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闪烁星
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大 中
小 发表于 2006-2-18 19:20 只看该作者
[story] Maggio, Giugno e Dicembre [finished]
It was just a story. It might not have any meaning to anyone. It was, as I've said, just a story.
Maggio, Giugno e Dicembre
PARTE 1
It was early in the morning.
I guess it was only about five, because the sky was still dark blue. The moon was shining like a silver coin.
I sighed, "What do you want?"
"You've promised to go jogging with me!" she said, cheerfully as always.
"Have I?" my head was aching, "but, hell, it's only... 4:30 a.m.!"
She took the alarm clock from my hand, "But you've promised me." Full stop. With absolute authority. I knew there was no room for negotiation. I sighed again.
"Fine, whatever."
She was my housemate. She was... Well, basically I am really bad in describing people. She always said that I am the type of people who would never remember if a person wears glasses or not. I suppose she was right. Her impressions of people were always right.
So I changed to a pair of cotton trousers and went out with her. It was still very cold in early February. I shivered when the chilly wind blew against my face. There was not a single star in the sky -- only the moon was shining. The pine trees were gloomier than ever.
We did not talk to each other as we jogged along the park. Somehow it seemed too cold to open the mouth.
"June?" she called. I turned around. She was ten feet behind me.
"Yes?"
But she didn't reply me. I added, "Yes, Maryland? What's the matter?"
Of course her name was not Maryland. She was May Ma. But I had always thought that May Ma was too unromantic, so I had been calling her Maryland since we first met. Maryland said Maryland was not romantic either, but I argued that at least it was better than May Ma. Anyway, she just let me call her Maryland.
"Maryland? Is there anything wrong?" I repeated.
"Oh? No, well... what would you like for breakfast?" Maryland was always like this: suddenly getting serious about nothing serious at all. I had already been used to that. So I just replied her, "Bacon, two boiled eggs and milk."
Maryland was a very good cook. She could make the bacon better than the five-star hotel chef. She could make excellent coffee too, but I never drink coffee. Maryland kept on saying that it was a pity that I do not drink coffee. She said coffee was dreamier than any other drinks. She always said, "Milk! Milk is so dull! It only has one color! And it makes people dull too -- I just couldn't understand how you could stand drinking milk every day!"
I would be smiling, "Might be because I am dull." Usually Maryland would no longer say another word but would just pour herself another cup of coffee.
After taking a shower, I sat opposite to Maryland, at the other end of the table. We had a table tennis table in our apartment. It was my idea. I like having a lot of working space. And since the table was too big to fit in my room, I just put it in the living room. Half of the table was Maryland's dining table. She put a piece of fancy table cloth on top of it. There was a vase in the middle of her half side. Every day she would get some lilies or gardenias and put them in the vase. My half side was just -- dull -- if I use Maryland's word. There was no lace table cloth or crystal vase. The table was dark green. There were piles of books, dictionaries, paper... There were different types of pens and pencils. There was also a laptop computer. Usually I would only occupy a one square feet area for eating -- which Maryland always laughed me as eating like a maid.
This morning I was having bacon, two boiled eggs and milk while Maryland was enjoying her French toast, Italian ham, Dutch cheese and coffee. I was reading the sports pages of the newspaper when she asked me if I had ever seen December.
Well, her exact wording was like this: "Giugno, avete visto mai dicembre?"
Yes, she was speaking in Italian. Maryland learnt both Italian and French, but she personally liked Italian more.
PARTE 2
”No, non lo ho visto. Perché?” It was strange to ask one if he had ever seen December before, but Maryland was strange sometimes.
”No…”
After reading the newspaper, I washed the dishes. Maryland had a set of elegant china which would be the perfect gift for wedding. You have to handle such china with extra care. I could not understand why Maryland used these china, which were supposed to be put in the cupboard, in daily life. But this was Maryland, so I didn’t even bother asking.
”Are you working on the paper?” she was looking at my reference books.
”Well, no, specifically speaking. I’ve already finished the paper.”
