5.2 彼个 ná 機器人 ê 查某

5.2 Hit-ê ná ki-khì-lâng ê cha-bó͘

Góa khì Céleste ê chhan-thiaⁿ chia̍h-àm. Tng góa khai-sí teh chia̍h ê sî, chi̍t-ê kî-koài ê sè-hàn cha-bó͘ ji̍p-lâi, mn̄g góa kóng, yi sī-m̄-sī ē-sái hām góa chē kāng toh. Tong-jiân yi ē-sái. Yi ê tōng-chok ngē-chiāⁿ, ná lìngò ê bīn ū nn̄g-lia̍p kim-sih-sih ê ba̍k-chiu. Yi thǹg-tiāu jacket, chē lo̍h-lâi, koh jia̍t-sim gián-kiù menu. Yi kiò Céleste kòe-lâi, tō chò-chi̍t-ē kā kui-tǹg ê pn̄g-chhài tiám hó, siaⁿ-im chheng-chhó koh kóng kah chin kín. Tng-teh tán tē-it lō͘ chhài ê sî, yi phah-khui yi ê khabáng, the̍h-chhut chi̍t-tiuⁿ chóa kap chi̍t-ki iân-pit, kā siàu-toaⁿ seng sǹg hó, koh ùi lak-tē-á the̍h-chhut chóng-gia̍h, koh ke sió-hùi, kā khǹg tī yi bīn-chêng ê toh-téng.

Ho̍k-bū-oân chhut tē-it lō͘ chhài hō͘ yi, yi chi̍t-ē-á tō sàu liáu-liáu. Teh tán āu chi̍t-lō͘ chhài ê sî, yi koh ùi khabáng the̍h-chhut chi̍t-ki nâ-sek ê iân-pit hām chi̍t-pún ū ìn kui-lé-pài ê rajíoh chiat-bo̍k ê cha̍p-chì. Chi̍t-ê, chi̍t-ê, chim-chim-chiok-chiok yi chha-put-to kā ta̍k-ê chiat-bo̍k lóng ngiáu khí-lâi. In-ūi he cha̍p-chì ū chha-put-to cha̍p-gōa ia̍h, yi tō án-ne kui-tǹg-pn̄g lóng teh chò chit-hāng tāi-chì. Góa í-keng chia̍h soah ah, iah yi iáu teh choan-sim ngiáu yi ê chiat-bo̍k. Āu-lâi, yi khiā khí-lâi, koh iōng yi he ná ki-khì-lâng ê tōng-chok chhēng hó yi ê jacket, tō chhut-khì.

Góa bô siáⁿ thang chò, tō mā lī-khui, koh tòe tī yi ê āu-piah chi̍t-chām-á. Yi kiâⁿ ê ūi óa tī jîn-hêng-tō piⁿ, sok-tō͘ kín koh chún-khak, m̄-bat se̍h-sin a̍h-sī sì-kè khòaⁿ. Góa lo̍h-bóe soah tòe bē tio̍h yi, tō oat tò-tńg lâi. Hit-sî góa siūⁿ, yi ū-kàu kî-koài, m̄-koh kòe bô kú, góa tō kā pàng bē-kì-tit ah.

Góa khòaⁿ tio̍h lāu Salamano tī goán-tau mn̂g-kháu tán góa. Góa chhiáⁿ i ji̍p-lâi, i kā góa kóng i ê káu bô--khì ah, in-ūi tī siu-liû-tiûⁿ mā chhōe bô. Siu-liû-tiûⁿ ê lâng kóng, hoān-sè i hō͘ chhia kàu-sí ah. I mn̄g kóng, kám ē-tàng khì kéng-chhat-kio̍k chhâ. In kā kóng, in bô lâu chit-chióng kì-lo̍k, in-ūi chit-lō tāi-chì ta̍k-kang lóng ū. Góa kā lāu Salamano kóng, i ē-sái koh chhī pa̍t-chiah káu, m̄-koh i kóng-liáu chin tio̍h: i í-keng koàn-sì chit-chiah ah.

