed, looking at me with his warm, worried eyes.

Skinny and delicate, I inclined to illness. Serious coughs deterred me from attending a kindergarten or chasing after playmates on streets. Quietly lying in bed, staring at the sunning blue skies, playing my elder brother's glass balls  and some beautiful stamps became my daily routine. Seldom did I go out, the gas exhausted from cars or buses made me vomit.

One day my father announced a new plan on dinner table. To encourage me getting stronger, he would give me one dollar if I ate one bowl of rice every meal. That arose my elder brother's and elder sister's protest, "That's not fair! She is always so special." Despite the protest, Father carried out his plan. Day by day, I became the richest child in my family.

Christmas was coming . Though my parents worshiped Budda, we still had a Christmas tree in our living room decorated with small bulbs. It brought wonderful, brilliant light twinkled during the night, and that arouse me to make many beautiful wishes though I kept them in my mind.

One winter evening, my younger sister asked me to go out with her. Unwillingly, I put on my heavy coat, following her and wondering what should happen. Having passed a narrow wet lane,  she stopped before a candy shop. She stared eagerly at a candy stick hung highly by a hook while I shook my head solemnly to warn her and wondering how she dared play so dirty a trick. At once the owner appeared smiling and asking what we wanted. In a second he plucked the candy stick and put it into my sister's little palm. Then he stood there watching my younger sister happily unfolded the cover of the candy stick and began to lick it; I stood there like a stranger. Impatiently, the owner drew a long face and shouted hollowly, "Money?" Embarrassed and furious, I turned blush. Slowly I gave him some money from my tightened fist. On the way home I scolded my younger sister bitterly while she tasted her "present" innocently and happily.

It is an old sorrowful story for me. Every time I think of it, I regret with wet eyes. What made my Papa hide an apple  in my little pocket though I said "No" but in my heart I really wanted one? How could Mom see through me before I asked her to buy a ten-teeth piano? I cannot find any excuse to forgive my stinginess. For many years I have kept it secretly. I even cannot make sure if my younger sister still remembers my foolishness. So significant and unforgettable, it seals in my memory deeply that as long as I live I shall never forget it ...

 

 

一些關於宴客的閒談

最近我在一本無印良品紅色小筆記本中，發現過去參加台北瑪德蓮小酒館的小講座。當時做了一些筆記，如今讀來，仍覺得有趣。現在我把一些有趣的內容，整理如下：

 

小講座的時間是：Sep./22/2019

地點：台北市公館  瑪德蓮小酒館

主人：周品慧女士

 

宴客要把握簡單、真誠的原則。自然，Be yourself.

美，需要花時間打扮。 

宴會先從白酒、氣泡酒、香檳開始喝。

宴客必須準備客人名單、準備菜單。

女主人是宴客的最重要角色，記得帶著有溫度的笑容。 

女主人負責介紹賓客（加上其頭銜）。

 

客人帶伴手禮。例如巧克力。若是送香檳，香檳一定是冰的。

鮮花可以在宴會之前送、或者是宴會第二天送。

送花只送給女人，不送給男人。

選擇淺色的花送。不可以送女主人紅花。花是單數朵。 

  

離開座位時，口布放在桌上。

 

吃西餐時背部挺直，手放在桌上。人距離桌子一些距離。

麵包要用手撕開吃，不能夠用刀切。不能夠拿麵包沾醬汁。

 

女主人開動，其他人才能夠開動。

酒由男主人選，男主人負責倒酒。倒酒時，一隻手酒標對著賓客，懸空酒瓶來倒酒。

選酒的原則：要把最好的酒，排在宴會的最後面時刻。 

 

粉紅酒：與渡假思維放在一起。粉紅酒是紅酒，只是發酵的時間短。

粉紅香檳是把妹酒。

 

法國獨立酒莊的香檳，並不貴。 

 

女生絕對不倒酒，由男生倒酒。

 

口紅留在杯上，不用擦。 

 

參加宴會，記得表達自己最好的一面。

鞋子是外觀的結尾（ending）。鞋子能夠美化整體的打扮。

鞋子和內衣一樣重要。腳部是很私人的部位。

 

參加宴會時，講話的內容也很重要。一般來說，賓客對於時事、藝術，會有興趣。

晚上聚會，背小包包。

 

法國人很少請中餐，若需要請中餐，通常會在外面的中餐廳請客。

法國人不帶小孩赴宴。 

 

 

 

淺談電影裡的日本「自肅美女」印象

晚近，日本電影導演小津安二郎著作<<我是個賣豆腐的，所以我只專心賣豆腐>>。

在本地，這是一本暢銷書。 

放眼國際級導演，幾乎都會有個固定班底。日本知名女星----原節子，正是小津電影中，一大亮點。 

 

個人意見：在描述日本文化的電影中，清秀佳人、堅忍卓絕者，如：<末代武士>的小雪，<晚春>的女兒原節子，與尚雷諾合演<Wasabi>的美少女廣末涼子，甚至是動畫片<來自紅花坂>的女主角，皆呈現出素人素心、高貴自持、「自肅」、知所節制的態度。

在電影<晚春>中，飾演父親的男主角笠智眾，堅持女兒幸福結婚，獨自於燈下索寞削梨皮的側影，使人悲欣交集。 

 

  

 

 

 

信州蘋果饅頭的小故事

30多年前，我去日本京都、金澤自助旅行。在京都時，就曾經看到這一盒信州蘋果饅頭，在小舖陳列販售。

 

當時沒買，因為不知道內容物長什麼樣子。

 

今年中秋節前，我去台北市SOGO復興館，再度看見這一盒點心，旁邊附有樣品盒。我彷彿看見睽違已久的老朋友出現，毫不考慮、立刻就買了。

 

近日拆盒，搭配咖啡一起吃，味道淡甜。

每一個蘋果饅頭，內含有糖10.4公克。 

 

 

 

 

我們將迎來七天的秋雨

 

十月份，台北的欒樹，從嫩黃轉成紅粉。

氣象預報說，    我們將迎來七天的秋雨。

雨勢頗大，連綿滴噠，錚錚鏦鏦，

在窗外，

婆娑。

 

於乾燥的屋內    聽雨

是    幸福的精神享受。

 

雨天之前，

台北一直很熱，有攝氏34度的高溫。

公園裡的欒樹，

從嫩黃    轉成    紅粉。

 

聽雨

讓我想起，雨中的欒樹，

不知道，

如今，

它們    變成    何等模樣？