爬山碰到了蛇 (w English)
文章来源: 暖冬cool夏 于 2019-04-25 17:01:06
对蛇的恐惧可能是与生俱来的，不知道上帝为什么会创造这样一种无脚的，靠肚子挪动的动物，看一眼就让人心生厌恶恐惧。小时候， 家住在山上。有一年夏天，一条白蛇，不知怎么地钻进我和弟弟睡觉的房间，躲在床板下的角落里不肯出来。记得全院的人都来帮忙打蛇。蛇是被打死了，可是过了几天，又一条白蛇出现在我家附近的邻居门口，人们说那蛇说不定是蛇妈妈，来寻找那条被打死的。 这么多年过去了，已经记不清很多细节了，然而， 那种对蛇的恐惧连同墙角的血迹却从此深植在记忆里。
 
上周六，想趁着春光大好，再去爬一次山，却因在沿途碰见了蛇而中途折回。虽说爬过三年山，但那时仗着人多，大家有说有笑，加上三年也就碰到过两次，每次我都绕道不看，并没有太大的恐惧。 但这次不同，就我和某人两个人。那日，我们沿着蜿蜒的山路向上走着，说笑着，突然在靠近花丛的右侧，惊见一条蛇在爬行，长长的身子扭动着。我大声惊叫了起来，而某人却面不改色地靠近它，掏出手机拍了起来，一边拍，一边说，"没事，应该是无毒的"。在某人连哄带劝的话语声中，我又战战兢兢地跟着他，继续向前。不料，没走几百米，又看见一条，这次是在路中央的浅草丛中，他走过时并没有注意到。我原地站着尖叫着，心都提到了嗓子眼。 只见他捡起路旁的一根细长枝条，把蛇拨了几下， 然后向我招招手， 意思是说，警报已经解除了，事后还跟我说，这条蛇应该挺聪明的。 而我却不愿意再爬了，哪怕山顶有无限风光， 我已无心观看。
 
他不愿意半途而废，我只好望着他的身影，一个人折身下山。下山的途中，在几乎同一处又碰见一条蛇，许是来时看到的同一条，只是它从路的右侧换到左侧。我的恐惧心理达到了极点。 我开始小跑起来，只想早一分钟逃离这个危机四伏的地方。我双眼只盯着路中央脚即将要踏过之处，不再看两旁的草丛。 在我跳跃的视线中， 路面干裂造成的裂痕都像是一条条蛇。 我憋足了的一口气，加快速度冲下了山，一边冲，一边拼命剁着两只脚，故意发出巨大的声响，希望这样，如果前面有蛇听到了会自动溜走。
 
就这样，在恐惧中我跑下了山， 到了平地处，坐下来等他。 渐渐地，心平静了下来， 脑子却不由得开始胡思乱想了起来。 老实说， 开始时，心里掠过一丝不快， 抱怨他不陪我一起回来 (想来他一定不知道我会这么害怕)。 所以当我看到他笑眯眯走下坡时， 我开玩笑说，"这山上美景如何? 是有美女等着，还是有美女蛇等着，连老婆都弃之不顾了?"  可其实，人的一生就像这爬坡，有人陪你同行自然好，没人同行，有时还不是要一个人去面对， 面对期间的种种障碍和困难。 而当他兴致勃勃地掏出手机，给我看山顶上拍的风光照和video时， 那一刻的我却庆幸没有因为自己的软弱阻碍他的脚步，使他也丧失了欣赏的机会和权利。 从某种角度上说，我其实也是最终受益者， 因为通过他，我间接地看到了美， 那种或许唯有勇士才能接触到的美。
 
 
 
 

This spring’s super bloom is unprecedented.  Every workday when I went to the company’s kitchen for water, I would spare a moment standing in front of the big window, looking at the mountains afar, to  relish at the rare spring color, its gradual changes, from green, to mixture of green and yellow when large swaths of mustard flowers erupting,  to its final suffusion of riotous yellow carpeting all over the tops.  But then the green color receded, signaling that the grass must be dying from the monthlong draught and sunlight.  With the sheer yellow color alone, I know the spring is coming to its end.

So last Saturday I urged someone to hike with me again, to a valley that was extravagant with mustard flowers in 2017. When we set our foot on the zigzag trails and climbed upward, the scene was just as spectacular as expected. The mustard flowers, flanking and dancing on both sides of trails, were taller than a man’s height. Their abundance made the once-wide and barren trails narrow and bushy. As we enjoyed the view along the way, a yellowish terrifying snake came to our sight. I shuddered in horror, shrieking uncontrollably as it wriggled its body among the bushes. While he, with his cell phone, approached closer for a picture, telling me in a calm voice that it was a non-poisonous California King or something.  The snake soon slithered away, but my terror lingered.  He took the lead, hiked in the front, to clear the path, assumingly.  Walking a few hundred yards farther, I spot something moving again. I stepped back and screamed out loud. He turned his back, and there a few steps away lurked another one in the middle of the trail that he just passed by. He picked up a long stick, poked at the snake, and beckoned me to come along as the snake was out of sight.  By then my fear mounted to such a tension that I decided to turn back, alone. None of the beautiful scenes would outweigh my psychological fear.

The descent turned out to be scarier. Every step was so intense and nervous, as I gathered all my courage and attention. Then about the same place that the first snake was spotted, I saw it again, at the other side of the road this time.  I was momentarily transfixed, not knowing what to do. Luckily three young people were hiking upward towards me. They saw me, heard me, approached the bush, and then said breezily that there was no snake.  They continued upward, talking at ease, while I was helpless on my own again. I took a deep breath, collecting myself, and started nervously running down. I purposely stamped my two feet heavily to give warning to any snake ahead, that “I am coming” :). I forced myself to only focus on the trail in the middle.  But in my fearful mind, the cracks on the dry road surface by the side of bushes all looked like black snakes.  When I finally made it to the open clearing at the foot of the hill, I was relieved it was over.

The next day, the muscle on both my legs was sore, as a result of nervousness I believe. To be strong at any circumstance is not easy, especially when you have to confront your psychological fear alone.  Nobody can actually help me but myself.