• 一个人对猫的感情能有多深?我不知道,说出来似乎也没多少人能理解,比如我的同事就说我太把我的猫当一回事了。但是,如果你曾经看着他们从一个放在手掌心的毛团一点一点长到虎背熊腰十五斤重的大家伙,如果你曾带着他们逃难、奔波、走去很多陌生的乡镇与城市,如果你也像我一样把他们抱在怀里,看着他们像婴儿一样呼噜噜地睡去,那也许你也会觉得,这个世界上有一种感情跟血缘无关,跟背景无关,跟性格无关,跟美丑无关,跟有毛无毛无关,甚至跟交流与否都无关,那是时间一点一滴打磨出来的精华,是人心底那块最柔软东西的一部分,没有了,疼。

    我一天都舍不得离开我的猫。但从美洲大陆到澳洲大陆,除了漂洋越海的颠簸,宠物们还必须独自上路,必须进入隔离中心接受30天的强制隔离。我承认我从未想过是否还有其他的办法让他们免受背井离乡的苦,我不能没有我的猫,就好象我不能没有自己的手一样。再说,像Kiwi那么倔犟的猫举世罕有,能在从业20年的宠物诊所之脾气最坏猫咪评选中进入前五名,还有哪个人愿意收养她?

    从打狂犬疫苗、验血、检查、空运、隔离到终于能够进入澳洲家门,Kiwi与Gefilte要经历180天难熬的日子。为了缩短隔离的时间,他们必须在验血后等待五个月才能上飞机。不提这其中厚厚的文件大战、昂贵的进口许可证、运费、代办费和隔离住宿费,就是普通的诊所检查都去了无数次。每去一次Kiwi就要发一次小脾气,回家后不乐意很久。后来连好脾气的Gefilte也都开始闹情绪了,两个家伙相对发火,谁看谁都不顺眼。

    小葛儿很怕飞机引擎的轰鸣声,每年蓝天使飞行表演都吓得半死,夹着尾巴在卧室与客厅之间没头没脑地乱窜,找地方躲,不顾自己腰粗屁股肥的事实,拼命自我挤扁藏入床下。我不知道他在陌生的笼子里,在一个完全陌生的密闭空间里,与很多奇形怪状的货物们堆在一起,听着他最怕的引擎轰鸣声,怎么熬过那噩梦般的14个钟头。

      ……

    今天是悉尼东溪动植物隔离站每周仅有的两次探视时间之一,是我在与Kiwi和Gefilte分离了三个多月后第一次再见。猫的隔离室很窄,两层楼高的空间上下贯通,我坐在水泥地板上伸直腿,鞋子就要碰到对面的墙,那感觉就如同坐在一个高耸的长方形烟囱底,世界很小,天很高。

    Kiwi趴在白色的塑料箱里,从缺口处探出小小的脸,她很紧张,不停地哈与嘶。Gefilte躲在箱子后的角落里,好像大气都不敢出的样子。我伸手摸了摸他,掉了一手毛。

    照顾他俩的饲养员是个细声细语的澳洲姑娘,金色稻草一样的长发松松卷了个马尾巴在脑后,人很随和,给我拿了很多玩具逗他们玩,还放小葛儿去走道里跑。Kiwi一直很紧张,不肯从箱子里出来,给她东西也不肯吃,只是不停地哈。后来我一个人在小屋里陪他们,Kiwi才肯终于放松下来,开始舔自己的手。我仔细看,她右手中指的指甲破了,流了很多血,白白的小爪子中间一抹醒目的红。

    小葛儿也不肯吃东西,不让抱,喉咙里发出沉沉的哼哼声。我坐在凉冰冰的地上不知如何是好,只能一直不停叫他们的名字。叫叫这个,唤唤那个。Kiwi不让摸,我也只敢轻轻挠挠小葛儿的下巴。后来他们两个都睡了,我看着他俩,舍不得走。

    舍不得走也得走。两个小时的探视时间很快结束,我必须穿过两道小铁门,洗手,走过一条小径,走出隔离站的大铁门,沿着杂草丛生的高速路边走到一百米外的公车站,倒火车、换轮渡,爬半座山,回到我们暂时的家去。

    我下个礼拜才能再去看他们。

    Gefilte & Kiwi

  • Dec 25, 2010

    Saturday

  • Dec 9, 2010

    Dean Mason

    Dean Mason,为各位介绍下我Msn好友Subwayhighway的儿子。

    如今我已经记不清如何认识Subwayhighway了,甚至还不知道她真正的名字,只记得她在墨尔本,是个80后。我们常常是很久在网上碰到一次,然后扯两句各自的情况。比如她和她的80后男朋友结婚了,给我发来了照片,笑容灿烂。又比如,他们的儿子出生了。今天在Msn上看到她儿子的照片,小家伙非常可爱。

    我问她照顾小朋友比较忙吧。她说,yes,it is a tough job,with lots of fun though。

    她问我怎么样。我说工作忙碌,貌似充实,其实无趣。她回到:lol,this is life。我无奈的笑笑。

    告别和Subwayhighway的聊天,我拉下办公室的百叶窗,泡杯coffee,把音箱打开。

    What you are - By Jewel

    I’m driving around town
    Kinda bored with the windows rolled down
    See a girl on the bus stop bench
    Dressed to draw attention

    Hoping everyone will stare
    If she don’t stand out she thinks she’ll disappear
    Wish I could hold her, tell her, show her
    What she wants is already there

    A star is a star
    It doesn’t have to try to shine
    Water will fall
    A bird just knows how to fly

    You don’t have to tell a flower how to bloom
    Or light how to fill up a room
    You already are what you are
    And what you are is beautiful

    Heard a story the other day
    Took place at the local VA
    A father talking to his dying son
    This was his conversation

    “It’s not supposed to be like this
    You can’t go first I can’t handle it”
    The boy said “Dad now don’t you cry,
    Remember when I was a child what you used to tell me when I’d ask why?”

    (You’d say) Gravity is gravity
    It doesn’t try to pull you down
    Stone is stone
    It can’t help but hold its ground

    The wind just blows, though you can’t see
    It’s everywhere like I’ll always be
    You already are what you are
    And what you are is strong enough

    Look in the mirror
    Now that’s another story to tell
    I give love to others
    But I give myself hell

    I’d have to tell myself
    “In every scene there’s a perfect plan”
    Everything I hoped to be
    I already am

    A flower is a flower
    It doesn’t have to try to bloom
    And light is light
    Just knows how to fill a room


    And dark is dark
    So the stars have a place to shine
    The tide goes out
    So it can come back another time

    Goodbye makes a love so sweet
    And love is love so it can teach us
    We already are what we are
    And what we are is beautiful

    And strong enough
    And good enough
    And bright enough