入鄉隨俗
大熔爐，沙拉盆，還是海納百川更好
這個美國軍官是我女兒高中時的朋友。圓圓的臉，大大的眼睛，小小的個子，好象還不到五尺二寸(英寸，目測的)。我們是大城市郊區的公校，少數族裔學生很少，兩個華商女孩都在樂隊，一個小提琴，是首席concert master，一個拉大提琴, 也是首席，很快成了好朋友。背景相似，情趣相投，共同語言比較多。
The American officer was my daughter’s friend in high school. Round face, big eyes, very short, barely 5 feet 2 inches tall, maybe. Our school was a public high school in the suburb of a large metropolitan area. There were very few minority students. The two Chinese Americans girls both joined school orchestra, one playing violin, was the concertmaster; the other on cello, was the first chair. They became good friends very quickly. Coming from similar background, sharing same interest, they had many things in common.
這個女孩，就叫她瑞吧，我不知道她的中文名。她比我女兒大兩歲，看上去文文靜靜，很溫順的樣子。我女兒和她做了兩年朋友，一句怨言都沒有，這非常難得。我這個女兒對自己對別人要求都很高，沒被她抱怨過的女孩一定是個懂事寬厚的姑娘。
This girl, let’s call her Rei, because I didn’t know her Chinese name. She was two years older than my daughter, seemed very quiet and obedient. During the two years they both were in high school. I never heard a complaint about Rei from my daughter. This was very rare. This daughter of mine had high standards for herself and for others. Never a complaint about this girl meant that Rei was a very caring and considerate person.
我和瑞的直接接觸很少。瑞的事都是我從女兒那裏聽來的。瑞的事情我聽到不少，因為我女兒很喜歡她。
I had very little direct contact with Rei. Most things about Rei I heard from my daughter. I heard a lot of things about Rei, because my daughter liked her a lot.
我知道瑞是華裔，因為女兒告訴我，瑞的華語說得很好，這點我女兒很佩服她。女兒還告訴我，瑞在上海住過兩年，她爸爸給派去中國工作，她們全家一起去的。我不知道瑞的一家是從中國大陸來的還是台灣來的，因為女兒不關心這個，從來沒打聽過。
I know Rei is of Chinese descent, because my daughter told me Rei speaks Chinese very well. My daughter was very impressed with this fact. My daughter also told me that Rei lived in Shanghai for two years. Her father was sent to work in China so her whole family went with him. I don’t know whether Rei’s family came from mainland China or Taiwan. My daughter didn’t care about such things. She never asked.
我們的高中第一次開了AP微極分課，隻有十六個學生敢去挑戰。 以前一直有AP Calculus AB, 那年是第一次開Calculus BC。一千六百多個學生的高中，隻有百分之一的學生選了這門課。這班學生心裏沒底，自己打氣，自稱one percenter, 最聰明的百分之一。這個班上隻有瑞和我女兒兩個女生，我誇她們是千裏挑一的姑娘，盡管女兒批評我的算術不夠嚴謹。
When our high school started offering AP Calculus class, only 16 students were brave enough to take up this challenge. Our school had offered AP Calculus AB for many years, but AP Calculus BC was a first time offer that year. Of the sixteen hundred students at this high school, only one percent elected to take this class. The students in this class were not so sure of themselves. So they took to call themselves the One Percenter for self-encouragement, “the Smartest One Percent”. There were only two girls in this class, Rei and my daughter. I praised the two girls being the Greatest, one in a thousand, even though my daughter protested that my math was not exactly right.
雖然我知道瑞很優秀，但當女兒告訴我瑞被空軍軍校錄取時，我還是吃了一驚。第一，美國軍官學校都很不容易進，難度和藤校差不多。還有一個錄取條件是每個學生都要得到一個國會議員的推薦信。瑞平時輕言慢語，我沒想到她是這樣的出色。第二，雖然知道軍隊裏有文官，可這孩子這麽矮小，我實在沒法把她和空軍軍官聯係在一起。女兒說瑞要學一個比較偏的專業，在商科和工科之間。這個專業學的人不多，軍隊裏很需要這方麵的人才。
Even though I knew Rei was a great kid, I was still surprised when my daughter told me that Rei was accepted into the Air Force Academy. Firstly, it is not easy to get into the military academies of the American armed forces. The difficulty of getting in is about the same as that of Ivy League schools. There is also an additional requirement for acceptance into these elite military academies that other colleges do not require. Each student must obtain a recommendation from a U.S. Congressman. Rei strike me as quiet and patient. I didn’t know that she was so outstanding. Secondly, even though I knew there were military officer positions not involved in combat, but Rei was so small, I just could not associate her with an image of an air force officer. My daughter said Rei’s major field of study would be somewhere between business and engineering. Not many people work in this field. ?But the U.S. military really needed people in this area.
