兒子的鋼琴老師

    暑假過後從中國回來，沒有馬上讓兒子曰曰去上鋼琴課，假期近三個月沒摸過鋼琴，估計他手生的隻有讓老師——Mr.Masluk難過的份兒。

Mr.Masluk是一個滿頭銀發、和藹可親的老人，一生從事鋼琴演奏、教學和創作，他的學生中都已有小有成就的鋼琴家。他是一個浸染在藝術世界的人，已過不惑、知天命之年，卻不諳熟“處事為人”與人溝通交流之道，隻憑自己的率真、善良和對音樂的酷愛傾心於他的教學和授業。孩子的進步與好學他形於一個溫和的微笑，表達在琴鍵上他靈巧如燕的指端流出的賦予了生命的音樂示範；孩子調皮、不認真則是他輕聲的一聲歎息，和眉間的一絲無奈，但從未聽他高聲訓斥過一個孩子。

一次帶曰曰去上Group lessons，見他神色低沉，從他與另一個家長的談話中知道，有個孩子回家不肯練琴，來上課時，他說“你拒絕練琴，我也隻好拒絕教琴，請你回去練過後，再來上課”他說，“你看，我多壞......”,那天下午他對自己進行了禁食的懲罰。就是這樣一個善良的老人，因為語言的關係，我們沒有太多的交流，但我們全家都喜歡他。

他鼓勵孩子們利用每一個可能的機會去聽音樂會，如果音樂會上你有心巡視一番觀眾席，就一定會發現在一個稍稍遠離人群、偏遠一些的角落沉醉在音樂中的白發老人。

曰曰剛轉到他那兒學琴時，他剛剛第一次癌症手術痊愈，看上去精神很好。一年多以後，Mr. Masluk 說自己的時間可能不多了，需要花多一些精力來整理他創作的音樂作品，是該退出教學生涯的時候了。那個孩子們告別演出結束時，家長孩子們神色凝重地和先生依依惜別，在握住老人手的那一刻，我的眼淚湧出來，道一聲珍重，再說不出更多的話來。事實上那次曰曰並沒有真的離開他們老師，因為Mr.Masluk還是留了幾個心愛的學生，希望在他有生之年多培養幾個孩子……

我敦促著曰曰用心練琴，希望回去上課時不會讓他太失望。可有一天，從choir class回來的曰曰卻帶來了“Mr.Masluk病了......”的消息。“我們去看他......”，“媽媽，還是不要去了，那隻會讓他更傷心，我們也更傷心......”曰曰的理由確實但不充分，我一直惦念著“也不知道Mr.Masluk好了沒有......”卻也對曰曰的倔強無可奈何。

前天給曰曰choir的bee老師打電話，bee提到Mr.Masluk去年9月份就已經走了，而且她告訴過曰曰，那一刻我都明白了，曰曰為了不讓我難過，隱瞞了實情。“這孩子......” 兒子性格倔強，說話又衝又硬，像極了他的dad。可我倔強的寶貝兒子，又有多麽細膩柔軟的心懷，隻有11歲的他已經懂得心疼、嗬護媽媽了。

下午接曰曰放學回家的路上，我說，“上午我跟bee老師通過電話了，我都知道了，Mr.Masluk……，為什麽不告訴媽媽？”

“我不想你難過……”兒子的眼睛望著窗外，車窗外細雨在玻璃上一道道一行行紛亂地流淌著，我和兒子都不再說話，濕濕的空氣中隻有輕柔的音樂和著窗外的雨絲在飄，兒子令人心暖的關懷讓我強忍住了盈滿眼眶的淚水。快到家的時候，我說“寫點什麽吧，紀念你們的老師……”，“嗯”曰曰點點頭。

鋼琴的旁邊我擺了鮮花，卡片上寫下了“安息吧，尊敬的先生，我們永遠懷念你！”曰曰在他的文中寫道，“I was sorry that I had been such a lazy student. I guess it is too late now because he has vanished from the Earth，but I will always remember him. Remember Eugene Masluk.”

我說，“There will be a lot of regrets in our lives since human beings are smug and stubborn. But also,regrets are our teachers if we are smart. I hope you have learnt something deep in your heart.”

 

附：

As I play piano, I remember my teacher. The famous Eugene Masluk. He was my teacher for over 2 years but he recently passed away. He died after getting cancer for the second time. He was in his mid 70’s and he was such a good man. He used to play piano concerts all over the world.

I miss going to his piano classes. We would always have a group class first. If we played a piece perfectly then we would earn money. I never got any money except once because I didn’t try my best to play flawless. There was one kid who always played and 9 out of 10 chances, he would go home with a dollar or 2 in his pocket. Now that my teacher is gone, I wish I had tried harder to play more efficiently. My teacher always remarked at my talent and said I could become a great piano player as long as I use my brain while playing piano and tried hard. I never did.

Then when the school year came to a close, my dad was working in China so we went back for the summer and that was the last I ever saw of him. 3 months passed and we came back.  One day when I was a choir practice, my teacher, Bee Chow told me sadly, Mr. Masluk had gone off to live the afterlife. It was sad to know that he was gone forever. I was sorry that I had been such a lazy student. I guess it is too late now because he has vanished from the Earth but I will always remember him. Remember Eugene Masluk.