2. He sī kó͘-chá ê ka-cho̍k bōng-hn̂g
Yi kóng, yi siūⁿ chit-lō thiⁿ sek-ha̍p sái-chhia, bē siuⁿ joa̍h, mā bē siuⁿ léng, yi koh thê-chhéⁿ Bailey, sî-sok hān-chè sī 55 mai, kau-thong kéng-chhat ē bih tī khan-páng āu-piah a̍h sī kē-chhiū-á āu-piah, tī lí bē-hù kiám sok chìn-chêng tō chông chhut-lâi lia̍h lí. Yi kí chhut iân-lō͘ ê hó hong-kéng: Chio̍h-thâu Soaⁿ; ū-sî tī lō͘ nn̄g-pêng chhut-hiān ê nâ-sek hoa-kong-chio̍h; sió-khóa ū kiô-sek tiâu-bûn ê tōa âng thô͘ hōaⁿ; koh ū iû kok-chióng chok-bu̍t só͘ hêng-sêng ê, ná pò͘-phit ê le̍k-sek chhân-hn̂g. Chhiū-á chhiong-móa gîn-sek ji̍t-kng, liân siōng put-châi ê mā sī kim-kim sih. Gín-á teh khòaⁿ manga cha̍p-chì, iá in lāu-bú í-keng khùn kah m̄-chai lâng.
"Lán kín sái chhut Georgia, chia m̄-bián ke khòaⁿ," John Wesley kóng.
"Góa nā iáu sī gín-á, góa bē án-ne kóng ka-tī ê kò͘-hiong. Tennessee ū soaⁿ, iá Georgia ū soaⁿ-lūn-á."
"Tennessee put-kò sī chng-kha lâng ê pùn-sò tiûⁿ," John Wesley kóng, "iá Georgia mā sī chi̍t-ê àu-kó͘ só͘-chāi."
"Lí án-ne kóng hoⁿh," June Star kóng.
"Tī goán hit-ê sî-tāi," Amá kóng, ná tēⁿ yi he sè-ki phû-kin ê chéng-thâu-á, "gín-á khah chun-tiōng ka-tī tòa ê kò͘-hiong, mā chun-tiōng pē-bú kap chióng-chióng mi̍h-kiāⁿ. Hit-sî ê lâng tō sī án-ne. Oh, khòaⁿ hit-ê sè-hàn o͘-lâng gín-á!" yi ná kóng ná kí khiā tī chi̍t-keng chhun-sià mn̂g kháu ê o͘-lâng gín-á. "He kám m̄-sī bē-su chi̍t-pak tô͘?" yi án-ne mn̄g, ta̍k-ê lóng oa̍t-thâu, ùi āu-piah thang-á khòaⁿ hit-ê o͘-lâng gín-á. Hit-ê gín-á teh ia̍t-chhiú.
"I bô chhēng khò͘," June Star kóng.
"I khó-lêng bô khò͘," Amá kái-soeh kóng. "Chng-kha ê o͘-lâng gín-á bô chhiūⁿ lán ū ê mi̍h-kiāⁿ. Góa nā ē-hiáu ōe-tô͘, góa boeh ōe chit-tiuⁿ tô͘," yi kóng.
Gín-á kau-ōaⁿ in ê manga chheh.
Amá thê-gī kóng eⁿ-á hō͘ yi phō, gín-á ê lāu-bú tō kā eⁿ-á ùi chêng-chō kau kòe-lâi hō͘ yi. Yi kā eⁿ-á chhāi tī yi ê kha-thâu-u, ná kā chhe̍k ná kā kóng in keng-kòe ê mi̍h-kiāⁿ. Yi ê ba̍k-chiu-jîn ko̍h-ko̍h liàn, chhùi chip ân-ân, kō͘ yi he phôe jiâu-jiâu ê bīn khì ù i he kng-ku̍t jiû-nńg ê bīn. Ū sî-chūn, i hō͘ yi chi̍t-ê khin-khin ê bî-chhiò. In keng-kòe chi̍t-phiàn chin tōa ê mî-hoe hn̂g, tiong-ng kō͘ lân-kan ûi gō͘/la̍k ê bōng, ná chhiūⁿ chi̍t-ê tó-sū. "Khòaⁿ hit-ê bōng-hn̂g!" Amá kóng, ná kō͘ chhiú pí. "He sī kó͘-chá ê ka-cho̍k bōng-hn̂g. He sio̍k tī lông-tiûⁿ."
"Lông-tiûⁿ tī tó-ūi?" John Wesley mn̄g.
"Í-keng tòe hong poe khì ah," Amá kóng. "Ha, ha."