Góa khiau-kha chē tī bîn-chhn̂g, Salamano chē tī toh-á piⁿ ê í-á. I ê bīn ǹg góa, siang-chhiú khǹg tī i ê kha-thâu-u, hit-téng jiông-á bō iáu tì tī thâu-khak. Thàu-kòe i he hoat-n̂g ê téng-tûn-chhiu, i nga̍uh-nga̍uh liām chi̍t-kóa bô oân-chéng ê ōe-kù, hut kah góa sió-khóa thó-ià i, m̄-koh góa hoâiⁿ-ti̍t bô siáⁿ thang chò, mā bô kám-kak ài-khùn. Ūi tio̍h boeh ū ōe thang kóng, góa mn̄g i iú-koan hit-chiah káu ê tāi-chì. I kóng, chū in bó͘ sí liáu i tō chhī hit-chiah káu ah. I kàu chin chē hòe chiah kiat-hun. Siàu-liân sî, i siūⁿ boeh ji̍p ián-gē-kài: chò-peng ê sî i bat tī kun-tiong kio̍k-thoân piáu-ián. M̄-koh lo̍h-bóe i soah tī thih-lō͘-kio̍k chia̍h thâu-lō͘, che i mā bô hoán-hóe, in-ūi taⁿ i ū nî-kim thang niá. I kap in bó͘ bē ha̍h, m̄-koh āu-lâi lóng í-keng koàn-sì ah. Bó͘ sí liáu, i kám-kak chin ko͘-toaⁿ, tō ùi chi̍t-ê khui-tiàm ê pêng-iú niá-ióng chi̍t-chiah káu, hit-sî iáu sī káu-á-kiáⁿ. I tio̍h iōng leng-koàn-á kā chhī. M̄-koh, in-ūi káu bô lán-lâng hiah tn̂g-miā, taⁿ in nn̄g-ê lóng nî-lāu ah.

"I ê sèng-tē bô hó," Salamano kóng. "Goán chhiâng-chāi teh kek-khùi. M̄-koh i chóng-sǹg sī chi̍t-chiah hó káu."

Góa kóng he sī hó phín-chéng ê káu, Salamano thiaⁿ tio̍h chin hoaⁿ-hí.

"Iáu-ū," i koh kóng, "lí bô khòaⁿ kòe i bōe tio̍h-pēⁿ í-chêng. I ū chi̍t-sin chiok súi ê mo͘." Chū-chiông káu tio̍h phôe-hu-pēⁿ í-āu, ta̍k-kang chá-àm, Salamano lóng kā i boah io̍h-ko. M̄-koh Salamano kóng, káu ê pēⁿ chú-iàu sī in-ūi lāu ah, iah lāu sī bô io̍h hó i ê.

Kóng kàu hia, góa peh chi̍t-ê hah, lāu-lâng sûi kóng, i tio̍h ài lī-khui ah. Góa kóng, i ē-sái koh lâu lo̍h-lâi, iú-koan i ê káu ê tāi-chì góa mā chin m̄-kam. I kā góa soeh-siā, koh kóng, Mama mā chin kah-ì i ê káu. I kóng Mama sī "lín khó-liân ê lāu-bú." I koh kóng, chāi i siūⁿ, chū-chiông Mama sí, góa tiāⁿ-tio̍h chin pi-siong; góa bô kóng siáⁿ. Koh-lâi, i iōng chin kín ê kháu-khì kap pháiⁿ-sè ê bīn-iông kóng, i chai-iáⁿ chhù-piⁿ ê lâng in-ūi góa kā Mama sàng khì iáng-ló-īⁿ tùi góa bô liōng-kái, m̄-koh i liáu-kái góa, chai góa chin ài goán lāu-bú.

Góa m̄-chai in-toaⁿ, m̄-koh góa kā kóng, kàu taⁿ góa chiah chai pa̍t-lâng bô liōng-kái góa ê chò-hoat, m̄-koh sàng yi khì hia mā chin chū-jiân, in-ūi góa bô kàu chîⁿ thang hō͘ lāu-bú tit-tio̍h khah hó ê chiàu-kò͘. "Chóng-kóng," góa koh kóng, "chin kú í-lâi yi tō lóng bô ōe thang hām góa kóng, tī chhù yi mā kám-kak chin bô-liâu."

"Sī ah," i kóng, "siōng-bô, tī iáng-ló-īⁿ ē-tàng kau tio̍h pêng-iú."

Āu-lâi i tō kò-sî, boeh tńg-khì khùn. I ê seng-oa̍h í-keng kái-piàn ah, iah i soah bô siáⁿ khak-tēng boeh án-chóaⁿ kòe-ji̍t. Chū-chiông góa bat i í-lâi, i thâu chi̍t-pái chhun chhiú hō͘ góa, sui-jiân i tiû-tû chi̍t-ē, góa kám-kak ē-tio̍h i chhiú-siōng ê sián-phí. I ê bīn sió-khóa chhiò chi̍t-ē, lī-khui í-chêng i kóng:

"Góa hi-bāng e-àm mài ū káu pūi ê siaⁿ. Góa chóng-sī siūⁿ kóng he sī góa ê káu."

