子曰:唯小人与女子难养也!俺家小人年芳九岁,是个女娃子。小女子,养这么大,真的是很难的,要不她咋叫小坏枣?
记得也是春暖花还没开吧,俺和领导带大娃去小镇边的运河公园遛弯。绿草还不太青青,凉风有点习习,老天那个蓝蓝,阳光确实灿烂。俺正坐在木凳上犯春困嘞,边上跑来一碧眼金发的精致洋娃娃。四五岁吧,小丫头上蹿下跳的,一边还叫着:”Daddy, Daddy, Watch me!” 那爹一脸幸福,三步两步跑来,”Let’s go, young lady!“,把小女肩上一扛,大步走了。洋娃娃留下一串笑声,咯咯咯咯。。。,象风铃。 俺一声叹息:俺要有这一女娃多好?男人啊,有了老婆想小蜜,有了蓝袜盼绿袜,心胸宽阔着嘞。羡慕归羡慕,计划生育是基本国策,俺老老年间独生子女证就领了,还指望啥呢?
领导怀上小坏枣绝对是个事故,俺那阵写屁儿七弟毕业论文,忙着哪。听到俺家要添丁了,有点晴天霹雳的感觉。不过既然都那样了,俺也只好一万个不情愿地陪领导去医院做B超了。那是俺第一次看到俺家小坏枣,在小屏幕上。小踏鼻,高额头,脚不停手不住的,一看就是颗小坏枣,不善。护士瞅着屏幕看了半天,找不到男同学的零件。回头对俺说,看不清,不知蓝的绿的。俺看上去面若止水,暗地里早乐开花喽。神嘛神的嘞,找不到零件,这就对了,绿的呗!
俺大娃是在国内生的,那时国内是规模生产,待产房里一溜烟躺好几个产妇,据说都没穿裤子,所以蓝的是不让看的。娃生下来后,小护士会抱到门口给看一眼,那时辰俺刚好不在。一错过就几天,出院时才看着俺大娃,遗憾得嘞。
二娃这回,俺就在产房里三陪喽,打死俺也不出去。领导到底是二进宫了,开始时还是镇定自如地,跟医生护士阴文来阳文去的。到后来就不行喽,哭爹喊娘的,全是曼得玲。俺啥也不会,只有握着领导的手,看一屋子医生护士忙得四脚朝天。
一盏茶工夫吧,沙哑一声哭,女娃子生出来了。医生把一团血糊糊,粉嘟嘟的小东西就放在领导的肚子上了,领导顿时热泪盈眶。俺像患了帕金生症,双手抖活着,把脐带给剪了,感觉就象在实验室里剪了一段牛筋管。护士一张大布将小东西裹了,递俺手上,当年抱大娃的感觉全回来喽。看俺怀里的小坏枣,小眼眯着,小爪子蜷着,小嘴瘪着。俺表情是平静的,心潮是澎湃的,嗓子是干涩的,鼻子是酸酸的,眼角有点潮潮的。
俗话说,第一个照书养,第二个照猪养。俺后来明白,重点是那个猪字。小坏枣回家了,俺才明白啥叫掌上鸣猪。俺也算是老来得女喽,(对不住有点夸张,俺承认。俺爹听俺这么汇报,就皱过眉头。啥子话,老子面前说老,想吃笋子熬肉喔?)俺心态有点老,对小坏枣就比较牵就。要不咋叫小坏枣,家伙马上明白了。一放床上就哭呵,可劲的哭,像小猪一样。到后来三更半夜,领导就是张开巴掌抱着她,还叫唤,真的是掌上鸣猪。
无奈何,领导和俺就轮流在家里踱方步了,把俺困得呀。后来听俺爹说俺小时候就这德行,把俺祖奶奶给累得不行,俺方信了啥叫报应。就这样一溜小跑地,每晚两三点俺就饿得不行。饿了就吃,鸡蛋汤面啥的,吃完就睡,美得很。几个多月后,领导就大叫道:是我坐月子还是你坐月子呵?俺从前是有名的两眼近视,人如竹竿细。如今是脸也圆了,腰也粗了,裤子也换大一号了。俺捧着小坏枣说:You really changed my life!
