Say Yes /by Tobias Wolff
https://www.missmccalister.com/uploads/3/0/9/3/30937509/lesson-7a-say-yes-by-tobias-wolff.pdf
Kóng Hó | 講好
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1. Bô-kāng bûn-hòa ê lâng éng-oán bē hō͘-siong liáu-kái
In teh sé-óaⁿ, in bó͘ sé, i chhit ta. Cha-mê sī i sé. Kap i só͘ bat ê cha-po͘ bô kāng, i chin-chiàⁿ chò ka-bū-sū. Kúi kò goe̍h chêng, i thiaⁿ tio̍h chi̍t-ê in bó͘ ê pêng-iú kā yi o-ló, kóng ū chiah hó ê ang, iá i sī án-ne siūⁿ, góa put-kò sī chhì khòaⁿ-māi.
Tàu sé-óaⁿ, sī i piáu-hiān ka-tī thé-thiap ê chi̍t-chióng hong-sek.
In tâm-lūn kok-chióng bô-kāng ê ōe-tê, put-ti-put-kak taⁿ kóng kàu pe̍h-lâng kám eng-kai hām o͘-lâng kiat-hun. I kóng, chióng-chióng khó-lī liáu-āu, i jīn-ûi che m̄-sī hó ê chú-ì.
"Án-nóa kóng," yi mn̄g.
Ū-sî in bó͘ chhut chit-chióng piáu-chêng, ba̍k-bâi kat óa, ē chhùi-tûn kā leh, ba̍k-chiu lia̍h kē khòaⁿ. Nā khòaⁿ tio̍h yi án-ne, i chai, i tio̍h kek tiām-tiām, m̄-koh i m̄-bat án-ne chò. Sū-si̍t-siōng, i tian-tò kóng lú chē. Taⁿ yi ê piáu-chêng tō sī án-ne.
"Án-nóa kóng," yi koh mn̄g, khiā tī hia, chhiú khǹg tī chi̍t-ê óaⁿ nih, bô teh sé, kan-ta kā the̍h tī chúi-bīn.
"Lí thiaⁿ hō͘ hó," i kóng, "góa bat hām o͘-lâng chò-hóe tha̍k-chheh, góa hām o͘-lâng chò-hóe siōng-pan, goán it-ti̍t lóng kau-pôe liáu bē-bái. Góa bô su-iàu lí taⁿ lâi àm-sī, kóng góa sī chéng-cho̍k chú-gī chiá."
"Góa bô àm-sī siáⁿ," yi kóng, koh khai-sí sé hit-ê óaⁿ, tī chhiú nih kā se̍h, ká-ná teh kā chō-hêng. "Góa chí-sī bô liáu-kái, pe̍h-lâng hām o͘-lâng kiat-hun ū siáⁿ m̄-tio̍h, án-ne niā-niā."
"In só͘ chhut ê bûn-hòa hām lán ê bô-kāng. Ū-sî lí thiaⁿ in kóng-ōe -- in sīm-chì ū in ka-tī ê gí-giân. He tùi góa bô būn-tê, góa kah-ì thiaⁿ in kóng-ōe" -- I khak-si̍t sī án-ne; in-ūi bó͘-chióng goân-in, he chóng-sī hō͘ i khí-mo͘-giang -- "m̄-koh tō-sī bô-kāng. Ùi in ê bûn-hòa lâi ê lâng hām ùi lán ê bûn-hòa lâi ê lâng éng-oán to bē chin-chiàⁿ hō͘-siong liáu-kái."
"Chhiūⁿ lí liáu-kái góa án-ne?" in bó͘ mn̄g.
"Tio̍h. Chhiūⁿ góa liáu-kái lí án-ne."
"M̄-koh, in nā hō͘-siong ì-ài," yi kóng. Taⁿ yi sé khah kín, bô teh khòaⁿ i.
Ai-ah ná-ē án-ne, i siūⁿ. I kóng, "Mài kan-ta thiaⁿ góa ê ōe. Sió chham-khó thóng-kè sò͘-kì. Hit-chióng hun-in tōa pō͘-hūn sit-pāi."
