http://msescher.weebly.com/uploads/5/9/0/9/59097255/grace-period.pdf
Khoan-hān Kî | 寬限期
--
Lí siōng tāi-seng kak-chhat tio̍h khong-kan ê chit-sò͘ bô kāng. Ji̍t-kng iáu sī kim iāⁿ-iāⁿ chhng-kòe phû tī chhia-tō téng ê eng-ia, lín bó͘ tú-chiah ùi hia sái Celica kóaⁿ boeh khì chhâ sìn-siuⁿ, thiⁿ iáu sī pêng-siông ê nâ, m̄-koh, kám-kak ná chhiūⁿ hut-jiân kan, ta̍k-hāng mi̍h-kiāⁿ lóng chhun chi̍t-ē, chhun kúi mili*, jiân-āu koh kiu tńg-lâi. [* mili = millimeter]
Lí koaiⁿ tiāu tiān-tōng chhiū-lî siu-chián-ki, siūⁿ-kóng hoān-sè he chùn-tāng éng-hióng tio̍h lí ê lāi-hīⁿ. Jiân-āu lí tì-kak tio̍h káu-á tī gîm-chîⁿ-kha teh hiⁿ. Lēng-gōa neh, liân chi̍t-siaⁿ lí to bô thiaⁿ-tio̍h chiáu-á kiò. Tī 400-bí gōa ê kok-tō, chi̍t-tâi liân-kiat-á (semi) ōaⁿ kē-sok gear /gi.á/, pàng chi̍t-chōa tn̂g-tn̂g ê phùi-ian. Chi̍t-chiah khòaⁿ bē-tio̍h ê phùn-siā-ki, tī lī tē-pêng-sòaⁿ kúi inch koân ê thiⁿ-téng, ōe chi̍t-tiâu pe̍h sòaⁿ.
Tú boeh koh khui siu-chián-ki hit-sî, lí tio̍h chi̍t-kiaⁿ, kám-kak kha-té ê thô͘-kha ká-ná chhiong-kòe tiān. Pēng m̄-sī siáⁿ tōa chùn-tōng, sī ná chhiūⁿ tī chin hn̄g ê só͘-chāi, ū chi̍t-tâi hoat-tiān-ki teh tiuh-tāng. Kāng hit-sî, ū chi̍t-ê kng ê khí-lo̍h, ná sió-sió ê me̍h teh thiàu, ùi soaⁿ ê hit-pêng kòe-lâi. Kòe chi̍t-ē-á, koh chi̍t-ē, koh chi̍t-ē. Koh chi̍t-kái, lí oa̍t-lú ū chi̍t-ê hàm-kó͘ ê kám-kak, bān-bu̍t lóng hut-leh tiùⁿ-tōa, chiah koh sok tńg-lâi.
Chit-sî, lí ê sim-chōng lòng lí ê heng-khám, lí sûi siūⁿ tio̍h tōng-me̍h-liû (aneurysm)! Lí ê hoeh-ap sī 135/80, nn̄g kò goe̍h chêng eng-kai tio̍h khì kiám-cha ah. M̄-koh, m̄-sī, hit-chiah káu taⁿ teh chhoe-lê, m̄-nā kan-ta i teh chhoe. Chhù-piⁿ ê o͘ lab* mā tōa-siaⁿ teh hô͘ⁿ, hn̄g-hn̄g ê só͘-chāi, mā ū cha̍p-thóng chiah khai-sí teh hoah-hiu. [* lab = labrador, chi̍t-chióng káu]
Lí tōa-pō͘ kiâⁿ-ji̍p chhù, bô kóaⁿ-kín, mā m̄-sī bān sô-sô, chhi̍h chi̍t-ê pêng-iú in tau ê tiān-ōe hō-má, i tòa tī soaⁿ hit-pêng ê to͘-chhī, koān-hú tī hia. Thê-sī siaⁿ thiàu-oân liáu tō tiām-siaⁿ chin-kú, koh-lâi sī sòaⁿ-lō͘ bô-êng ê siaⁿ. Lí khó-lī chi̍t-ē, jiân-āu poah hō͘ pún-tē ê gī-siau tūi-tiúⁿ, lí bat i. Mā sī sòaⁿ bô-êng.