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5.2 彼个 ná 機器人 ê 查某

我去 Céleste ê 餐廳食暗. Tng 我開始 teh 食 ê 時, 一个奇怪 ê 細漢查某入來, 問我講, 她是毋是會使和我坐仝桌. 當然她會使. 她 ê 動作硬掙, ná lìngò ê 面有兩粒金 sih-sih ê 目睭. 她褪掉 jaket, 坐落來, koh 熱心研究 menu. 她叫 Céleste 過來, tō 做一下 kā 規頓 ê 飯菜點好, 聲音清楚 koh 講 kah 真緊. Tng-teh 等第一路菜 ê 時, 她拍開她 ê khabáng, 提出一張紙 kap 一支鉛筆, kā 數單先算好, koh ùi lak 袋仔提出總額, koh 加小費, kā 囥 tī 她面前 ê 桌頂.

服務員出第一路菜予她, 她一下仔 tō 掃了了. Teh 等後一路菜 ê 時, 她 koh ùi khabáng 提出一支藍色 ê 鉛筆和一本有印規禮拜 ê rajíoh 節目 ê 雜誌. 一个, 一个, 斟斟酌酌她差不多 kā 逐个節目 lóng ngiáu 起來. 因為 he 雜誌有差不多十外頁, 她 tō án-ne 規頓飯 lóng teh 做這項代誌. 我已經食煞 ah, iah 她猶 teh 專心 ngiáu 她 ê 節目. 後來, 她徛起來, koh 用她 he ná 機器人 ê 動作穿好她 ê jaket, tō 出去.

我無啥通做, tō mā 離開, koh 綴 tī 她 ê 後壁一站仔. 她行 ê 位倚 tī 人行道邊, 速度緊 koh 準確, m̄-bat 踅身 a̍h 是四界看. 我落尾煞綴袂著她, tō 斡倒轉來. 彼時我想, 她有夠奇怪, m̄-koh 過無久, 我 tō kā 放袂記得 ah.

我看著老 Salamano tī 阮兜門口等我. 我請伊入來, 伊 kā 我講伊 ê 狗無--去 ah, 因為 tī 收留場 mā 揣無. 收留場 ê 人講, 凡勢伊予車 kàu 死 ah. 伊問講, 敢會當去警察局查. In kā 講, in 無留這種記錄, 因為 chit-lō 代誌逐工 lóng 有. 我 kā 老 Salamano 講, 伊會使 koh 飼別隻狗, m̄-koh 伊講了真著: 伊已經慣勢這隻 ah.

我曲跤坐 tī 眠床, Salamano 坐 tī 桌仔邊 ê 椅仔. 伊 ê 面 ǹg 我, 雙手囥 tī 伊 ê 跤頭趺, 彼頂絨仔帽猶戴 tī 頭殼. 透過伊 he 發黃 ê 頂唇鬚, 伊 nga̍uh-nga̍uh 念一寡無完整 ê 話句, hut kah 我小可討厭伊, m̄-koh 我橫直無啥通做, mā 無感覺愛睏. 為著欲有話通講, 我問伊有關彼隻狗 ê 代誌. 伊講, 自 in 某死了伊 tō 飼彼隻狗 ah. 伊到真濟歲才結婚. 少年時, 伊想欲入演藝界: 做兵 ê 時伊 bat tī 軍中劇團表演. M̄-koh 落尾伊煞 tī 鐵路局食頭路, che 伊 mā 無反悔, 因為今伊有年金通領. 伊 kap in 某袂合, m̄-koh 後來 lóng 已經慣勢 ah. 某死了, 伊感覺真孤單, tō ùi 一个開店 ê 朋友領養一隻狗, 彼時猶是狗仔囝. 伊著用奶罐仔 kā 飼. M̄-koh, 因為狗無咱人 hiah 長命, 今 in 兩个 lóng 年老 ah.

"伊 ê 性地無好," Salamano 講. "阮常在 teh 激氣. M̄-koh 伊總算是一隻好狗."

我講 he 是好品種 ê 狗, Salamano 聽著真歡喜.

"猶有," 伊 koh 講, "你無看過伊未著病以前. 伊有一身足媠 ê 毛." 自從狗著皮膚病以後, 逐工早暗, Salamano lóng kā 伊抹藥膏. M̄-koh Salamano 講, 狗 ê 病主要是因為老 ah, iah 老是無藥好醫 ê.

講到遐, 我 peh 一个 hah, 老人隨講, 伊著愛離開 ah. 我講, 伊會使 koh 留落來, 有關伊 ê 狗 ê 代誌我 mā 真毋甘. 伊 kā 我說謝, koh 講, Mama mā 真佮意伊 ê 狗. 伊講 Mama 是 "恁可憐 ê 老母." 伊 koh 講, 在伊想, 自從 Mama 死, 我定著真悲傷; 我無講啥. Koh 來, 伊用真緊 ê 口氣 kap 歹勢 ê 面容講, 伊知影厝邊 ê 人因為我 kā Mama 送去養老院對我無諒解, m̄-koh 伊了解我, 知我真愛阮老母.

