The Semplica-Girl Diaries /by George Saunders
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2012/10/15/the-semplica-girl-diaries
(The New Yorker - October 8, 2012)
SenKo͘ Ji̍t-kì | 仙姑日記
- -
1. Tang-sî chiah ū êng-kang/kim-chîⁿ?
Káu-goe̍h chhe-3
Tú móa 40 hòe, koat-sim boeh khai-sí chi̍t-ê tōa kè-ōe, tī chit-pún ùi OfficeMax bé ê o͘-chheh ta̍k-kang siá ji̍t-kì. Chi̍t-kang chi̍t-ia̍h ê sok-tō͘, chi̍t-nî siá 365 ia̍h, ūi kiáⁿ-sun sīm-chì kan-á sun a̍h siáng, kì-lo̍k hiān-chú-sî ê seng-oa̍h kap sî-tāi ê ōe-bīn, siūⁿ tio̍h, góa tō la̍k-la̍k chhoah (!). Saⁿ-á ê khì-bī, bé-chhia ê siaⁿ kòe-khì sī siáⁿ-khoán? Bī-lâi ê lâng kám ē-chai, kí-lē lâi kóng, hui-ki tī àm-sî poe ê siaⁿ sī siáⁿ-khoán, ká-sú hit-sî hui-ki í-keng kòe-sî? Bī-lâi ê lâng kám chai niau-á ū-sî ē tī àm-mê sio-phah? In-ūi hit-sî í-keng hoat-bêng bó͘-chióng hòa-ha̍k-phín hō͘ niau-á bē sio-phah? Cha-mê bîn-bāng tio̍h nn̄g-ê iau-chiaⁿ teh chò-ài, hoat-hiān he put-kò sī thang-á gōa nn̄g-chiah niau teh sio-phah. Bī-lâi ê lâng kám ū "iau-chiaⁿ" chit-ê khài-liām? In kám ē kám-kak lán tùi "iau-chiaⁿ" ê sìn-gióng kài koài-kî? "Thang-á" kám mā iáu ē chûn-chāi? Tùi bī-lâi sè-tāi ê lâng chiâⁿ chhù-bī ê sī, sīm-chì chhiūⁿ góa chit-chióng tha̍k-kòe tāi-ha̍k ê tōa-lâng, ū-sî mā ē lâu chhìn-kōaⁿ chhéⁿ-lâi, ná teh siūⁿ iau-chiaⁿ, ná siong-sìn bîn-chhn̂g kha ū chi̍t-ê? Chóng-kóng, put-koán lah, góa m̄-sī boeh siá pah-kho choân-su, bī-lâi ê lâng tha̍k tio̍h che, nā boeh chai "iau-chiaⁿ" sī siáⁿ, khì chhōe chi̍t-chióng kiò pah-kho choân-su ê mi̍h-kiāⁿ, kiám-chhái lín iáu ū hit-lō chheh!
Siá liáu phian khì, in-ūi thiám ah, in-ūi sio-phah ê niau-á.
Taⁿ koat-sim khai-sí siá chit-pún chheh, siōng-chió chi̍t-àm 20 hun-cheng, m̄-koán gōa thiám. (Nā sit-chì, tō siūⁿ khòaⁿ-māi, kan-ta chi̍t-tang tō ē-tàng ūi āu-tāi lâu gōa-chē kì-lo̍k ah!)
*
Káu-goe̍h chhe-5
Ai-ah. Làng chi̍t-kang khì ah. Bô-êng chhih-chhih. Seng siá cha-hng ê tāi-khài. Cha-hng bô kài sūn. Khì chiap gín-á ê sî, bampà (bumper) ùi "Park Avenue" lak-lo̍h. Hō͘ bī-lâi sè-tāi ê thê-sī: Park Avenue = chhia ê chi̍t-chióng. Goán ê chhia lāu-hêng. Sió-khóa seⁿ-sian. Gín-á ji̍p lâi, Eva (tiong-ng ê gín-á) mn̄g "junkorama" sī siáⁿ ì-sù. Hit-sî, bampà lak-lo̍h. Le̍k-sú lāu-su Renn Ss chin pang-bâng, khioh lâi bampà (kì-tio̍h: siá phe hō͘ hāu-tiúⁿ kā o-ló), kóng i mā bat sái lak bampà ê chhia, hit-sî sàn, tī tāi-ha̍k. Eva kă pó-chèng, kóng bampà lak-lo̍h, bô iàu-kín. Góa ìn kóng, tong-jiân bô iàu-kín, ná ē iàu-kín, he sī i ka-tī lak-lo̍h, m̄-sī góa chhòng ê. Sim-nih ê ōe-bīn sī: āu-chō 3-ê gín-á piáu-chêng chèng-keng, kiaⁿ-kiaⁿ khòe bampà tī tōa-thúi. Bampà chi̍t-thâu tio̍h chhun-chhut Eva ê thang-á; kin-á-ji̍t yi soah lâu-phīⁿ, chhiú koh ū hō͘ bampà sió-khóa koah tio̍h ê siong-hûn.