Chhiú tēⁿ hit-tiâu 20 chhioh tn̂g ê tiān-ōe sòaⁿ, lí thàm ǹg thang-á gōa. Chit-kái, me̍h ê kám-kak bē m̄-tio̍h, sai-pêng ê thiⁿ bêng-khak piàn khah kng, tòe he, chhù-lāi ê bó͘ chi̍t-ki chhâ chhut chi̍t-ê kīⁿ-koāiⁿ siaⁿ. Lí chhi̍h hō͘ Kéng-kio̍k Kio̍k-tiúⁿ. Sòaⁿ bô-êng. Hō͘ Kong-lō͘ Sûn-lô Tūi, Bô-êng. 911. Bô-êng. Puh-chhut chi̍t-kù lo̍k-im, siaⁿ-im chiam koh chhâ-chhâ, kóng: só͘-ū ê sòaⁿ-lō͘ lóng bô-êng.
Lí koh khòaⁿ gōa-kháu, taⁿ tī khong-khì tiong ū bî-bî-á siam-kng. Gōa-bīn ê thang-tâi, ū kúi-nā jiah thô͘-hún tah tī po-lê. KVTX [tiān-sī-tâi]. Bô-êng. The Courier [pò-siā]. Bô-êng. Kō͘ bó͘-chióng bo̍k-bêng ê hiông-kông siūⁿ-hoat, lí poah kàu gōa-tē, hō͘ lín tiūⁿ-lâng (Lín bó͘ tī hia, taⁿ yi eng-kai í-keng the̍h tio̍h phe ah?), i tú-hó sī chi̍t-ê chhut-miâ ha̍k-mn̂g ê tē-chit-ha̍k kàu-siū. Chit-kái ū liang ê sìn-hō siaⁿ. Chi̍t-siaⁿ. Nn̄g-siaⁿ. Saⁿ-siaⁿ. Khiak.
"Si̍t-thé kang-tiûⁿ."
Abendsachs Phok-sū, lí nauh siaⁿ kóng, lí boeh chhōe Abendsachs Phok-sū.
"Chia sī si̍t-thé kang-tiûⁿ, iú-ê. Chia goán bô hoat-tō͘ kā lí choán tiān-ōe."
Hoat-seng siáⁿ tāi-chì ah, lí tōa-siaⁿ hoah, kóng, tāi-khì-chân sī hoat-seng siáⁿ tāi-chì ah...
I m̄-chai. In sī tī bô thang-á ê tē-hā-sek. Hia it-chhè chèng-siông. Chit-chūn sī chia̍h-tàu ê sî-kan, in teh pìⁿ múi lé-pài ê kan-á-kiû chhái-kǹg.
Chit-sî gōa-kháu sió-khóa teh lo̍h-seh, lo̍h tī chhia-tō, chháu-po͘ hām thêng-chhia ūi. Lí khòaⁿ ē-tio̍h lí ê chián-á bô-lám bô-ne khòe tī chhiū-lî. Koh chi̍t-kái, lí kín-sok chhi̍h lín tiūⁿ-lâng ê hō-má. Koh sī liang ê siaⁿ. Khiak.
Chit-kái, lo̍k-im ê siaⁿ kā lí kóng, só͘-ū chiap-sòaⁿ-oân lóng bô-êng, ū-êng ē sûi chiap lí ê tiān-ōe. Lo̍k-im ōe-kù kiat-sok, khai-sí pò-sàng im-ga̍k. He sī tōa-hêng ê pò-im-sek kau-hiáng-ga̍k, violin /bai.o.lín/ ûi chú, teh ián-chàu "Hard Day's Night (Kan-lân Hit-kang ê Àm-mê)." Tī koa-sû sī "khùn kah ná chhâ-kho͘" hit-ūi, siaⁿ thiàu chi̍t-ē, iô chi̍t-ē, koh thiàu chi̍t-ē, tō ná chhiūⁿ lāu-sek khek-pôaⁿ teh thiàu-chiam kāng-khoán.