转眼小坏枣两岁多了,能说会跑,就是不爱睡觉。俺家半夜12点还灯火通明,小坏枣楼上楼下,左屋右屋地窜。俺同事都知道这事,早上看俺睡眼惺忪的程度,八九不离十能断出俺家小坏枣昨夜几时入眠的。
小坏枣是一天比一天坏喽,能说会跑就开始跟比她大快八岁的大娃掐,每天至少一回。某日兄妹俩在床上爬上爬下,小坏枣一不留神滚到地上了,大哭:哥哥你不要推我,5555!俺在旁边四只眼看得清清爽爽,他哥离他少说两尺远。小女子,不善。人说近朱者赤,近墨者黑,俺深以为然。小坏枣某日冲她哥申一手指头,大叫:大娃,还不上楼做作业,给你最后一分钟,哼!那是学俺的。又一日晚十点左右,小坏枣于楼梯口处大喝:她爹,还不上来睡觉,在下面搞什么搞,瞎搞!大有领导雌风。
小坏枣三岁上下爱上了迪斯尼的动画片,比如象“白雪公主”或“灰姑娘”。以她的悟性,很快就明白“后妈”是怎么回事。领导是小坏枣的最爱,分分秒秒被小坏枣纠缠,免不了因疲惫而不堪。于是领导说:“你把妈妈累死了,你爸会给你找一后妈!” 俺目瞪口呆, 小坏枣抗议:“ 嗯嗯,我不要后妈!” 又一日,小人一脸严肃面对领导说:“妈妈,你把我气死以后,你就会有一个后小坏枣,是的吧?”这回该领导目瞪口呆,俺笑到岔气。
小坏枣爱上迪斯尼,俺一家老小就得下奥兰多喽。小坏枣在MGM和Magic Kingdom里拿一小本到处找那些卡通人物签名啦,与他们一起合影啦,当他们都是真的,追星追得那个乐。一日中午,俺一家就着弗落里达的阳光午餐。领导说,小坏枣今天是你爹生日啦,你该说点啥?小坏枣急了,真的吗可我没准备礼物,怎莫办呀?小坏枣到底是小坏枣,转身在地上捡起一片树叶子,颠颠地跑俺面前:“Daddy, Happy birthday! I have a gift for you!” 俺一脸正经地接下树叶子,放在贴胸口袋里,作幸福状拿腔拿调道:“That’s so sweet! Thanks a lot. I love you!”俺伸手把小坏枣揽住说,“来,给爹一Hug and Kiss”, 小坏枣小手搂俺脖子说:“Hamburger and Cheese!” 在俺脸上啄一口,跑了。领导在旁边早笑得面若桃花。
若干年后的不久前与俺斗嘴,小坏枣还问她迪斯尼乐园给俺的生日礼物那去了?俺忙顾左右而言它。事后想想有些遗憾,应该把那片小叶子保存下来的。等将来小坏枣嫁人那天再回赠给她,那样俺是不是会显得很有文化?