Lilly (siōng-tōa, tit-boeh 13 hòe!), hām kòe-khì kāng-khoán, kā tāi-chì khòaⁿ khah hn̄g, kóng, Bián koán he sam-pat bampà, lán tit-boeh ū sin chhia ah, tán lán hó-gia̍h ê sî, kám m̄-sī?
Kàu chhù, bampà khǹg tī chhia-khò͘. Chhia-khò͘ nih, hoat-hiān tōa niáu-chhí a̍h sè phòng-chhí ê sí-thé, pê kah chiâu sī thâng. Kō͘ soa-thio kā tōa pō͘-hūn phòng-chhí/niáu-chhí chng ji̍p Hefty pùn-sò tē. Chhia-khò͘ tē-pán iáu ū sió pō͘-hūn phòng-chhí/niáu-chhí hûn-jiah, ná chhiūⁿ kō tio̍h mô͘-chhok ê iû-jiah.
Gia̍h-thâu khòaⁿ chhù, pi-ai. Sim siūⁿ: Ná tio̍h pi-ai? Mài pi-ai. Nā pi-ai, tō chèng-lâng pi-ai. Hoaⁿ-hí-bīn ji̍p chhù, bô kóng khí bampà, phòng-chhí/niáu-chhí hûn-jiah, seⁿ-thâng ê tāi-chì, koh hō͘ Eva khah chē ê ais-krím, in-ūi tú-chiah hō͘ góa pháiⁿ.
Tio̍h chò khah hó! Khah chhin-chhiat. Taⁿ tō khai-sí. Chin kín in tō tōa-hàn, nā kan-ta kì-tit góa sī sái àu chhia, pháiⁿ sèng-tē, koh ut-chut ê lāu-pē, án-ne tō chiâⁿ pi-ai.
Tang-sî góa chiah ū chē-chē êng-kang/kim-chîⁿ, thang chē tī ta-chháu tui khòaⁿ goe̍h chhut, kui ke-hóe khùn phok-sóng tōa-chhù? Hit-sî tō ē-tàng chhim-chhim su-khó sèⁿ-miā ê ì-gī, tt, tt. Kám-kak, mā it-ti̍t án-ne kám-kak, che chóng ū chi̍t-kang ē hoat-seng tī goán.
*
Káu-goe̍h chhe-6
Kin-á-ji̍t tī Lilly ê pêng-iú Leslie Torrini yin tau ê seⁿ-ji̍t party /pha-tì/ ū-kàu ut-chut.
Chhù sī Lafayette tòa kòe ê tōa-chhù. Torrini hō͘ goán khòaⁿ Lafayette ê pâng-keng: taⁿ sī in ê "Thit-thô Keng." Tiān-chiuⁿ TV (plasma TV), tōaⁿ-kiû ki (pinball game), kha-té àn-mô͘ ki. 30 eng-bó͘, 6 ê chhia-khò͘ (in kā kiò-chò "gōa-chhù-á"): chi̍t-keng khǹg Ferrari (3-tâi), chi̍t-keng khǹg Porsche (2-tâi, koh 1-tâi i tng-teh siu-chéng), chi̍t-keng khǹg le̍k-sú-te̍k ê lin-long-se̍h (merry-go-ro͘nd), in tng-teh siu-chéng chò chi̍t-ê ka-cho̍k (!). Hoâiⁿ kòe chhī chun-hî ê sió-khe, sī chi̍t-chō ùi Tiong-kok khong-ūn lâi ê âng-kiô. Hō͘ goán khòaⁿ bó͘ chi̍t-ê tiâu-tāi ê bé-tê-ìn. Tī chêng-thiaⁿ, oá Steinway, ū chi̍t-ê koh khah chá tiâu-tāi ê bé-tê-ìn tī bô kāng ê kiô ê chhâ téng-bīn. Picasso ê chhiam-miâ, Disney ê chhiam-miâ, Greta Garbo chhēng kòe ê saⁿ, lóng tián-sī tī âng-chhun-bo̍k (mahogany) ê kūi-á nih.
