開Corolla的Proud Dad

今天還在下班的路上呢，太太的電話打進來：你女兒給你一封信，我可以先拆開看嗎？我說：你看吧。女兒來信，肯定是一道給老爸老媽的。

 

到家了問太太：女兒有事嗎？太太說：你自己看吧，我看完都流眼淚了。

 

我拿過來一看，是一張2500塊的支票和一封手寫的信。大意是：恭喜爸爸媽媽還完房貸。爸爸，我給你一張支票，你請媽媽和弟弟去城裏最好的餐館好好慶祝一下你們的achievement。讓媽媽放心，我很好，這個夏天和男朋友走遍了新英格蘭的山山水水，上個禮拜還在查爾絲河上劃獨木舟呢。。。

 

我知道是我上個禮拜還完房貸後寫email和女兒分享喜悅，順便開她玩笑說老爸老媽的emergence fund萬一不夠用，就要找她借錢呢。這是我上次的email:

 

Hi, DDD，

 

Just want to share some good news with you. Your mom and I just paid off our mortgage on our house! So now we are moving to the next stage--preparation of your brother's college cost and our retirement catch-up saving. It proves that with careful planning and discipline we can achieve our financial freedom. Your mom and I have lived within our mean, and we are one-step closer to our financial freedom now.

 

Be prepared if I ask you for money in emergency.:). I only have cash for 2 months of living. However, don’t worry, we are going to be ok in a few months. Without paying mortgage, we can save 1K more every month...

 

 

沒想到玩笑被女兒當真了。吃完晚飯，和太太商量完畢，給女兒這麽回的：

 

Hi, DDD,

 

Your mom was deeply touched after reading your letter. Both she and I want to thank you for your nice words and the check.

 

We do not need your help at this moment.  Your mom suggested a traditional Chinese way--cash you check and save the money for your wedding. As you once said that I was a most-Americanized Chinese dad, I wish to maintain our "independent status". Therefore, we will keep your check in a frame so we can see it everyday. :).

 

We did celebrate after we paid off our mortgage. It was your brother's choice--5 Guys. Since it was the 1st time to visit the restaurant for your mom and me, I did not even order a topping for my burger--a very special memory for the celebration, I guess.

 

I will take you words, taking your mom and brother to the best restaurant in town after your brother starts his high school later this month. It is also a big event in our life as mom and dad, which deserves a big celebration...

 

據說美國生物WSN的標誌就是開corolla。上個禮拜灣區的老朋友來拜訪，看見我的corolla，還問是不是我當年從我師兄手裏買下的二手車。是啊，十年前師兄剛買下房子不久，師嫂突然生病不能上班了，萬般無奈的師兄隻好邊賣這輛兩年新的車保證還房貸，邊賣房子。正好電話裏說起我要買車，就一口答應了師兄，讓師兄按Bluebook上的價格賣給我。師兄都走了七年了，而這部車卻一直伴隨著我上下班和周末釣魚，從沒讓我失望過。昨天和太太說，要還能開兩年，我就可以換部新車了，還是corolla吧，要不就civic。畢竟生物WSN的招牌還是不能丟的。

 

作為生物WSN，是不可能有財產留給子女的。但我希望我和太太追求的“financially independent”精神能讓孩子也以自立為榮。釣魚種菜的低碳生活方式，我是開Corolla的Proud Dad！

 

（二0一四年八月四日）