社評1123 感恩的故事

我看天下大小事

感恩的故事

今天是感恩節，對我而言， 數十年的海外生活， 就如一幕銘記心頭的人生經歷， 有許多事物是在生命中無法消失的。

當年第一次踏上這塊土地 ，首先進入眼簾的是舉世聞名之舊金山金門大橋 ，從大橋眺望経常藏在霧裡的舊金山城 ，簡直令人有著無限之暇思， 世界上還有這么美麗扣人心弦的城市。

當我第一次走進舊金山華埠時 ，使我大吃一驚 ，不但到處是聽不懂的台山話， 都板街上零亂之攤位及禮品餐廳充滿了鬧聲， 這是我想像中的美國嗎 ？這個文化震撼使我有些頹喪， 但是我仍然要立即找份工作來解決現實問題 ，硬著頭皮到了家介紹所， 那位操濃重口音的老姑娘順手為我安排了餐廳之工作， 我也就毫不猶豫地參加了華人餐館之工作行列。

首日之體力勞動之後 ，我走在崎嶇斗峭之舊金山街道上， 心中有陣難掩之痛苦， 想到遠走美國時在松山機場送行之親友和雙親之殷切期盼 ，我在這陌生的土地到底如何生存， 我從一個公務員一時變為勞工階級 ，這是多大的變化呢。 打工後的第二天， 我必須找到棲身之地， 一大早我在附近派克衔1111號 看見招租廣告 ，我按了電鈴， 一位滿頭白髪的白人老頭伸出頭來問我， 年青人是否要租房子， 我立即面答是的 ，也許是個緣份吧！ 他開門後引領我到経理室我們立即辦妥承租手續 ，我也在第二天搬進了這座古老的四層公寓樓， 他告訴我他的名字叫約翰.吉布森， 早年是愛尓蘭移民 ，退休後單身在此管理這楝是華人擁有之老舊公寓。

每當我打工回來， 乘座那陳舊卡卡聲音之老式電梯時總是看到約翰還未睡覺伸頭出來和我打招呼，並道晚安， 久而久之， 我們就十分熟識 ，而且他也経常邀我去吃他烹調之英式早餐 ，包括煎蛋 、培根、 藍梅果醬麪包， 我們談他的過去和我的未來。

就在學校開學前， 為了賺更多學費 ，我開始了兩份晝夜工作， 就在感恩節那一天因體力透支而昏厥送進了醫院， 等我醒時 ，約翰來探望我也帶來了多封家父以毛筆親寫的家信 ，我打開時看了父母之叮嚀和盼望， 不禁淚流滿面， 約翰上前給我一個擁抱並安慰我說 ：“年輕人 ，你保重， 上天會祝福保護你的。“

多少年過去了，約翰是我在美國認識的第一個白人 ，如今他早己離開人世間， 今天又逢感恩節日 ，這份恩情親情和緣份永遠烙在我的心坎中。

                                               My Story On Thanksgiving Day

Today is Thanksgiving day. It is a real “thanksgiving“ in my life. There are many things that cannot disappear in life.

The first time I set foot in this land was in San Francisco. When I looked at the Golden Gate Bridge, which was often hidden by the fog, this was the most beautiful city in the world. At least I thought so.

But then, when I first walked into Chinatown of San Francisco, I was shocked. Not only did I not understand the old Chinese Taishan dialect but, the massive streets full of noise overwhelmed me. Is this America? But I still needed to get the job done  immediately to solve the practical problems. Finally, I found a restaurant job in nearby Chinatown on the second day and I also needed to find a place to stay. When I walked down the nearby 1111 Pine Street, I saw a “for rent” sign and I rang the bell. An old white man answered the door and ask me, “Young man, do you want to rent the apartment?”  I answered “yes.” After I looked at the room, I had no choice and signed the lease. Later I found out that the manger’s name was John Gibson. He was Irish and currently retired and managed this apartment for the Chinese owner on Pine Street. Almost every night when I came back from work, John was still awake and always said “good night” to me.

After many months, we became very good friends and he invited me to breakfast with him which he cooked in English style.

Because it was getting close to the school’s opening, I wanted to make more money, so I took a second job. I began to work day and night. On Thanksgiving Day, I fainted and was sent to the hospital due to physical overstress. When I woke up, John came to my hospital bed and brought my dad’s hand-written letter. When I opened it up, I couldn’t help but burst into tears. John came forward and gave me a big hug and comforted me, and said that, “You need to take care of yourself and God will bless and protect you.”

John was the first white man I had ever met in America. Many years have now passed and today this is Thanksgiving Day again. John’s caring for me and his kindness will always be branded in my heart.