Lí koh chi̍t-kái khòaⁿ thang-á gōa, hit-sî chhù khai-sí chùn, khòaⁿ tio̍h lú lâi lú kng, lú kng, lú kng.
--
你上代先覺察著空間 ê 質素無仝. 日光猶是金 iāⁿ-iāⁿ 穿過浮 tī 車道頂 ê 坱埃, 恁某拄才 ùi hia 駛 Celica 趕欲去查信箱, 天猶是平常 ê 藍, 毋過, 感覺 ná 像忽然間, 逐項物件 lóng 伸一下, 伸幾 mili*, 然後 koh 勼轉來. [* mili = millimeter]
你關掉電動樹籬修剪機, 想講凡勢 he 顫動影響著你 ê 內耳. 然後你致覺著狗仔 tī 砛簷跤 teh hiⁿ. 另外 neh, 連一聲你 to 無聽著鳥仔叫. Tī 400 米外 ê 國道, 一台聯結仔 (semi) 換低速 gear /gi.á/, 放一逝長長 ê 屁煙. 一隻看袂著 ê 噴射機, tī 離地平線幾 inch 懸 ê 天頂, 畫一條白線.
拄欲 koh 開修剪機彼時, 你著一驚, 感覺跤底 ê 塗跤 ká-ná 充過電. 並毋是啥大顫動, 是 ná 像 tī 真遠 ê 所在, 有一台發電機 teh 搐動. 仝彼時, 有一个光 ê 起落, ná 小小 ê 脈 teh 跳, ùi 山 ê 彼爿過來. 過一下仔, koh 一下, koh 一下. Koh 一改, 你越愈有一个譀古 ê 感覺, 萬物 lóng 忽 leh 脹大, 才 koh 縮轉來.
這時, 你 ê 心臟挵你 ê 胸坎, 你隨想著動脈瘤 (aneurysm)! 你 ê 血壓是 135/80, 兩個月前應該著去檢查 ah. 毋過, 毋是, 彼隻狗今 teh 吹螺, 毋但干焦伊 teh 吹. 厝邊 ê 烏 lab* mā 大聲 teh hô͘ⁿ, 遠遠 ê 所在, mā 有十捅隻開始 teh 喝咻. [* lab = labrador, 一種狗]
你大步行入厝, 無趕緊, mā 毋是慢 sô-sô, 揤一个朋友 in 兜 ê 電話號碼, 伊蹛 tī 山彼爿 ê 都市, 縣府 tī hia. 提示聲跳完了 tō 恬聲真久, 閣來是線路無閒 ê 聲. 你考慮一下, 然後撥予本地 ê 義消隊長, 你 bat 伊. Mā 是線無閒.
手捏彼條 20 呎長 ê 電話線, 你探 ǹg 窗仔外. 這改, 脈 ê 感覺袂毋著, 西爿 ê 天明確變較光, 綴 he, 厝內 ê 某一支柴出一个 kīⁿ-koāiⁿ 聲. 你揤予警局局長. 線無閒. 予公路巡邏隊, 無閒. 911. 無閒. Puh 出一句錄音, 聲音尖 koh 柴柴, 講: 所有 ê 線路 lóng 無閒.
你 koh 看外口, 今 tī 空氣中有微微仔閃光. 外面 ê 窗台, 有幾若跡塗粉貼 tī 玻璃. KVTX [電視台]. 無閒. The Courier [報社]. 無閒. Kō͘ 某種莫名 ê 雄狂想法, 你撥到外地, 予恁丈人 (恁某 tī hia, 今她應該已經提著批 ah?), 伊拄好是一个出名學門 ê 地質學教授. 這改有喨 ê 信號聲. 一聲. 兩聲. 三聲. Khiak.
"實體工場."
Abendsachs 博士, 你喃聲講, 你欲揣 Abendsachs 博士.
"Chia 是實體工場, 友 ê. Chia 阮無法度 kā 你轉電話."
發生啥代誌 ah, 你大聲喝, 講, 大氣層是發生啥代誌 ah...
伊毋知. In 是 tī 無窗仔 ê 地下室. Hia 一切正常. 這陣是食晝 ê 時間, in teh pìⁿ 每禮拜 ê 橄仔球彩券.