"Thóng-kè sò͘-kì." Yi kō͘ kiaⁿ-lâng ê sok-tō͘ kā óaⁿ-pôaⁿ thia̍p tī lī-chúi pang téng-bīn, kan-ta kō͘ pò͘ sió hôe chi̍t-ē. Kî-tiong chin chē iáu iû-iû, chhiám-á ê chhiám-ki tiong-kan iáu ū si̍t-bu̍t sap-á. "Án-ne hó," yi kóng, "gōa-kok lâng án-nóa? Góa siūⁿ, lí tùi nn̄g-ê gōa-kok lâng kiat-hun ê khòaⁿ-hoat mā kāng-khoán."
"Tio̍h," i kóng, "Khak-si̍t góa sī án-ne siūⁿ. Lí ná ū khó-lêng liáu-kái chi̍t-ê ùi oân-choân bô kāng khoân-kéng lâi ê lâng?"
"Bô-kāng," in bó͘ kóng. "Bô kāng-khoán, chhiūⁿ lán án-ne."
"Tio̍h, bô-kāng," i phngh-siaⁿ, tùi yi kō͘ chit-chióng tòe kóng i ê ōe lâi hián-sī he ōe chho͘-ló͘ a̍h phàⁿ-sim ê pō͘-sò͘ kám-kak bē-sóng. "Chiah-ê bô chheng-khì," i kóng, tō kā gîn-khì piàⁿ tò-tńg chúi-chô.
Chúi taⁿ í-keng lô khì. Yi áⁿ-ē khòaⁿ he, chhùi-tûn ân-ân ha̍p chò-hóe, jiân-āu siang-chhiú chìm kàu chúi nih. "Oh!," yi ai chi̍t-siaⁿ, thiàu tò-thè. Yi lia̍h tiâu chiàⁿ-chhiú chhiú-ba̍k, gia̍h koân. Yi ê tōa-pû-ong teh lâu-hoeh.
"Ann, mài tín-tāng," i kóng. "Tiām-tiām khiā hia." I cháu chiūⁿ-lâu khì e̍k-sek, chhiau i-io̍h-siuⁿ the̍h chiú-cheng, mî-á hām chi̍t-tè tah-pò͘. Tán i lo̍h-lâu tńg-lâi, yi khò tī peng-siuⁿ, ba̍k-chiu kheh-kheh, chiàⁿ-chhiú iáu lia̍h-tio̍h. I lia̍h yi hit-ki chhiú, kō͘ mî-á ì tōa-pû-ong. Hoeh bô koh lâu ah. I sió kā tēⁿ chi̍t-ē, khòaⁿ khang-chhùi gōa chhim, chi̍t-tih hoeh chuh chhut-lâi, chùn-tāng, chhiⁿ-âng, tih lo̍h thô͘-kha.
Ùi tōa-pû-ong téng yi gîn i. "Chhián-chhián ah," i kóng. "Bîn-á-chài lí tō bē kám-kak tio̍h he." I hi-bāng yi ē kám-kek i hiah-nī kóaⁿ-kín tō lâi tàu-saⁿ-kāng. I án-ne chò sī in-ūi koan-sim yi, m̄-sī ūi tio̍h tit-tio̍h hôe-pò, m̄-koh, taⁿ i ū chi̍t-ê siūⁿ-hoat, yi nā mài koh thê-khí hit-ê, tō sī chi̍t-ê hó piáu-sī, i í-keng ià-siān he ah. "Góa lâi siu-bóe tō hó," i kóng. "Lí khì hioh-khùn."
"Bô iàu-kín," yi kóng. "Góa lâi chhit-ta."
I khai-sí koh sé hiah-ê gîn-khì, iû-kî chim-chiok chhiám-á.
"Só͘-í kóng," yi kóng, "góa nā sī o͘-lâng, lí tō bē hām góa kiat-hun."
"M̄-thang án-ne kóng, Ann!"
"Hmh, he kám m̄-sī lí ka-tī án-ne kóng ê?"
"Bô, góa bô kóng. Che kui-ê būn-tê lóng chin hó-chhiò. Lí nā sī o͘-lâng, lán hoān-sè liân sio-tú to bē sio-tú. Lí ē ū lí ê pêng-iú, góa ū góa ê. Góa bat ê ûi-it o͘-lâng chă gín-á sī piān-lūn klub ê tūi-iú, iá hit-sî góa í-keng kap lí teh kiâⁿ ah."
