留學生活記趣 （7）

送走了老婆，我終於又回到學校了。史丹教授一看到我，說我胖了。不胖那就太對不起我們的老板及師傅了。每天我會建議大師傅做啥。我能想到的幾乎都可以吃到。 甚至還教他們做一些俺山東老家的麵食。每天吃得不亦樂乎。史丹教授也發現我的英文會話也有了十足的進步。還覺得我挺幽默的。這都是哪一個暑假，跟美國客人，為了小費，使勁周旋而來的。我的大膽開口，加上手足舞蹈的表達，也結識了好多的客人。這些客人後來一進門，就要坐我的抬子。顯然很快的我也成了餐館的名角了。

 

記得最清楚的就是那年美國總統尼克鬆訪問中國大陸了。從電視現場轉播他到達北京首都機場的實況，可以看出當年中共當局是把老美耍的一愣一愣的。當飛機預備著陸時，記者從飛機上很驚訝的報道著沒有看到歡迎的人潮。他們一致認為這是對美國總統一種接近侮辱的行為。同時，這位記者強調在他記憶裏隨總統出訪這麽多次，這還是第一次飛機快降落了，還沒有看到歡迎的人潮。就在這個時候，飛機著陸了。霎那間，一個小小解放軍的儀隊也出現了。這時候記者才打圓場的說因為兩國沒有外交關係，所以迎接的場麵很小。不多久，也看到周恩來趨前歡迎美國總統。

 

美國總統的訪問大陸，的確給華人打了一針興奮劑。多年來在美國的華人，一下子覺得自己走路都有風了。每天電視都可以看到有關大陸的介紹。我們同學，朋友之間，大家都談論著大陸的情形。一下子，國民黨對我們的教育，似乎是徹底的瓦解了。雖然我們看到的是一個比台灣貧窮的大陸，但是似乎也沒有國民黨所說的那樣水深火熱。在我打工的餐館裏，有位威特爾就是上海的學生，文革時跑到香港。我曾經不止一次的問他，大陸有沒有自由。他很奇怪的看著我，同時告訴我，他們讀中學時的情形。他說他們每年有春遊，還有同學結伴到處走走。絕對是有自由的。那時，我還覺得他在吹大牛。慢慢的才擺脫了多年來國民黨教育所產生的思想桎梏。

 

這是我來美國的第二年，告訴自己一定要把碩士念完。我的論文實驗也開始了。我做實驗的技巧是有的。似乎這是我的天分。別人不通的實驗，我一接手似乎就過了。後來，念博士直到工業界就業，都一一證明我在這方麵還是有點天分的。開學沒有多久，附近機場有個很高級的中國餐館老板打電話找我。他是從陳老板哪兒拿到我的電話的。他問我有沒有興趣利用周末到他的館子裏打威特爾。我的第一個反應是沒興趣。但是，一想人家是好心好意，找到門上，總不能不夠厚道的拒人於千裏之外。再說，反正利用周末。也可以享受到幾頓好的中餐，又可鑽點美金。我馬上改口答應去麵試。機場不近，我又沒車。隻有硬著頭皮打的，反正手上還存有兩個子兒。

 

一進入餐館，就知道這是一家非常高級的館子。見了謝老板，他看我一表人才，立刻要我盡快上班。我隨即到百貨店去買了一件像樣的白襯衣及黑色的西褲。又買了一雙黑皮鞋。投資近百元。從此我就利用周五晚，周六一天，重操就業，幹起我的威特爾了。 沒有車，我隻有打的上工。星期五下工後，住老板給夥計們準備的宿舍。星期六下了工，揣著滿口袋的現款小費再打的回府。

[yijibang]

I appreciate your comments. As matter of fact, your comment on time frame is questionable. After Mao took over China, there was about 7 years that people lived a good life and enjoyed the new China they had fought for. After 1956, they started a series of movements one after another. I believe most of the oversea Chinese went back to China prior to the first movement. What I mean to say is during 1970’s, especially after President Nixon’s visiting China, the mentality had subtle change among oversea Chinese. The change was due to a sudden recognition of China from US irrespective of their political purpose. You could hear a lot of things about China from public broadcasting. People started to be curious about China. We certainly got a lot of attention at that time. The attention we got certainly made us exciting. You may think we were naïve and ignorant, but it is a true reflection of the situation at that time. I always think the worse treatment to a human being is to “ignore” him. At least, after Nixon’s visit, we indeed got a lot attention from American public. Hope I have made myself clear. Thank you again for your response.

[yijibang]

Thank you very much for your comments.

[HCC]

And you are welcome for your response, although I am acutely aware of the time frame you are referring to: the same time frame when the Diaoyutai issue triggered a sensitive nerve, and when ROC lost her seat in the UN to the PRC. That was also the same era when the leftists and self-proclaimed liberals occupied schools and called Mao Tze-dong the savior of the Chinese people. Numerous leftist students dreaming of a better China left the US and went to the mainland. They had the chance to see the mainland in their own eyes, and then? Many of them will eventually realize the fallacies in the lies told by the CCP. They will also learn of the great starvation, the unspeakable tragedies during the cultural revolution, along with thought control in every corner of the mainland. They will then realize the danger in blindly entrusting a government with excess power.

I could only thank god that period has long gone, and that the following generations have come to realize the great foul that could occur as a result of blind faith and ultranationalism. It is sad to see that some others have not yet had the chance to wake from that passionate but tragic period of time, and learn that the grass is not necessarily greener on the other side.

[yijibang]

Thank you very much for your comments. I am afraid you have to roll back to 1972 time frame and live in this country at that time to appreciate what I am talking about.

[HCC]

>>>美國總統的訪問大陸，的確給華人打了一針興奮劑

I wasn't excited about Nixon's visit. He wanted to turn one communist country against two others, and he was successful. The US didn't have anything against China either. They had problems with the communist party that has been imprisoning and starving its own people in the false name of progress.

And, if you have waken from the propagandas of the KMT, how come you haven't had the good sense to wake from the propagandas of the CCP? Do you honestly believe that the CCP are lesser liars, or are you completely unaware of the greater atrocities it conducted?

[yijibang]

http://news.xinhuanet.com/ziliao/2004-01/12/content_1271195.htm

Please check the above website on President Nixon China trip in 1972.

[龍鳥]

打的幹waiter，真不多見