這時外口小可 teh 落雪, 落 tī 車道, 草埔和停車位. 你看會著你 ê 剪仔無攬無拈 khòe tī 樹籬. Koh 一改, 你緊速揤恁丈人 ê 號碼. Koh 是喨 ê 聲. Khiak.
這改, 錄音 ê 聲 kā 你講, 所有接線員 lóng 無閒, 有閒會隨接你 ê 電話. 錄音話句結束, 開始播送音樂. 彼是大型 ê 播音室交響樂, violin /bai.o.lín/ 為主, teh 演奏 "Hard Day's Night (艱難彼工 ê 暗暝)." Tī 歌詞是 "睏甲 ná 柴箍" 彼位, 聲跳一下, 搖一下, koh 跳一下, tō ná 像老式曲盤 teh 跳針仝款.
你 koh 一改看窗仔外, 彼時厝開始顫, 看著 lú 來 lú 光, lú 光, lú 光.
--
You notice first a difference in the quality of space. The sunlight is still golden through the dust hanging in the driveway, where your wife pulled out a few minutes ago in the Celica on a run to the mailbox, and the sky is still a regular blue, but it feels as if for an instant everything stretched just slightly, a few millimeters, then contracted again.
You shut off the electric hedge trimmers, thinking maybe vibration is affecting your inner ear. Then you are aware that the dog is whining from under the porch. On the other hand you don't hear a single bird song. A semi shifts down with a long backrap of exhaust on the state highway a quarter mile away. A few inches above one horizon an invisible jet is drawing a thln white llne across the sky,
You are about to turn the trimmers on again when you have the startling sense that the earth under your feet has taken on a charge. It is not quite a trembling, but something like the deep throb of a very large dynamo at a great distance. Simultaneously there ls a fluctuation of light, a tiny pulse, coming from behind the hills. In a moment another, and then another. Again and more strongly you have the absurd sense that everything inflates for a moment, then shrinks.
Your heart strikes you in the chest then, and you think instantly aneurysm!You are 135 over 80, and should have had a checkup two months ago. But no, the dog is howling now, and he's not alone. The neighbors' black lab is also in full cry, and in the distance a dozen others have begun yammering.
You stride into the house, not hurrying but not dawdling either, and punch in the number of a friend who lives in the city on the other side of the hills, the county seat. After the tone dance a long pause, then a busy signal. You consider for a moment, then dial the local volunteer fire chief, whom you know. Also busy.
Stratching the twenty-foot cord, you peer out the window. This time the pulse is unmistakable, a definite brightening of the sky to the west, and along with it a timber somewhere in the house creaks. You punch the Sheriff. Busy. Highway Patrol. Busy. 911. Busy. A recorded voice erupts, strident and edged with static, telllng you all circuits are busy.
You look outside again and now there is a faint shimmering in the air. On the windowsill outside, against the glass, a few flakes of ash have settled. KVTX. Busy. The Courier. Busy. On some inexplicable frantic whim you dial out of state, to your fathar-ln-law (Where is your wife, she should have the mail by now?) who happens to be a professor of geology on a distinguished faculty. The ringing signal this time. Once. Twice. Three times. A click.
"Physical plant."
Doctor Abendsachs, you babble, you wanted Doctor Abendsachs.
"This is physical plant, buddy. We can't connect you here."
What's going on, you shout what is happening with the atmosphere--
He doesn't know. They are in a windowless basement. Everything fine there. It's lunchtime and they are making up the weekly football pool.
It is snowing lightly now outside, on the driveway and lawn and garage. You can see your clippers propped pathetically against the hedge. Once more, at top speed, you punch your father-in-law's number. Again a ringing. A click.
This time a recording tells you that all operators are busy and your call will be answered by the first available. The voice track ends and a burst of music begins. It is a large studio orchestra, heavy on violins, playing a version of "Hard Day's Night." At the point where the lyrics would be "sleeping like a log" the sound skips, wobbles, and skips again as if an old-fashioned needle has been bumped from a record groove.
You look out the window once more, as the house begins to shudder, and see that it is growing brighter and brighter and brighter.
--
// 2022-7-8
No comments:
Post a Comment