岁月如梭,光阴似箭。小坏枣四岁多上pre-school, 几年下来从Kindergarten到三年级,眨巴眼就融入她那小社会。每天下学回来家长里短的:啥班上有几个蓝的几个绿的,萨娜生病了今天没来上课,施密斯太太怀上蓝娃了明年几月生,Who has a crush on who (谁又爱上了谁),各种小道消息应有尽有。一天小坏枣冷不丁说学校有个男娃说她很Sexy问俺Sexy是啥意思?啥意思!俺阶级斗争的弦一下就绷紧了,那啥意思You are too young for that,下次他再说就拿砖拍他。小坏枣说打人是不对的转身跑了。嗨,女娃男娃打小就不一样,俺大娃就从不给俺们汇报这些nonsense. 俺要追问他学校里的事情,大多数答案是:“Don’t know 或Don’t care”
这阶段俺最怕小坏枣在学校里受啥委屈,她受啥委屈俺得倒霉因为俺是她的出气筒子。故事一般从俺去After school daycare接她开始的,俺察言观色就知道小坏枣今天不爽。坐到车上小坏枣就开问今天接我为啥很晚?俺说不晚啊每天都差不多时间的。她说跟昨天就不一样。俺说昨天你娘接你的还晚半小时哪。她说那明天我不想上学了。俺说那是明天是星期六不用上学。她说星期六我不想上中文学校了。俺说那不行。她说丽娅就不用上中文学校。俺说可你是中国人。她说今天接我为啥很晚?俺说不晚啊每天都差不多时间的。。。这就车轱辘开了,回到家里还没完。
一般就这样鸡生蛋蛋生鸡的二三十分钟,再大哭二十余分钟,兼代着控诉俺很mean, 不够nice啥的。五十到五十五分钟左右,小坏枣开始进入正题。眼泪还没干,已经不哭了。说啥某男生今天午饭时老大叫,Lunch lady 很生气后果很严重。Lunch lady生气了就让我们全班Stay inside, no recess after lunch. It is not fair at all! I did nothing wrong! 俺忙说那是你们Lunch lady的不是你没做错啥你哭啊闹啊半天不上算呵。小坏枣说我就是比较敏感我控制不了自己。我说我知道我知道要不朝那皮沙发打几拳踢几脚出口恶气?小坏枣白我一眼Daddy you are silly but I feel better now。俺心说谢天谢地喽。
小坏枣慢慢长大了,大了的小坏枣知道这件衣服要配那条裤子,知道小坏枣剪短头发不好看长发飘飘才漂亮。小坏枣要一天天长大,俺就一天天退化成老蓝人喽。不过每天回家来小坏枣给俺一个Hamburger and Cheese,俺上班下班那些恼人的鸟事就全忘记了。几年前在公司午餐时,同事问俺女儿儿子感觉有啥不同,俺说:“儿子让你骄傲,女儿让你感觉很好”, 边上一棒子国来的听后鸡啄米似的直点头,老兄家里也是一儿一女,大概是感同身受。
在网上看到一首歌,是Bob Carlisle写给他十六岁女儿的。俺读那个词,能感觉到作者把老男人沉重的盔甲都卸掉了,剩下的是一颗柔软的心,和一双淌着蜜注视着爱女的眼睛。那歌名叫Butterfly Kisses,(就是那种彼此用眼睫毛在脸上挠痒的游戏。感兴趣可以到Youtube去听听http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgZftrobqlg )歌词大意是:
There's two things I know for sure.
She was sent here from heaven, and she's daddy's little girl.
As I drop to my knees by her bed at night, she talks to Jesus, and I close my
eyes.
And I thank God for all the joy in my life,
Oh, but most of all, for...
Butterfly kisses after bedtime prayer.
Stickin' little white flowers all up in her hair.
"Walk beside the pony, daddy, it's my first ride."
"I know the cake looks funny, daddy, but I sure tried."
Oh, with all that I've done wrong, I must have done something right
To deserve a hug every morning, and butterfly kisses at night.
Sweet sixteen today,
She's looking like her momma a little more every day.
One part woman, the other part girl.
To perfume and makeup, from ribbons and curls.
Trying her wings out in a great big world.
But I remember...
Butterfly kisses after bedtime prayer.
Stickin' little white flowers all up in her hair.
"You know how much I love you, daddy, but if you don't mind,
I'm only going to kiss you on the cheek this time."
Oh, with all that I've done wrong, I must have done something right.
To deserve her love every morning, and butterfly kisses at night.
All the precious time ... Like the wind, the years go by
Precious butterfly ... Spread your wings and fly
She'll change her name today.
She'll make a promise and I'll give her away.
Standing in the bride room just staring at her,
she asked me what I'm thinking, and I said "I'm not sure,
I just feel like I'm losing my baby girl." Then she leaned over... and gave
me...
Butterfly kisses, with her mama there sticking little flowers all up in her hair
"Walk me down the aisle, daddy, it's just about time"
"Does my wedding gown look pretty, daddy?" "Daddy, don't cry."
Oh, with all that I've done wrong, I must have done something right
To deserve her love every morning, and butterfly kisses
I couldn't ask God for more. Man, this is what love is.
I know I've gotta let her go, but I'll always remember
every hug in the morning, and butterfly kisses...