”Dammit, why do you have to finish everything so quickly? It makes others seem too lazy.”
”You have to finish it anyway.”
”But you finish it three months before the due date!”
”Because I’m a good student.”
Maryland sighed, “Yes, you are a very good student.”
”Why, Maryland, why do you keep sighing all the time today?”
”Nothing. I’m going to the library. Do you use the car?”
”No. But please get me some milk from the supermarket, okay?”
”Milk again! Milk is so…” “Dull, I know, but I’m a dull person.”
Maryland left. I started to clean the house: the carpet, the windows, the kitchen, the bathroom… I changed the sheets and washed all the dirty clothes. I do not like doing housework, but still I would do it. It is just like life: you still have to do what you do not like doing.
Maryland was much surprised when she came back. “What’s wrong with you?” she asked.
”Nothing. I just like a clean home.” I put down my cup and asked her, “I’ve made some tea, would you like some?”
”Yes, please.”
She looked happier than she was this morning. “I’ve bought some steak. We’re having a feast tonight!”
The next day she went to the library again. These days she always went to the library.
Later that afternoon a classmate came to our place to borrow my notes. Usually I was happy to lend my notes to other people. It means your notes is worth something when someone asks for it. And I was happy to know that my effort was worth something.
”When you see May in the library, would you please tell her I’m not having dinner tonight?” I told my classmate when she left.
”May? But she won’t be in the library! May never goes to the library!” she laughed.
”No, she’s been in the library all these days.”
”I just saw her with Professor Whitney in the café.”
Professor Whitney was our atomic physics professor -- but Maryland did not take any atomic physics course. Her major was Fashion Design. What was she doing with Professor Whitney?
I did not have dinner with Maryland that night. I went to a little Chinese restaurant with a boy. He was talking about how a French girl loved him all night. I was bored to death. I had actually seen that girl. Her hair was greasy and her teeth were brown. I didn’t really see how proud it was to be loved crazily by such a girl.
I split the bill with the boy. I did not want to give him an impression that I was crazily in love with him because I went out with him and was paid a dinner.
When I went back home, Maryland had not yet returned. She was back probably at eleven o’ clock.
”How was your dinner?” She was taking off the fur coat. Maryland was a beautiful girl. She looked like a kitten in the fur.
”Bad. I would commit suicide if I stayed five more seconds with him.”
Maryland said I should not have paid for myself especially when I had such a bad date. “You’re worth it.” She said, “You’ve been wasting your time listening to him.” This was Maryland. She believed that when going out with a guy, he should be the one paying for everything.
”How was your dinner then?” I asked.
”Good.” And then she went back to her room.
PARTE 3
I did not have dinner with Maryland the following week. She was always out until late night. She said she was in the library. Although as my classmate said, Maryland never went to the library, I could not find a reason not to believe in her.
It was a Saturday afternoon. I drove to the downtown to do some shopping. And then I saw her. Maryland and Professor Whitney. Having coffee and laughing.
I did not ask her about this, nor mentioned about this. I thought it was silly. Even though Maryland was my housemate -- she was only my housemate!
It started to rain from the afternoon. I had clam chowder soup for dinner. I liked having canned soup. It was simple and there were hundreds of choices.
Maryland was back at twelve. She was totally wet. I got her a towel.
”Where’ve you been? Look at you! Don’t catch a cold!”
She was laughing, “I went to see the stars.”
”What?”
”The stars. We went to see the stars.”
”You’re nuts. There’s no star tonight. It’s been raining hard.”
”There are! The stars are beautiful. You couldn’t have believed it!”
”Of course I won’t believe it. Now don’t be silly. Take a hot bath and I’ll prepare some hot tea for you.”
But neither the hot bath nor the hot tea helped -- Maryland was sick the next day. She had a fever. She kept uttering “Stelle, stelle…” while she was sleeping. The doctor told me to take really good care of her; otherwise we might have to send her to the hospital.
Another week passed. Maryland had no sign of getting any better. I was pretty worried about how to tell her parents, “Hey, your daughter died.” “What was the cause of death?” “A severe chill, it seems.” Wasn’t it a bit too much like The Importance of Being Earnest?