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1. 無仝文化 ê 人永遠袂互相了解
In teh 洗碗, in 某洗, 伊拭焦. 昨暝是伊洗. Kap 伊所捌 ê 查埔無仝, 伊真正做家務事. 幾個月前, 伊聽著一个 in 某 ê 朋友 kā 她 o-ló, 講有 chiah 好 ê 翁, iá 伊是 án-ne 想, 我不過是試看覓.
鬥洗碗, 是伊表現家己體貼 ê 一種方式.
In 談論各種無仝 ê 話題, 不知不覺今講到白人敢應該和烏人結婚. 伊講, 種種考慮了後, 伊認為這毋是好 ê 主意.
"按怎講," 她問.
有時 in 某出這種表情, 目眉結倚, 下喙唇咬 leh, 目睭掠低看. 若看著她 án-ne, 伊知, 伊著激恬恬, 毋過伊毋捌 án-ne 做. 事實上, 伊顛倒講 lú 濟. 今她 ê 表情 tō 是 án-ne.
"按怎講," 她 koh 問, 徛 tī 遐, 手囥 tī 一个碗 nih, 無 teh 洗, 干焦 kā 提 tī 水面.
"你聽予好," 伊講, "我 bat 和烏人做伙讀冊, 我和烏人做伙上班, 阮一直攏交陪了袂䆀. 我無需要你今來暗示, 講我是種族主義者."
"我無暗示啥," 她講, koh 開始洗彼个碗, tī 手 nih kā 踅, 敢若 teh kā 造形. "我只是無了解, 白人和烏人結婚有啥毋著, án-ne niā-niā."
"In 所出 ê 文化和咱 ê 無仝. 有時你聽 in 講話 -- in 甚至有 in 家己 ê 語言. 彼對我無問題, 我佮意聽 in 講話" -- 伊確實是 án-ne; 因為某種原因, 彼總是予伊起毛婸 -- "毋過 tō 是無仝. Ùi in ê 文化來 ê 人和 ùi 咱 ê 文化來 ê 人永遠 to 袂真正互相了解."
"像你了解我 án-ne?" in 某問.
"著. 像我了解你 án-ne."
"毋過, in 若互相意愛," 她講. 今她洗較緊, 無 teh 看伊.
Ai-ah 那會 án-ne, 伊想. 伊講, "莫干焦聽我 ê 話. 小參考統計數據. 彼種婚姻大部份失敗."
"統計數據." 她 kō͘ 驚人 ê 速度 kā 碗盤疊 tī 濾水枋頂面, 干焦 kō͘ 布小回一下. 其中真濟猶油油, 攕仔 ê 攕支中間猶有食物屑仔. "Án-ne 好," 她講, "外國人按怎? 我想, 你對兩个外國人結婚 ê 看法 mā 仝款."
"著," 伊講, "確實我是 án-ne 想. 你那有可能了解一个 ùi 完全無仝環境來 ê 人?"
"無仝," in 某講. "無仝款, 像咱 án-ne."
"著, 無仝," 伊嗙聲, 對她 kō͘ 這種綴講伊 ê 話來顯示 he 話粗魯 a̍h phàⁿ 心 ê 步數感覺袂爽. "Chiah-ê 無清氣," 伊講, tō kā 銀器摒倒轉水槽.
水今已經濁去. 她 áⁿ 下看彼, 喙唇絚絚合做伙, 然後雙手浸到水 nih. "Oh!," 她哀一聲, 跳倒退. 她掠牢正手手目, 攑懸. 她 ê 大垺翁 teh 流血.
"Ann, 莫振動," 伊講. "恬恬徛遐." 伊走上樓去浴室, 搜醫藥箱提酒精, 棉仔和一塊貼布. 等伊落樓轉來, 她靠 tī 冰箱, 目睭瞌瞌, 正手猶掠著. 伊掠她彼支手, kō͘ 棉仔 ì 大垺翁. 血無 koh 流 ah. 伊小 kā 捏一下, 看空喙偌深, 一滴血泏出來, 顫動, 鮮紅, 滴落塗跤.
Ùi 大垺翁頂她睨伊. "淺淺 ah," 伊講. "明仔載你 tō 袂感覺著彼." 伊希望她會感激伊 hiah-nī 趕緊 tō 來鬥相共. 伊 án-ne 做是因為關心她, 毋是為著得著回報, 毋過, 今伊有一个想法, 她若莫 koh 提起彼个, 就是一个好表示, 伊已經厭僐彼 ah. "我來收尾 tō 好," 伊講. "你去歇睏."