瑞離家參軍前把她心愛的大熊留給了我女兒做紀念。這熊在女兒的小房間裏占去了一大塊空間，直到她也離家上大學去了。
Before Rei left home to join the armed forces, she gave her favorite big bear to my daughter for keepsake. This bear took up a lot of space in my daughter’s small room, till she too, left home for college.
當媽以後才發現做這行工作的有不少職業病，其中一個常見病就是瞎操心。自家孩子的心操不夠，還為別人家的孩子操心。我為瑞操的心是擔心她過不了基礎訓練。這麽矮小的女孩，能通過軍校的體能訓練嗎？等我想起來問我女兒時，被告知瑞早已順利通過了。女兒還說，看到瑞在臉書上貼的照片覺得很好笑，一個小女孩和一群大男生一起跑步，這女孩還不及男生們的肩膀那麽高。聽得出我女兒很為她的朋友驕傲。當然她們臉書上的照片是不讓媽媽看的，孩子們大了有她們自己的世界。當媽的另一個常見職業病，瞎摻和，聰明的孩子都懂得預防最重要。
After becoming a mother, I realized that there are lots of occupational diseases associated with this career. One of the common disease is called “worrying for no good reason”. ?Not only worrying about my own kids, I also worry about other people’s kids. My worry for Rei was that she could not pass the basic training. Such a tiny girl, can she get through the rigorous physical training at the military academy? When I remembered to ask my daughter, I was told that Rei had already pass it with no problem at all.
My daughter also said that she thought the pictures Rei posted on Facebook was very funny. A little girl was running amongst a group of big boys, and the girl wasn’t even as tall as the boys’ shoulders. I could tell that my daughter was very proud of her friend. Of course she would not let me see those Facebook pictures. When kids grow up, they have a world of their own. Mothers are often afflicted with another occupational disease, commonly called “meddling”. Smart kids all know prevention is most important.
再聽到瑞的消息是女兒自己提起的。女兒很興奮，告訴我瑞見到了總統了，還和總統握了手。
The next time I heard the news about Rei was when my daughter brought it up herself. My daughter was very excited. She told me that Rei met the President. And Rei got to shake hands with the President of the United States.
是嘛？有圖為證？ 我問。消息的來源可靠，這當然是真的。我不過想看看女兒的臉書，並沒覺得這消息有多麽重要。美國政客親民拉票，和他們握手合影的機會不少。
For real? You got pictures to prove it? I asked. The news came from a dependable source, of course it was real. I just wanted to see my daughter’s Facebook, not that I thought the news itself was a big deal. American politicians like to kiss babies to get votes. There are lots of opportunities to shake hands and take pictures with them.
當然，瑞在臉書上曬了。女兒一臉得意的樣子。
Of course, Rei posted it on Facebook. There was a proud look on my daughter’s face.
是嘛？那讓我看看。孩子們的世界門守得很緊，擔心我進去攪亂了。但我喜歡趴在窗沿上，請求孩子們把窗簾掀起一角讓我看看她們絢麗多彩的生活。孩子們體貼媽的關心，偶而會答應我的要求。
Oh, yeah? Let me see. Normally, my kids guard the door to their world very tight. They are afraid that I will mess things up if they let me in. But I like to stand at the window, begging them to lift up a corner of the curtain, so I can have a peek at the lives in their beautiful world. My kids knew that I cared very much for them. Sometimes they would grant my request.
這次女兒捂不住了，她太高興了，要和媽媽分享。拿起手機，臉書上找到了照片。巴掌大的照片，把我徹底震撼了。從上到下，從內到外的那種震撼。
This time, my daughter couldn’t keep the cover on it. She was so happy that she wanted to share it with Mom. She took out her cell phone and found the picture on Facebook. A picture, no more than the size of the palm, shook me to the core. Top to bottom, inside to outside, that kind of shock.
照片是空軍軍校畢業典禮時拍的。藍天白雲之下，Colorado高原上，軍校操場上坐滿了人。照片是從後排拍的，後麵穿著各色便服的是學員們的家人，前麵潔白一片是穿著軍禮服的應屆畢業學生，主席台上坐著的是教官和政要。
The picture was taken at the graduation ceremony of The United States Air Force Academy. Under the blue sky and white clouds, upon the Colorado plateau, the grounds of Air Force Academy was filled with people. This picture was taken from the back of the crowd. In the back, wearing civilian cloth of all sorts of colors, were the family members of the cadets. In the front, in white dress uniform, were the graduating air force cadets. On the raised platform, were the senior officers and politicians.
