Читать книгу The Pearl Jacket and Other Stories - Shouhua Qi - Страница 17

Ai Ya

He wrote “twenty” on the check, signed his English name gracefully, and started to write a letter to his friend:

Please, my friend, buy a hand-braided straw hat. Please, then, buy a ticket to my hometown, and at the corner of the station, buy a bunch of lychee from the elderly man who is often in his faded shirt. I know lychee is now in season. Afterwards, instead of getting on the train, please put the straw hat on, walk through the noisy, muddy farmers’ market, turn at Old Wang’s Beef Lo Mein stand, and you will be at my home. No need to knock on the door. Just call out: “Uncle Ah Lang’s Son!” That’s my Pop. Then, please place the lychee on the table and sit down to drink tea with Pop. Then, please stroll to the neighbor to see a young woman, an uncultured woman dressed in simple clothes. She was my first love. Please see if she still has the sweet smile on her healthy face. Has she given her husband another son? Please do all these on my behalf. Enclosed is US$20 to reimburse your expenses. Thanks.

He put the letter and check into the envelope, sealed it with tears and a lick, and put an airmail stamp on it. Then he picked up the pen and wrote the following in the record section of the checkbook:

June 18, Return visit fare and misc. expenses, $20 exact.

( n.d.)