難忘的波蘭客人

雖然萍水相逢，聚散匆匆，我的Airbnb客人卻令我印象深刻，其中一位波蘭女士更使我時常想起。

我想起她的至理名言：「當你感覺某件事或某種情況讓你心裡作難，那通常跟金錢有關。」

已經預約的Airbnb住客突然因故取消訂房 。我忍不住嘆息了一聲。這跟錢有關。

租客捎來烤箱和爐子無法同時使用，烤箱或爐子壞了。我感覺煩心。當然這也跟錢有關。

牙齒怪怪地，可能過敏或發炎了， 恐怕要去牙醫了。我暗自擔心。因為在紐西蘭看牙可要花大把銀子的。

我不得不佩服她深知人生甘苦，人情練達。她六七十歲了，粗胖的身材暗示人生負擔沉重，滿面風霜中透顯著精明能幹。

當我從客廳眺望後院，看到葡萄枝條攀著籬笆向兩側伸展優雅的線條，一朵朵翠綠的葉子在風中搖曳著生命的喜悅，我也會想起她。

她說，那麼長的籬笆空無一物，多麼單調無趣啊！籬笆下很適合種一棵葡萄啊！枝條的姿態、翠葉的豐茂以及葡萄成熟時晶瑩的紫色寶石，都將使你的籬笆更美啊。

我也是深深記得。

所以一朝，我在後院Deck前葡萄樹下發現一株葡萄幼苗，立即把它挖下來移植到那籬笆下。

她讓我看她在美國家園相片，她說她熱愛園藝，她搬進住家之後，費了幾年的努力，讓土壤變得肥沃， 因此所種的花卉、蔬菜多壯碩美麗。

可是她想離開美國，移民紐西蘭。這是她來紐西蘭旅遊的目的。她在尋找一個宜居的小城。

但是美國的房子比紐西蘭尼爾森便宜許多。她得回美國賣房子籌錢。

她住的房間對著後院以及東側。一日她又對我說你東側籬笆又老舊又骯髒，要不就種些色彩鮮豔的花兒來裝飾美化，你要不就清洗籬笆。

這我也是永遠記得。

我說，前主人在籬笆下蓋防雜草網後鋪上碎石頭，要移走碎石與網子，太費工夫。

她說你可以買花盆來掛在籬笆上。

我心裡作難，因為這得花錢，且澆水費工夫。

她離去後，我用強力沖水機洗去髒污，還她木材本色。但幾年後，鄰居院子的沃土年日積累與灑水設施的澆灌，從籬笆縫中鑽出幾株薰衣草， 一株不知名的花兒長得修長嬌美，一朵朵花兒次第地從初春開到暮春。連葡萄樹 、草莓、 黑莓、Black carrent 、蕨類與小樹苗都來寄居籬下。因為記得她的話，我把它們留下查看。

如今我住在她曾經留宿的房間，躺在床上，都可以看到纖細的葡萄藤已沿鐵絲網奮力爬著，少許的幾片翠葉招搖著。

我沒有依她的話去美化我的舊籬笆，但我的心牢牢承載這份期待與夢想，悠悠歲月與自然的奧妙為我創造這一園景。

如果她再度來訪，看到此情此景，會不會驚訝於言語的力量或人對人的影響力？ 即使那緣分只是短短三周。

她說她住在Mapua時租車，搬來我家之後她不再租車，因租車比房租還貴，我家離購物中心不遠。

但沒有車出門還是不便，所以她居然冒著生命的危險請來紐西蘭才開始學開車的我載她。我載她去Richmond採藍莓和購物，去尼爾森巴士站拿到基督城與福斯冰河的資料。

去Richmond採藍莓時，經過圓環我進入錯誤的路線，所以我倒退，再轉入左轉路線。因為這是我第一次自己開車走這路線。更扯的是去尼爾森時，右轉時竟不知轉入右轉專用車道，居然轉向左側快速車道，幸好左側並無來車。當時她只是指導我該如何善後，並未發怒責備我。不過，當我們去Richmond購物回Stoke ，道路車速規定從時速80轉為50，且那只是連接兩個圓環一段很短的路。於是在進入時速50時，我從80剎車到50。此時她忍不住斥責我：「你突然剎車，會讓後面車子撞上你啊！多麼危險！ 何必死腦筋硬要遵照時速規定呢！」

這段路如今已改為時速60轉為50，但每當我行經這段路時，我就會想起她的話。

每當我嘗試轉開罐頭時，我也會想起她。

當我們在廚房做飯，我拚力扭開罐頭蓋仍告失敗，她拿過去說，你很弱呢！你不能在大理石料理台敲敲嗎 ？ 連這個你都不懂、不會嗎？

說著，她拿著罐頭敲敲料理台後居然打開了。她說，她從波蘭移民到美國，後來離婚，獨自撫養一個兒子。她必須兼兩份工作， 才能栽培她的兒子。 生活很艱辛，但一切都值得，因為兒子表現傑出，她以兒子為榮。

我本是一個動口不動手的人，來尼爾森後我也學習拿鋸子修剪樹木，拿槌子把木棒打進土裡， 然後動手為甜豆、藍莓、葡萄、無花果、甜柿蓋網， 修補浴室磁磚的裂縫，修理灑水設施，用割草機割草，噴灑殺草劑除雜草。不過，我現在還是捨不得敲我的大理石料理台，我怕敲出痕跡啊。