主席台前，一位軍官正舉著手，向奧 巴馬總統敬禮。照片上隻能看到這位軍官的背麵，她站得象鋼纖一樣的堅挺。總統微笑著，伸出手來要和這位軍官握手。軍官的個頭不及總統的肩膀，這除了瑞還能是誰！
In front of the podium, an officer raised her hand. She was saluting President Barack Obama, the Supreme Commander of the United States Armed Forces. From the picture, you could only see the back of this officer. She stood ramrod straight. The President, smiling, put out his hand for this office to shake. This officer’s height was not quite as high as President’s shoulder. If not Rei, who else could it be!
謝謝你，寶貝女兒！有機會分享你的喜悅，這是媽媽的榮幸。
Thank you, my precious daughter! It is an honor for this opportunity to share you happiness.
謝謝你，瑞姑娘，親愛的美國軍官！成長的路上有你做伴，這是我女兒的榮幸。
Thank you, Rei, my dear American officer! It is an honor for my daughter growing up with you as her companion.
謝謝你，偉大的美利堅合眾國！有機會在這個以平等自由為立國之本的地方生活，這是我和家人的榮幸。
Thank you, the great United States of America! It is an honor for my family and I to live in this nation built on equality and freedom.
五十多年前，一個牧師的夢語，喚醒了善良人士心中對平等多元社會的渴望。雖然離這個理想社會還很遙遠，但我從這張照片中看到了希望。一個軍官，一個總統，美國人透過膚色，看到了她/他們的內在品質。這就是美國社會進步的證據！
More than 50 years ago, a minister uttered his dream, and woke up the heart’s desire of decent people everywhere, for a society of diversity and equality. Even though the truly equal ideal society is still far away, I can see hope in this picture. An officer and a President, seeing beyond the color of their skin, Americans saw their inner characters. This is an evidence of advancement in the American society!
姐姐離家上大學之後，小妹擔心這熊孩子在小房間裏寂寞， 把它抱了出來。小妹自己的房間早已被絨毛動物塞滿了，隻好把這熊孩子安置在媽媽臥室門前，還派了自己心愛的小白虎來和這熊孩子做伴。
After her big sister left home for college, Baby Sis took this bear out because she did not want the bear to be lonely in the small room by himself. Her own room was already filled with stuff animals. So she found a place for the bear in front of Mom’s bedroom door. Then she sent out her favorite white tiger to keep this bear company.
每天晚上看見這個美國軍官的熊孩子，我就可以踏踏實實地入睡。閉上眼晴，繼續做我的美夢。總有一天，這個夢想會成真的!
When I look at this bear of an American officer, I can sleep tight every night. Closing my eyes, I continue my beautiful dream. Someday, this dream will come true!
蓮盆籽
二0一七年二日八日
==================================================================
Aiming to appeal to the decent and loving Chinese Americans, I put in all my heart, and give it all my might. My sweet peas, I wrote down this memory out of my love for you. I hope you girls will be proud of me.
Mom
February 17, 2017
(The English version of this story is a belated Valentine’ day gift for my daughters.)
Just read it again (This time trying to read Chinese). We are all so proud of you! ~ My lovely daughters.
來美多年，這個隻能說差不多吧。
謝謝閑閑！
嗯，給父母惹禍的孩子也可愛，長大懂事了就好。
謝謝指教！
你是說這是個貶義詞？
那也無妨，它的原主人是英雄。而且我覺得熊孩子是很親切很可愛的稱呼。
謝謝菲兒鼓勵！
向你看齊！
謝謝邇東鼓勵！
過譽了，中文和英文的語式語法我分不清。
存在博客給自家孩子看的，沒想到給網管掛出來示眾，汗！
也好，家裏有不會中文的孩子，但想知道父母關心什麽話題的可以看看。
謝謝園姐鼓勵！
沒這麽曆害，我家小妹要求的。人家也想看看媽媽的世界是怎樣的。。。
還是搞不定！
從Google docs換成 MS word，發出來分段還是多了空格。還無端加了大一堆？。
還沒編輯好就給掛出去了，而且城頭點進看到的和博客裏看到的不一樣，暈！
華人孩子很多優秀的。
周末看你的畫，讀你的文是很快樂！