Chhài-hn̂g iû chi̍t-ê kiò Karl ê lâng kò͘.
Lilly: Óa, chit-ê chhài-hn̂g ká-ná ū lán kui-ê chhù-tiâⁿ ê 10 pōe tōa.
Hoe-hn̂g iû lēng-gōa chi̍t-ê lâng kò͘, kî-koài neh, mā kiò-chò Karl.
Lilly: Lí kám bē siūⁿ boeh tòa tī chia?
Góa: Lilly, ha-ha, mài lah...
Pam (goán bó͘, chin khó-ài, jia̍t-ài seng-oa̍h!): Siáⁿ, siáⁿ yi kóng m̄-tio̍h? Lí kám bē? Lí kám bē siūⁿ boeh tòa tī chia? Góa chai góa ē.
Chhù thâu-chêng, khoan-khoah ê chháu-pêⁿ téng, khòaⁿ kòe siōng-tōa ê SK (仙姑, Semplica Girl) pò͘-tì, kui-sin pe̍h, pe̍h-sek ê tn̂g-phâu tī bî-hong nih phiau-tāng, Lilly kóng, Lán ē-tàng kiâⁿ khah óa khì bô?
Leslie Torrini: Lán ē-sái, m̄-koh goán thong-siông bē án-ne chò.
- -
1. Tang-sî 才有閒工/金錢?
九月初 3
拄滿 40 歲, 決心欲開始一个大計畫, tī 這本 ùi OfficeMax 買 ê 烏冊逐工寫日記. 一工一頁 ê 速度, 一年寫 365 頁, 為囝孫甚至乾仔孫 a̍h siáng, 記錄現此時 ê 生活 kap 時代 ê 畫面, 想著, 我 tō la̍k-la̍k 掣 (!). 衫仔 ê 氣味, 馬車 ê 聲過去是啥款? 未來 ê 人敢會知, 舉例來講, 飛機 tī 暗時飛 ê 聲是啥款, 假使彼時飛機已經過時? 未來 ê 人敢知貓仔有時會 tī 暗暝相拍? 因為彼時已經發明某種化學品予貓仔袂相拍? 昨暝眠夢著兩个妖精 teh 做愛, 發現彼不過是窗仔外兩隻貓 teh 相拍. 未來 ê 人敢有 "妖精" 這个概念? In 敢會感覺咱對 "妖精" ê 信仰蓋怪奇? "窗仔" 敢 mā 猶會存在? 對未來世代 ê 人誠趣味 ê 是, 甚至像我這種讀過大學 ê 大人, 有時 mā 會流凊汗醒來, ná teh 想妖精, ná 相信眠床跤有一个? 總講, 不管 lah, 我毋是欲寫百科全書, 未來 ê 人讀著這, 若欲知 "妖精" 是啥, 去揣一種叫百科全書 ê 物件, 檢采恁猶有彼號冊!
寫了偏去, 因為忝 ah, 因為相拍 ê 貓仔.
今決心開始寫這本冊, 上少一暗 20 分鐘, 毋管偌忝. (若失志, tō 想看覓, 干焦一冬 tō 會當為後代留偌濟記錄 ah!)
*
九月初 5
Ai-ah. 閬一工去 ah. 無閒 chhih-chhih. 先寫昨昏 ê 大概. 昨昏無蓋順. 去接囡仔 ê 時, bampà (bumper) ùi "Park Avenue" lak 落. 予未來世代 ê 提示: Park Avenue = 車 ê 一種. 阮 ê 車老型. 小可生鉎. 囡仔入來, Eva (中央 ê 囡仔) 問 "junkorama" 是啥意思. 彼時, bampà lak 落. 歷史老師 Renn Ss 真幫忙, 抾來 bampà (記著: 寫批予校長 kā o-ló), 講伊 mā bat 駛 lak bampà ê 車, 彼時 sàn, tī 大學. Eva kă 保證, 講 bampà lak 落, 無要緊. 我應講, 當然無要緊, 那會要緊, 彼是伊 ka-tī lak 落, 毋是我創 ê. 心 nih ê 畫面是: 後座 3 个囡仔表情正經, 驚驚 khòe bampà tī 大腿. Bampà 一頭著伸出 Eva ê 窗仔; 今仔日她煞流鼻, 手 koh 有予 bampà 小可割著 ê 傷痕.