她的誠實坦白也讓我難忘。

那是我來紐西蘭的第二年，英文口說能力仍然很差。她告訴我，你的英語真的很爛，你要做Airbnb，這樣的英語怎麼能跟客人溝通？ 你得想辦法提升啊！

我雖有點兒自知之明，但還是覺得忠言逆耳。她的話刺激我，我請紐西蘭朋友修正發音，上午去Saxton Field 健身運動，跟鄰居聊天，去NEC學英文；希望增進聽力，做飯、吃飯時聽英文，心思卻常飄到九霄雲外；要求自己端坐電視機旁聽新聞報導，還是忍不住滑手機。加上年華老大，難以牢記，卻易於遺忘，所以來紐西蘭六年了，我的英文還是進步殊少。不過，她逆耳之言長在我耳邊繚繞，鞭策我。

她來時是夏天，杏桃、蜜李以及藍莓、草莓、黑莓成熟時。

她把幾十個杏桃擺在臥室窗台，排城一行甜蜜的隊伍等待熟軟。我怕熟爛出汁玷汙原木的窗台，我提醒她；看到浴室的窗台有一個手掌大的污痕，我就教她。雖是自己的家，此前我未曾留意，不知是否早已存在。她說她沒對窗台做甚麼。我既想分租臥室賺點錢維生，又深怕租客傷害房子，滿惹人厭的。

她似乎跟年輕秀美、英文甚好的另一常住房客Linda相處愉快。

Linda 邀我和她去Whispering falls健行，一路上她高興地跟Linda談說，幾乎忘了我的存在。她不敢走過被大雨沖刷後近河流的狹窄步道，願慢慢走回停車處。她很開心能出來走走，也知道自己的極限。

最後一天，當我開車送她去機場搭機，快到機場時她問我要不要付錢。我說你來決定，我不在意。當她下車拎行李時，在手提袋慌亂地找鈔票，居然就把一張五元或十元鈔票扔在座位上。

一個惡劣的道別手式？或者她只是著急，又離我位置甚遠，無法遞給我。

也許她認為我真不上道，她在我這尼爾森最便宜的Airbnb住了三個禮拜，送給我許多箴言，我居然還不乾脆說不必付車費。更有趣的是我載她那麼多次，她也沒問是否要付費，我也不曾索費，何以臨別要來此一問？難道我的開車技術已符合收費資格？ 而之前可能是我要付她教練費嗎？我知道我是該深思熟慮卻輕率為之，不須想太多卻費心胡思亂想的人。

尼爾森很小，我們常與熟人或冤家不期而遇。可是始終沒有再看見她。我真希望再看見她。

我也驚訝於即使跟我們僅有一面之緣的人帶來細膩深遠的影響。那些影響，我們可能自知，也可能不自覺。

My Polish Guest

Even though my Airbnb guests always stayed a short time, they left an impression on me”, especially a guest who was from the U.S.A and was born in Poland.

She said that if something makes you worried, it’s probably related to money. When my tenant told me the oven didn’t work, I was worried, because I had to repair it or buy a new one and it would be expensive. I thought of her and I agree with her (opinion). She was a wise and experienced woman.

She told me that she had immigrated to the U.S.A, got married and had a son. She was divorced so she had to have two jobs to raise her son. She had worked very hard all her life but she thought it was worth it, because her son was well-educated and now had a good job. She was very proud of him. She was travelling around New Zealand for a few months to looking for a place to stay because she wanted to move to New Zealand.

Once, while we were cooking, I tried to open a can but I couldn’t. She said, “Let me open that for you. Don’t you know how to open it? You just take the can and knock it on the table and it will be easier to open.” Then she did it. So when I need to open a can, I think of her.

Whenever I look at my backyard fence, I think of her. She told me, “Your fence is so long and empty. Why don’t you plant a grape vine? It would make your fence more beautiful.” One day, I saw a grape seedling so I transplanted it under the fence. The vine has grown very well and not only makes the fence pretty, but also gives me lots of grapes every year.

While staying at my place, she didn’t have a car so I drove her to go shopping and other places. She risked her life because I was still a learner driver. Once, I chose the wrong line when I was turning right into Waimea Road, and she didn’t get angry. But when I slowed down in order to keep to the speed limit which was from 80km/hour to 50 km/hour between two roundabouts on Main Road, she got upset, “Why are you so stupid? You’ll terrify the driver who behind you. You don’t have to obey the speed like that. It was very dangerous.” I always think of her when I drive along this road and remind myself not to be stupid.

She was the most honest person I have ever met. She told me that my English was terrible. I should try my best to improve it otherwise who could communicate with me? I have never ever forgotten her advice, so I do self-study, talk with my friends and I went to Nelson English Centre to study English. Unfortunately, my English is still very poor. (THAT’S NOT TRUE!!! J Dave )

I don’t know whether she has moved to Nelson or not but I look forward to seeing her again and thanking her. I think people influence each other so much even though we might only meet them once in our life.

06/12/2021

Dave my NEC English teacher corrects my grammar