Then a bouquet of lilies of the valley was sent to our apartment in a warm afternoon. There was no card attached, so there was no clue about who had sent the beautiful flowers.
I whispered to Maryland, “Little girl, someone sent you flowers.”
She opened her eyes a bit, and then she smiled.
”Beautiful flowers, aren’t they?”
She nodded her head, and then she fell asleep again.
But from that day onwards, Maryland was getting better every day. About another week later, Maryland could get off the bed and walk around the apartment.
One night when I returned home she was cooking. “I’ve had enough of your cooking.” she said.
“I’ve had enough of my cooking, too.”
We laughed together. Maryland’s laughter was like the little bells of the valley. “I miss your laughter.” I told her.
”I would be fine,” she said, “I’m fine.”
Three days later Maryland went to school again. It was almost April. The weather was getting warmer. Every day Maryland would put some lilies of the valley in the vase on her dining table. The little white flowers looked like little bells. Suddenly I missed the lilies and the gardenias.
Our classmates were busy having job interviews. It was our last year in the university. My mother had called to see when I was going back home. “Your father misses you,” she said, “Shouldn’t you be back? You’ve already been staying in England for ten years.”
”I don’t know, mom,” I told her frankly, “I might go to France.”
”France!” she cried, “What would you do in France? Bathing in champagne and perfume?”
”Yes, I’d bath in Joy,” I laughed, “Mom, do you know that you’re actually quite funny?”
I asked Maryland what she would do after graduation. She replied, “I’d like to get married and live in a manor and have many kids.”
I smiled. This was Maryland.
PARTE 4
”You’ll look gorgeous in wedding gown.”
She put the newly cleaned table cloth over her head, “Like this? How do I look?”
”You look gorgeous, as I’ve told you.”
Suddenly Maryland was serious, “Maybe we should take the photo.”
”Photo? Of what?”
”Why, the bridal photo, of course!”
”What?”
But she was serious. She drove us to the downtown immediately. And she got the bridal photo taken. Maryland was wearing a little classical dress. She looked like a fairy as she held a bouquet of lilies of the valley.
She was very happy. But I had a strange feeling. It was odd to take the bridal photo alone.
”The photo would be ready in two months.” the photographer told us.
Then the examination was coming and I stayed in the laboratory all the day. When I returned home I would go to bed directly. It had been long since I last chatted with Maryland, or even saw her.
One early morning I remembered I had left a report at home when I was in the laboratory. I went back home, but I was in a hurry and forgot the key. So I knocked on the door.
Fifteen minutes had passed and there was no reply. I drove back to the laboratory to get the key and went back home again. After fetching my report, I glanced into Maryland’s room.
There was no one in the room. The bed was made neatly. It seemed like Maryland hadn’t returned for the whole night.
But I was in a hurry so I did not give much thought.
When I returned home that night, I went into Maryland’s room again. There was still no one. Everything was neat and tidy. I opened her closet. Yes, some of the clothes were missing. She had been staying out all these days.
She had not left any message or contact information, so I had completely no idea where she was or how long she had left.
I was a bit upset. Usually Maryland was not like this -- usually she would leave a message saying that she was out to the supermarket, even though it was only five minute walk.
But then I could not blame her. I only noticed her missing because I had to fetch a report!
I was not much worried about her either. She was a grown-up and she knew how to take care of herself. She cooked better than I did. And she still had the key.
The next day when I was having lunch with a few classmates, we were talking about homework.
One of them said, “Professor Whitney is a very good professor, but her homework is too difficult.”
”Her course is difficult.” others agreed.
”She isn’t that hard.” I said.
”Of course! You’re the perfect student! Every professor just couldn’t love you more!” they laughed.
Then one of them suddenly said, “Professor Whitney’s husband’s coming.”
”No way!” I cried. I was too much shocked. I did not even know Professor Whitney was married.