Nn̄g-ê gín-á kā chah-lâi ê manga chheh lóng khòaⁿ-liáu, in tō phah-khui piān-tong khai-sí chia̍h. Amá chia̍h chi̍t-ê thô͘-tāu-ko sandwich hām chi̍t-lia̍p chhó-kan-á, yi m̄-chún gín-á kā chia̍h-liáu ê pian-tong kheh-á phiaⁿ chhut thang-á gōa. Tán bô pa̍t-hāng tāi-chì thang chò ê sî, in khai-sí sńg chi̍t-ê iû-hì, soán chi̍t-lúi hûn, hō͘ lēng-gōa nn̄g-lâng ioh khòaⁿ he hêng-chōng khah sêng siáⁿ-mih. John Wesley kéng chi̍t-lúi ná gû ê hûn, June Star ioh kóng he sī gû, m̄-koh John Wesley kóng, m̄-sī, he sī chū-tōng chhia; June Star kóng, i án-ne sńg bô kong-pêng, chū án-ne in siang-lâng tō tī lāu Amá bīn thâu-chêng siàn lâi siàn khì.
Amá kóng, in nā koai-koai, yi tō boeh kóng-kó͘ hō͘ in thiaⁿ. Yi kóng-kó͘ ê sî, ba̍k-chiu péng lâi péng khì, thâu-khak kho̍k-kho̍k iô, kóng kah chin ji̍p-hì. Yi kóng, yi iáu sī chheng-chhun siàu-lú ê sî, ū chi̍t-ê ùi Georgia Jasper lâi ê Edgar Atkins Teagarden Ss teh tui-kiû yi. Yi kóng, i seⁿ-chò iân-tâu, sī chi̍t-ê sin-sū, ta̍k-ê pài-la̍k i lóng sàng yi chi̍t-lia̍p si-koe, tī phôe khek i ê miâ ê thâu-jī: E.A.T. Hmh, bó͘ chi̍t-ê pài-la̍k, yi kóng, Teagarden Ss koh chah si-koe lâi, m̄-koh chhù-nih bô lâng, i kā si-koe khǹg tī gîm-chîⁿ-kha, tō koh chē i ê bé-chhia tńg-khì Jasper, m̄-koh yi lóng bô khòaⁿ tio̍h hit-lia̍p si-koe, yi kóng, in-ūi chi̍t-ê o͘-lâng gín-á khòaⁿ tio̍h si-koe phôe khek ê E.A.T. [chia̍h], tō kā chia̍h liáu-liáu! Chit-ê kò͘-sū ngiau tio̍h John Wesley ê chhiò-pî, hō͘ i chhiò kah péng kòe, m̄-koh June Star bô kám-kak che ū siáⁿ hó-chhiò. Yi kóng, yi chiah bô-ài kè hō͘ kan-ta pài-la̍k sàng yi chi̍t-lia̍p si-koe ê cha-po͘ lâng. Amá kóng, tong-chho͘ yi nā kè hō͘ Teagarden Ss tō hó lah, in-ūi i sī chi̍t-ê sin-sū, Coca-Cola tú chiūⁿ-chhī ê sî, i ū bé chi̍t-kóa in ê kó͘-phiò, kàu kúi-nî chêng i chiah kòe-sin, sī chi̍t-ê chin hó-gia̍h ê lâng.
In tī The Tower hioh-khùn chām chia̍h hang-bah sandwich. The Tower sī chi̍t-keng chi̍t-pêng thia̍p chio̍h-hoe piah, chi̍t-pêng chhāi chhâ ê ka-iû chām kiam bú-thiaⁿ, khí tī Timothy gōa-ûi ê khàng-tē. Thâu-ke sī chi̍t-ê kiò Red Sammy Butts ê tōa-kho͘ lâng; kóng-kò pâi móa sì-kè, m̄-nā kòa tī kiàn-tio̍k-bu̍t, mā iân lō͘ chhāi kúi-ā mai, siá kóng:
Chhì-khòaⁿ-māi Sammy chhut-miâ ê hang-bah! -- Chhut-miâ ê Sammy bô-tè pí! -- Red Sam! -- Tōa-kho͘-ê chia ū khoài-lo̍k ê tiong-tàu! -- Thè-ngó͘ lāu-peng ê tiàm! -- Red Sammy ūi lí ho̍k-bū!
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2. 彼是古早 ê 家族墓園
她講, 她想 chit-lō 天適合駛車, 袂 siuⁿ 熱, mā 袂 siuⁿ 冷, 她 koh 提醒 Bailey, 時速限制是 55 mai, 交通警察會覕 tī khan-páng 後壁 a̍h 是低樹仔後壁, tī 你袂赴減速進前 tō 傱出來掠你. 她 kí 出沿路 ê 好風景: 石頭山; 有時 tī 路兩爿出現 ê 藍色花崗石; 小可有茄色條紋 ê 大紅塗岸; koh 有由各種作物所形成 ê, ná 布疋 ê 綠色田園. 樹仔充滿銀色日光, 連上不才 ê mā 是金金 sih. 囡仔 teh 看 manga 雜誌, iá in 老母已經睏 kah 毋知人.