Lilly (上大, 得欲 13 歲!), 和過去仝款, kā 代誌看較遠, 講, 免管 he 三八 bampà, 咱得欲有新車 ah, 等咱好額 ê 時, 敢毋是?
到厝, bampà 囥 tī 車庫. 車庫 nih, 發現大鳥鼠 a̍h 細膨鼠 ê 死體, 爬 kah chiâu 是蟲. Kō͘ 沙挑 kā 大部份膨鼠/鳥鼠裝入 Hefty 糞埽袋. 車庫地板猶有小部份膨鼠/鳥鼠痕跡, ná 像 kō 著毛簇 ê 油跡.
攑頭看厝, 悲哀. 心想: 那著悲哀? 莫悲哀. 若悲哀, tō 眾人悲哀. 歡喜面入厝, 無講起 bampà, 膨鼠/鳥鼠痕跡, 生蟲 ê 代誌, koh 予 Eva 較濟 ê ais-krím, 因為拄才予我歹.
著做較好! 較親切. 今 tō 開始. 真緊 in tō 大漢, 若干焦記得我是駛漚車, 歹性地, koh 鬱卒 ê 老爸, án-ne tō 誠悲哀.
Tang-sî 我才有濟濟閒工/金錢, 通坐 tī 焦草堆看月出, 規家伙睏博爽大厝? 彼時 tō 會當深深思考性命 ê 意義, tt, tt. 感覺, mā 一直 án-ne 感覺, 這總有一工會發生 tī 阮.
*
九月初 6
今仔日 tī Lilly ê 朋友 Leslie Torrini 姻兜 ê 生日 party /pha-tì/ 有夠鬱卒.
厝是 Lafayette 蹛過 ê 大厝. Torrini 予阮看 Lafayette ê 房間: 今是 in ê "Thit-thô 間." 電漿 TV (plasma TV), 彈球 ki (pinball game), 跤底按摩機. 30 英畝, 6 ê 車庫 (in kā 叫做 "外厝仔"): 一間囥 Ferrari (3 台), 一間囥 Porsche (2 台, koh 1 台伊 tng-teh 修整), 一間囥歷史的 ê lin-long 踅 (merry-go-ro͘nd), in tng-teh 修整做一个家族 (!). 橫過飼尊魚 ê 小溪, 是一座 ùi 中國空運來 ê 紅橋. 予阮看某一个朝代 ê 馬蹄印. Tī 前廳, 倚 Steinway, 有一个 koh 較早朝代 ê 馬蹄印 tī 無仝 ê 橋 ê 柴頂面. Picasso ê 簽名, Disney ê 簽名, Greta Garbo 穿過 ê 衫, 攏展示 tī 紅椿木 (mahogany) ê 櫃仔 nih.
菜園由一个叫 Karl ê 人顧.
Lilly: Óa, 這个菜園 ká-ná 有咱規个厝埕 ê 10 倍大.
花園由另外一个人顧, 奇怪 neh, mā 叫做 Karl.
Lilly: 你敢袂想欲蹛 tī chia?
我: Lilly, ha-ha, 莫 lah...
Pam (阮某, 真可愛, 熱愛生活!): 啥, 啥她講毋著? 你敢袂? 你敢袂想欲蹛 tī chia? 我知我會.
厝頭前, 寬闊 ê 草坪頂, 看過上大 ê SK (仙姑, Semplica Girl) 布置, 規身白, 白色 ê 長袍 tī 微風 nih 飄動, Lilly 講, 咱會當行較倚去無?
Leslie Torrini: 咱會使, m̄-koh 阮通常袂 án-ne 做.
- -
1.