Professor Whitney was lean and tall. She had very short blond hair. Her eyes were deep blue. She had the perfect Cambridge accent. She liked wearing a pair of grey tailored trousers and a cashmere blouse. She often got herself full with chalk dust, but she didn’t mind anyway.
My classmates were continuously talking about Professor Whitney and her husband. There was buzzing in my ears. I could not really catch what they were talking about.
I hurried home. Maryland was smiling at me.
PARTE 5
”Have you been running? What makes you so hurried?” she said. She was there as if she had been there all these days.
”I’ve made some tea. Would you like some?”
”Dove siete stati tutti attualmente?” I asked. I was confused. I really wanted to know where she had been all these days.
”Perché?”
I did not reply.
She sighed, “Ero nel albergo.”
”Hotel? What were you doing in the hotel?”
She did not say another word. My cup of tea was left on the table. She went back to her room.
Maryland did not come out for dinner. I wondered if I had been asking too much. Might be I should not have mentioned about it at all.
We had a visitor the next afternoon.
It was about four. Maryland still locked herself in her room. There was knocking on the door. It was a girl.
”I’m Cecily Browning.” She was wearing a pink dress. She had curly blond hair and beautiful blue eyes. She was only about fourteen.
”We don’t know any Browning.” I told her. Probably she had gotten the wrong address.
”I’m Professor Whitney’s daughter.”
”Yes? How may I help you?”
”Is Miss May Ma here?”
”I don’t know we have home-visiting from professors’ daughters these days.”
She was a bit embarrassed, but she did not have any intention to leave.
”Let her in, June.” It was Maryland, “She’s our guest.”
Maryland had prepared our best tea and best cake for our guest. Miss Cecily Browning was as beautiful as her mother. However she was not as carefree as Professor Whitney. Probably she got the anxiety from her father, or was she anxious because she was sitting with us?
After a while she began, “About my mother…”
Maryland cut her short, “About your mother, I think you should best ask her about her stuffs.”
”But you…”
”We’re just her students. If you’d like to ask about your mother from her students, I suppose you’ll have lots of interviews. It’s nice to meet you, Miss Browning, and good afternoon.”
After Miss Browning had left, I could not wait to applaud Maryland for her courage. Maryland smiled, but her smile had too much tiredness.
We drank lots of champagne that night. I thought it would be a new starting. Two weeks later we would be graduating. And then we could leave this place. Might be I would go to France. Might be Maryland would get married and live in a manor and have many kids.
”Sono una buona studentessa?” Maryland was drunk.
”Sì, sei una buona studentessa.” I ensured her, “Sei una buona ragazza. Sarai una buona moglie e vivrai in un manor ed avrai molti capretti.”
Yes, Maryland was a good student. She was a good girl. She would be a good wife and would live in a manor and have many kids.
We laughed very happily together. It had been long since last time we laughed like this. And we were going to graduate.
It was very late when we finally went to bed. I slept until noon the next day. There was no sign of Maryland in the kitchen. Her room door was not completely closed. There was a gap.
I opened the door.
There she was, lying on the bed.
Maryland had a set of white lace sheet. And now the edge of the sheet had turned rusty red.
There was no note or message. It was just like last time: she had left without a word.
I could have been upset -- but then I could not find a reason to be upset.
I called the ambulance. Fifteen minutes later someone came and carried her away.
I stayed in her room. Everything was the same as yesterday, or the day before, or the month before, or in early February when she woke me up in an early morning and said, “You’ve promised to go jogging with me!”
The sun was shining into her room. It was very warm now. Was it May? Or was it June already? There was rusty red stain on her sheet.
I could not really understand Maryland. But this was Maryland -- one couldn’t really understand a girl like Maryland.
I picked up her bridal photo. She was smiling sweetly in the classical dress. What was she thinking about when she was holding the bouquet of lilies of the valley?
Maryland was a beautiful girl. She was a good girl, too.
I left England before the graduation ceremony. The certificate was sent back to Hong Kong. I did not go to France. I went back to Hong Kong and got married.
[此贴子已经被作者于2006-2-27 17:15:22编辑过]
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