"咱緊駛出 Georgia, chia 毋免加看," John Wesley 講.
"我若猶是囡仔, 我袂 án-ne 講 ka-tī ê 故鄉. Tennessee 有山, iá Georgia 有山崙仔."
"Tennessee 不過是庄跤人 ê 糞埽場," John Wesley 講, "iá Georgia mā 是一个漚古所在."
"你 án-ne 講 hoⁿh," June Star 講.
"Tī 阮彼个時代," Amá 講, ná 捏她 he 細支浮筋 ê 指頭仔, "囡仔較尊重 ka-tī 蹛 ê 故鄉, mā 尊重爸母 kap 種種物件. 彼時 ê 人 tō 是 án-ne. Oh, 看彼个細漢烏人囡仔!" 她 ná 講 ná kí 徛 tī 一間村舍門口 ê 烏人囡仔. "He 敢毋是袂輸一幅圖?" 她 án-ne 問, 逐个 lóng 越頭, ùi 後壁窗仔看彼个烏人囡仔. 彼个囡仔 teh 擛手.
"伊無穿褲," June Star 講.
"伊可能無褲," Amá 解說講. "庄跤 ê 烏人囡仔無像咱有 ê 物件. 我若會曉畫圖, 我欲畫這張圖," 她講.
囡仔交換 in ê manga 冊.
Amá 提議講嬰仔予她抱, 囡仔 ê 老母 tō kā 嬰仔 ùi 前座交過來予她. 她 kā 嬰仔 chhāi tī 她 ê 跤頭趺, ná kā 摵 ná kā 講 in 經過 ê 物件. 她 ê 目睭仁 ko̍h-ko̍h 輾, 喙 chip 絚絚, kō͘ 她 he 皮皺皺 ê 面去焐伊 he 光滑柔軟 ê 面. 有時陣, 伊予她一个輕輕 ê 微笑. In 經過一遍真大 ê 棉花園, 中央 kō͘ 欄杆圍五六 ê 墓, ná 像一个島嶼. "看彼个墓園!" Amá 講, ná kō͘ 手比. "彼是古早 ê 家族墓園. He 屬 tī 農場."
"農場 tī 佗位?" John Wesley 問.
"已經綴風飛去 ah," Amá 講. "Ha, ha."
兩个囡仔 kā 扎來 ê manga 冊 lóng 看了, in tō 拍開便當開始食. Amá 食一个塗豆膏 sandwich 和一粒草橄仔, 她毋准囡仔 kā 食了 ê 便當篋仔抨出窗仔外. 等無別項代誌通做 ê 時, in 開始耍一个遊戲, 選一蕊雲, 予另外兩人臆看 he 形狀較成啥物. John Wesley 揀一蕊 ná 牛 ê 雲, June Star 臆講彼是牛, m̄-koh John Wesley 講, 毋是, 彼是自動車; June Star 講, 伊 án-ne 耍無公平, 自 án-ne in 雙人 tō tī 老 Amá 面頭前搧來搧去.
Amá 講, in 若乖乖, 她 tō 欲講古予 in 聽. 她講古 ê 時, 目睭 péng 來 péng 去, 頭殼 kho̍k-kho̍k 搖, 講 kah 真入戲. 她講, 她猶是青春少女 ê 時, 有一个 ùi Georgia Jasper 來 ê Edgar Atkins Teagarden Ss teh 追求她. 她講, 伊生做緣投, 是一个紳士, 逐个拜六伊 lóng 送她一粒西瓜, tī 皮刻伊 ê 名 ê 頭字: E.A.T. Hmh, 某一个拜六, 她講, Teagarden Ss koh 扎西瓜來, m̄-koh 厝 nih 無人, 伊 kā 西瓜囥 tī 砛簷跤, tō koh 坐伊 ê 馬車轉去 Jasper, m̄-koh 她 lóng 無看著彼粒西瓜, 她講, 因為一个烏人囡仔看著西瓜皮刻 ê E.A.T. [食], tō kā 食了了! 這个故事 ngiau 著 John Wesley ê 笑脾, 予伊笑 kah péng 過, m̄-koh June Star 無感覺這有啥好笑. 她講, 她才無愛嫁予干焦拜六送她一粒西瓜 ê 查埔人. Amá 講, 當初她若嫁予 Teagarden Ss tō 好 lah, 因為伊是一个紳士, Coca-Cola 拄上市 ê 時, 伊有買一寡 in ê 股票, 到幾年前伊才過身, 是一个真好額 ê 人.