SEPTEMBER 3rd
Having just turned forty, have resolved to embark on grand project of writing every day in this new black book just got at OfficeMax. Exciting to think how in one year, at rate of one page/day, will have written three hundred and sixty-five pages, and what a picture of life and times then available for kids & grandkids, even greatgrandkids, whoever, all are welcome (!) to see how life really was/is now. Because what do we know of other times really? How clothes smelled and carriages sounded? Will future people know, for example, about sound of airplanes going over at night, since airplanes by that time passé? Will future people know sometimes cats fought in night? Because by that time some chemical invented to make cats not fight? Last night dreamed of two demons having sex and found it was only two cats fighting outside window. Will future people be aware of concept of “demons”? Will they find our belief in “demons” quaint? Will “windows” even exist? Interesting to future generations that even sophisticated college grad like me sometimes woke in cold sweat, thinking of demons, believing one possibly under bed? Anyway, what the heck, am not planning on writing encyclopedia, if any future person is reading this, if you want to know what a “demon” was, go look it up, in something called an encyclopedia, if you even still have those!
Am getting off track, due to tired, due to those fighting cats.
Hereby resolve to write in this book at least twenty minutes a night, no matter how tired. (If discouraged, just think how much will have been recorded for posterity after one mere year!)
SEPTEMBER 5th
Oops. Missed a day. Things hectic. Will summarize yesterday. Yesterday a bit rough. While picking kids up at school, bumper fell off Park Avenue. Note to future generations: Park Avenue = type of car. Ours not new. Ours oldish. Bit rusty. Kids got in, Eva (middle child) asked what was meaning of “junkorama.” At that moment, bumper fell off. Mr. Renn, history teacher, quite helpful, retrieved bumper (note: write letter of commendation to principal), saying he too once had car whose bumper fell off, when poor, in college. Eva assured me it was all right bumper had fallen off. I replied of course it was all right, why wouldn’t it be all right, it was just something that had happened, I certainly hadn’t caused. Image that stays in mind is of three sweet kids in back seat, chastened expressions on little faces, timidly holding bumper across laps. One end of bumper had to hang out Eva’s window and today she has sniffles, plus small cut on hand from place where bumper was sharp.
Lilly (oldest, nearly thirteen!), as always, put all in perspective, by saying, Who cares about stupid bumper, we’re going to get a new car soon anyway, when rich, right?
Upon arriving home, put bumper in garage. In garage, found dead large mouse or small squirrel crawling with maggots. Used shovel to transfer majority of squirrel/mouse to Hefty bag. Smudge of squirrel/mouse still on garage floor, like oil stain w/ embedded fur tufts.
Stood looking up at house, sad. Thought: Why sad? Don’t be sad. If sad, will make everyone sad. Went in happy, not mentioning bumper, squirrel/mouse smudge, maggots, then gave Eva extra ice cream, due to I had spoken harshly to her.
Have to do better! Be kinder. Start now. Soon they will be grown and how sad, if only memory of you is testy, stressed guy in bad car.
When will I have sufficient leisure/wealth to sit on hay bale watching moon rise, while in luxurious mansion family sleeps? At that time, will have chance to reflect deeply on meaning of life, etc., etc. Have a feeling and have always had a feeling that this and other good things will happen for us!
SEPTEMBER 6th
Very depressing birthday party today at home of Lilly’s friend Leslie Torrini.
House is mansion where Lafayette once stayed. Torrinis showed us Lafayette’s room: now their “Fun Den.” Plasma TV, pinball game, foot massager. Thirty acres, six garages (they call them “outbuildings”): one for Ferraris (three), one for Porsches (two, plus one he is rebuilding), one for historical merry-go-round they are restoring as family (!). Across trout-stocked stream, red Oriental bridge flown in from China. Showed us hoofmark from some dynasty. In front room, near Steinway, plaster cast of hoofmark from even earlier dynasty, in wood of different bridge. Picasso autograph, Disney autograph, dress Greta Garbo once wore, all displayed in massive mahogany cabinet.
Lilly: Wouldn’t you love to live here?
Me: Lilly, ha-ha, don’t ah . . .
Pam (my wife, very sweet, love of life!): What, what is she saying wrong? Wouldn’t you? Wouldn’t you love to live here? I know I would.
In front of house, on sweeping lawn, largest SG arrangement ever seen, all in white, white smocks blowing in breeze, and Lilly says, Can we go closer?
Leslie Torrini: We can but we don’t, usually.
- -
No comments:
Post a Comment