"無要緊," 她講. "我來拭焦."
伊開始 koh 洗 hiah-ê 銀器, 尤其斟酌攕仔.
"所以講," 她講, "我若是烏人, 你 tō 袂和我結婚."
"毋通 án-ne 講, Ann!"
"Hmh, 彼敢毋是你家己 án-ne 講 ê?"
"無, 我無講. 這規个問題攏真好笑. 你若是烏人, 咱凡勢連相拄 to 袂相拄. 你會有你 ê 朋友, 我有我 ê. 我捌 ê 唯一烏人 chă 囡仔是辯論 klub ê 隊友, iá 彼時我已經 kap 你 teh 行 ah."
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1.
They were doing the dishes, his wife washing while he dried. He'd washed the night before. Unlike most men he knew, he really pitched in on the housework. A few months earlier he'd overheard a friend of his wife's congratulate her on having such a considerate husband, and he thought, I try.
Helping out with the dishes was a way he had of showing how considerate he was.
They talked about different things and somehow got on the subject of whether white people should marry black people. He said that all things considered, he thought it was a bad idea.
"Why?" she asked.
Sometimes his wife got this look where she pinched her brows together and bit her lower lip and stared down at something. When he saw her like this he knew he should keep his mouth shut, but he never did. Actually it made him talk more. She had that look now.
"Why?" she asked again, and stood there with her hand inside a bowl, not washing it but just holding it above the water.
"Listen," he said, "I went to school with blacks, I’ve worked with blacks, and we've always gotten along just fine. I don't need you coming along now and implying that I'm a racist."
"I didn't imply anything," she said, and began washing the bowl again, turning it around in her hand as though she were shaping it. "I just don't see what's wrong with a white person marrying a black person, that's all."
"They don't come from the same culture as we do. Listen to them sometime - they even have their own language. That's okay with me, I like hearing them talk" - he did; for some reason it always lifted his mood - "but it's different. A person from their culture and a person from our culture could never really know each other."
"Like you know me?" his wife asked.
"Yes. Like I know you."
"But if they love each other," she said. She was washing faster now, not looking at him.
Oh boy, he thought. He said, "Don't take my word for it. Look at the statistics. Most of those marriages break up."
"Statistics." She was piling dishes on the drainboard at a terrific rate, just swiping at them with the cloth. Many of them were greasy, and there were flecks of food between the tines of the forks. "All right," she said, "what about foreigners? I suppose you think the same thing about two foreigners getting married."
"Yes," he said, "as a matter of fact I do. How can you understand someone who comes from a completely different background?"
"Different," said his wife. "Not the same, like us."
"Yes, different," he snapped, angry with her for resorting to this trick of repeating his words so that they sounded crass, or hypocritical. "These are dirty," he said, and dumped all the silverware back into the sink.
The water had gone flat and gray. She stared down at it, her lips pressed tight together, then plunged her hands under the surface. "Oh!" she cried, and jumped back. She took her right hand by the wrist and held it up. Her thumb was bleeding.
"Ann, don't move," he said. "Stay right there." He ran upstairs to the bathroom and rummaged in the medicine chest for alcohol, cotton, and a Band-Aid. When he came back down she was leaning against the refrigerator with her eyes closed, still holding her hand. He took the hand and dabbed at her thumb with the cotton. The bleeding had stopped. He squeezed it to see how deep the wound was and a single drop of blood welled up, trembling and bright, and fell to the floor.
Over the thumb she stared at him accusingly. "It's shallow," he said. "Tomorrow you won't even know it's there." He hoped that she appreciated how quickly he had come to her aid. He'd acted out of concern for her, with no thought of getting anything in return, but now the thought occurred to him that it would be a nice gesture on her part not to start up that conversation again, as he was tired of it. "I'll finish up here," he said. "You go and relax."
"That's okay," she said. "I'll dry."
He began to wash the silverware again, giving a lot of attention to the forks.
"So," she said, "you wouldn't have married me if I'd been black."
"For Christ's sake, Ann!"
"Well, that's what you said, didn't you?"
"No, I did not. The whole question is ridiculous. If you had been black we probably wouldn't even have met. You would have had your friends and I would have had mine. The only black girl I ever really knew was my partner in the debating club, and I was already going out with you by then."
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