In tī The Tower 歇睏站食烘肉 sandwich. The Tower 是一間一爿疊石花壁, 一爿 chhāi 柴 ê 加油站兼舞廳, 起 tī Timothy 外圍 ê 空地. 頭家是一个叫 Red Sammy Butts ê 大箍人; 廣告牌滿四界, 毋但掛 tī 建築物, mā 沿路 chhāi 幾若 mai, 寫講:
試看覓 Sammy 出名 ê 烘肉! -- 出名 ê Sammy 無地比! -- Red Sam! -- 大箍 ê chia 有快樂 ê 中晝! -- 退伍老兵 ê 店! -- Red Sammy 為你服務!
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2.
She said she thought it was going to be a good day for driving, neither too hot nor too cold, and she cautioned Bailey that the speed limit was fifty-five miles an hour and that the patrolmen hid themselves behind billboards and small clumps of trees and sped out after you before you had a chance to slow down. She pointed out interesting details of the scenery: Stone Mountain; the blue granite that in some places came up to both sides of the highway; the brilliant red clay banks slightly streaked with purple; and the various crops that made rows of green lace-work on the ground. The trees were full of silver-white sunlight and the meanest of them sparkled. The children were reading comic magazines and their mother had gone back to sleep.
"Let's go through Georgia fast so we won't have to look at it much," John Wesley said.
"If I were a little boy," said the grandmother, "I wouldn't talk about my native state that way. Tennessee has the mountains and Georgia has the hills."
"Tennessee is just a hillbilly dumping ground," John Wesley said, "and Georgia is a lousy state too."
"You said it," June Star said.
"In my time," said the grandmother, folding her thin veined fingers, "children were more respectful of their native states and their parents and everything else. People did right then. Oh look at the cute little pickaninny!" she said and pointed to a Negro child standing in the door of a shack. "Wouldn't that make a picture, now?" she asked and they all turned and looked at the little Negro out of the back window. He waved.
"He didn't have any britches on," June Star said.
"He probably didn't have any," the grandmother explained. "Little niggers in the country don't have things like we do. If I could paint, I'd paint that picture," she said.
The children exchanged comic books.
The grandmother offered to hold the baby and the children's mother passed him over the front seat to her. She set him on her knee and bounced him and told him about the things they were passing. She rolled her eyes and screwed up her mouth and stuck her leathery thin face into his smooth bland one. Occasionally he gave her a faraway smile. They passed a large cotton field with five or six graves fenced in the middle of it, like a small island. "Look at the graveyard!" the grandmother said, pointing it out. "That was the old family burying ground. That belonged to the plantation."
"Where's the plantation?" John Wesley asked.
"Gone With the Wind," said the grandmother. "Ha. Ha."
When the children finished all the comic books they had brought, they opened the lunch and ate it. The grandmother ate a peanut butter sandwich and an olive and would not let the children throw the box and the paper napkins out the window. When there was nothing else to do they played a game by choosing a cloud and making the other two guess what shape it suggested. John Wesley took one the shape of a cow and June Star guessed a cow and John Wesley said, no, an automobile, and June Star said he didn't play fair, and they began to slap each other over the grandmother.
The grandmother said she would tell them a story if they would keep quiet. When she told a story, she rolled her eyes and waved her head and was very dramatic. She said once when she was a maiden lady she had been courted by a Mr. Edgar Atkins Teagarden from Jasper, Georgia. She said he was a very good-looking man and a gentleman and that he brought her a watermelon every Saturday afternoon with his initials cut in it, E. A. T. Well, one Saturday, she said, Mr. Teagarden brought the watermelon and there was nobody at home and he left it on the front porch and returned in his buggy to Jasper, but she never got the watermelon, she said, because a nigger boy ate it when he saw the initials, E. A. T.! This story tickled John Wesley's funny bone and he giggled and giggled but June Star didn't think it was any good. She said she wouldn't marry a man that just brought her a watermelon on Saturday. The grandmother said she would have done well to marry Mr. Teagarden because he was a gentleman and had bought Coca-Cola stock when it first came out and that he had died only a few years ago, a very wealthy man.
They stopped at The Tower for barbecued sandwiches. The Tower was a part stucco and part wood filling station and dance hall set in a clearing outside of Timothy. A fat man named Red Sammy Butts ran it and there were signs stuck here and there on the building and for miles up and down the highway saying, TRY RED SAMMY'S FAMOUS BARBECUE. NONE LIKE FAMOUS RED SAMMY'S! RED SAM! THE FAT BOY WITH THE HAPPY LAUGH. A VETERAN! RED SAMMY'S YOUR MAN!
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