歐巴桑長笛手

過年前，開始想要學一種樂器。

不知道為什麼？那股動力持續上揚，好像摩托車引擎發動，催油上路，就該往前駛去。

是開始學樂器的時候了。

可是要學什麼樂器呢？

鋼琴老師說，當然要吹單簧管，每個音域都可吹，而且符合人體工學，除了小提琴外，最適合和鋼琴合奏的樂器。

「不要〝聳〞了，現在吹長笛的人實在太多了，吹點不一樣的吧！」鋼琴老師不死心地說服我。

原來她是在幫我作市場區隔。

我只想跟伊恩合奏，他一個人彈鋼琴實在太寂寞了，而且他已經要開始上先修班，開始學伴奏，這樣繼續學鋼琴似乎會有趣些，我的身份也可從伴讀升格到合奏。

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熱

這個城市有著令人不敢恭維的熱度，熱塵蒙蔽了所有知覺的張口，完全封閉不留餘地。

不經意飄下的微雨，叫人驚喜這城市似乎尚存一絲絲一絲絲活路，藉著雨意的微嘆，一點點，一點點，人們的感官有些靈動。

初來這城市，最教人無法忍受沒有四季的平庸，12月仍然短褲短袖上身，冬天就冷那短短春節一個月，沒有春日就逕自躍入初夏，毛衣的溫暖只在記憶中發燙，回台北過冬，就變成了冬天裡最令人無奈的笑話。

連台北的雨都讓人懷念，也是喝咖啡的最好理由。找一家熟識的咖啡館等朋友、跟老闆聊天、看書、作夢、發呆、和男朋友吵架……，那杯咖啡香也有不尋於常的關心和溫暖。

因為冷吧，只好踡窩相聚，激動的心跳也能清楚聽的見自己的呼吸。

在這個城市，只能在夜晚，終於，這燥熱累了、退了席，讓有一點涼意的夜風撩起五官的甦醒，薄衫長裙立於四野空曠的陽台，領享乘風飛翔的自由與舒暢。

在南部，只有夜是屬於四季的呼喚。

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Travel Oversea by Myself

Next week, my family and I will go to Kyoto for our annual tour. I like to plan the tour by myself rather than by a travel agent. The maple tour last year in Hokkaido is the only exception. Since my mother-in-law is too old to travel by herself, we all agreed to take a tour organized by a travel agent in Japan.

This is the second time I have visited Kyoto. Last time I traveled alone by JR (Japan Railroad) express from Tokyo to Kyoto for three days when I was twenty-five. Kyoto is the so-called “spiritual city”. The ancient, wise culture and atmosphere can clear up our thoughts, ease our mind and make us relax to travel around. I made some foreigner friends last time there: a geography professor, a Korean college student and a local young man. The professor sent a postcard to me from the South Pole after his Kyoto travel. The Korean college student introduced me to Korean culture by writing letters to me for many years, and the Japanese young man took me to the unknown local beautiful spot in his fancy car.

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