我毋知因端, m̄-koh 我 kā 講, 到今我才知別人無諒解我 ê 做法, m̄-koh 送她去遐 mā 真自然, 因為我無夠錢通予老母得著較好 ê 照顧. "總講," 我 koh 講, "真久以來她 tō lóng 無話通和我講, tī 厝她 mā 感覺真無聊."

"是 ah," 伊講, "上無, tī 養老院會當交著朋友."

後來伊 tō 告辭, 欲轉去睏. 伊 ê 生活已經改變 ah, iah 伊煞無啥確定欲按怎過日. 自從我 bat 伊以來, 伊頭一擺伸手予我, 雖然伊 tiû-tû 一下, 我感覺會著伊手上 ê 癬疕. 伊 ê 面小可笑一下, 離開以前伊講:

"我希望下暗莫有狗吠 ê 聲. 我總是想講 he 是我 ê 狗."

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5.2

I had dinner at Celeste's. I'd already started eating when a strange little woman came in and asked me if she could sit at my table. Of course she could. Her gestures were jerky and she had bright eyes in a little face like an apple. She took off her jacket, sat down, and studied the menu feverishly. She called Celeste over and ordered her whole meal all at once, in a voice that was clear and very fast at the same time. While she was waiting for her first course, she opened her bag, took out a slip of paper and a pencil, added up the bill in advance, then took the exact amount, plus tip, out of a vest pocket and set it down on the table in front of her. At that point the waiter brought her first course and she gulped it down. While waiting for the next course, she again took out of her bag a blue pencil and a magazine that listed the radio programs for the week. One by one, and with great care, she checked off almost every pro­ gram. Since the magazine was about a dozen pages long, she meticulously continued this task throughout the meal. I had already finished and she was still checking away with the same zeal. Then she stood up, put her jacket back on with the same robotlike movements, and left. I didn't have anything to do, so I left too and followed her for a while. She had positioned herself right next to the curb and was making her way with incredible speed and assurance, never once swerving or looking around. I eventually lost sight of her and turned back. I thought about how peculiar she was but forgot about her a few minutes later.

I found old Salamano waiting outside my door. I asked him in and he told me that his dog was lost, because it wasn't at the pound. The people who worked there had told him that maybe it had been run over. He asked if he could find out at the police station. They told him that they didn't keep track of things like that because they happened every day. I told old Salamano that he could get another dog, but he was right to point out to me that he was used to this one.

I was sitting cross-legged on my bed and Salamano had sat down on a chair in front of the table. He was facing me and he had both hands on his knees. He had kept his old felt hat on. He was mumbling bits and pieces of sentences through his yellowing moustache. He was getting on my nerves a little, but I didn't have anything to do and I didn't feel sleepy. Just for something to say, I asked him about his dog. He told me he'd gotten it after his wife died. He had married fairly late. When he was young he'd wanted to go into the theater: in the army he used to act in military vaudevilles. But he had ended up working on the railroads, and he didn't regret it, because now he had a small pension. He hadn't been happy with his wife, but he'd pretty much gotten used to her. When she died he had been very lonely. So he asked a shop buddy for a dog and he'd gotten this one very young. He'd had to feed it from a bottle. But since a dog doesn't live as long as a man, they'd ended up being old together. "He was bad-tempered," Salamano said. "We'd have a run-in every now and then. But he was a good dog just the same." I said he was well bred and Salamano looked pleased. "And," he added, "you didn't know him before he got sick. His coat was the best thing about him." Every night and every morning after the dog had gotten that skin disease, Salamano rubbed him with ointment. But according to him, the dog's real sickness was old age, and there's no cure for old age.

At that point I yawned, and the old man said he'd be going. I told him that he could stay and that I was sorry about what had happened to his dog. He thanked me. He told me that Maman was very fond of his dog. He called her "your poor mother." He said he supposed I must be very sad since Maman died, and I didn't say anything. Then he said, very quickly and with an embarrassed look, that he realized that some people in the neighborhood thought badly of me for having sent Maman to the home, but he knew me and he knew I loved her very much. I still don't know why, but I said that until then I hadn't realized that people thought badly of me for doing it, but that the home had seemed like the natural thing since I didn't have enough money to have Maman cared for. "Anyway," I added, "it had been a long time since she'd had anything to say to me, and she was bored all by herself." "Yes," he said, "and at least in a home you can make a few friends." Then he said good night. He wanted to sleep. His life had changed now and he wasn't too sure what he was going to do. For the first time since I'd known him, and with a furtive gesture, he offered me his hand, and I felt the scales on his skin. He gave a little smile, and before he left he said, "I hope the dogs don't bark tonight. I always think it's mine."

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