月將落、日將出,天色曖昧,墨藍紫橙灰白。空氣清爽,不濕不翳,恐怕正午烈日將會惡毒萬分。213Please respect copyright.PENANAHk7oOUzzji
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老農不怕。他年過六十,從事農務五十餘年,見盡風雨,豈會害怕好天氣?213Please respect copyright.PENANAjup6CPk9Gf
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早餐後,他沒急著工作,先是繞著水田走一片,察看有沒有異樣。213Please respect copyright.PENANAbgulHsA3HV
213Please respect copyright.PENANAYtSPxf5bTI
奇怪!昨晚無風無雨,怎麼部份水田一片狼藉?老農立即跑進田裡拐幾圈粗略點算損失。看!秧田不是大範圍受破壞,受損水秧不是集體被折斷或被連根拔起,而是每隔四五根就有一兩棵遭殃。根本不是大自然風雨做成,明顯是人為破壞!213Please respect copyright.PENANAJJQjvbJ8Wv
213Please respect copyright.PENANAB0fjdIbP2B
近來有否開罪別人?難道是住在村口那個小子惡作劇?一定是他!他是在城市長大的孩子,一年裡頭僅有七月、八月回鄉度假,從沒在田裡工作,不知農人辛酸。記得去年那個壞小子偷溜入老農水田嬉玩耍樂,將水秧弄得歪歪斜斜,影響收成品質,賣不到好價錢。213Please respect copyright.PENANAcntqa2QbWn
213Please respect copyright.PENANAeEhvasQ6HC
老農越想越氣,擸起木棍衝往村口向那戶人家討公道。對方連聲否認,說孩子這幾天都在家裡溫習做功課,沒可能偷溜到他田裡搞破壞。老農不相信,硬要拖那小子出來受棍。家長們情急之下執起鋤頭泥耙反擊,嚇得老農跋腿跑走。213Please respect copyright.PENANAyuDz2pSdus
213Please respect copyright.PENANAiVSP4oyVUN
站在自家水田前,放眼望去,滿腔委屈,欲哭無淚。不。沒多餘時間傷春悲秋。洗把臉,然後盡快拔走死秧,以免腐根惹蟲。蹲下來細心檢查水秧狀況,好的留,壞的拔。213Please respect copyright.PENANAcxqF4j0Uhe
213Please respect copyright.PENANAu4vejMsdgk
拔拔拔,拔掉心頭肉似的。一棵秧不僅是一棵秧,而是他一整年的努力和收入!他想在做冬時吃好肉、喝好酒或是在新年時買串爆竹煙火。兒時樂子不多,爆竹紅噹噹的,燃起來時熱熱鬧鬧的,是他最期待的玩意。這種期待彷彿自當時開始落地生根……213Please respect copyright.PENANAyol7JGFRdf
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「我來幫忙的。」一個瘦長影子從後而至。213Please respect copyright.PENANAH3ZBSJmJZ0
213Please respect copyright.PENANANR2KjA8JvM
「你剛才不是否認了嗎?」老農氣在心頭,繼續半蹲拔秧,沒有回頭望。213Please respect copyright.PENANA9WEr5ZW2Ft
213Please respect copyright.PENANAuRo3FSLJ5l
「真的不是我做!」小子急急耍手否認:「大家擔心你獨個兒……」213Please respect copyright.PENANAPrGMn0zUX0
213Please respect copyright.PENANAVs27VQA6WP
「擔心我獨個兒處理不來嗎?看不起我嗎?」老農提聲斥喝:「我沒有讀過書的文化人那麼見多識廣,但不代表我無本事!我種田五十多年,有哪個步驟會難倒我?沒有!聽見了沒?沒有任何問題會難倒我!」213Please respect copyright.PENANAgq5Zh12BVX
213Please respect copyright.PENANA2a5eouHySW
「我不是這意思……」小子不知所措,怯怯後退幾步。213Please respect copyright.PENANAFFbcwgUHJU
213Please respect copyright.PENANA0E0yckbrZa
老農脾氣暴躁卻不魯莽。他吁一口氣,壓下內心煩鬱,擺起臭臉以平和聲線對小子說:「你能承受粗活嗎?」213Please respect copyright.PENANAJQc0oo3Evf
213Please respect copyright.PENANAnRoVvWWyqO
小子沒頭沒腦點點頭。老農奸笑,笑小子不知世途險惡,猶幸自己不是甚麼壞心眼的傢伙。他想了想,給小子分配些許簡單細活——說不上粗重,亦不需怎麼動腦筋——但對成市人而言,這無疑是真正粗活。213Please respect copyright.PENANAbyFxKf9s4i
213Please respect copyright.PENANAelZQbsBnrd
未到正午,小子已汗流浹背,兩頰通紅,紅得像爆竹。老農看得樂呵呵的——他聯想起兒子孩時可愛模樣。213Please respect copyright.PENANAsRrsy2B1q5
213Please respect copyright.PENANAO9TYGpis54
老農的獨生子名叫阿犇,今年四十七歲。他早在三十年前到城市找工作去。起初一、兩年會回探望老農;後來幾年僅是寄信、寄生活費或日用品,說新年期間留廠工作會有高額加班費;接下來的日子,每隔一段日子會托朋友捎來一兩句簡單問候。所謂一段日子,短則兩年,長則五年。屈指一算。不對喔!原來是七年。他最後一次收到阿犇消息已是七年前的事。213Please respect copyright.PENANAPgnSw6SnFL
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阿犇永遠不會回來——老農如此認為。213Please respect copyright.PENANAF4PMOqoiea
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憤怒。悲傷。無奈。寂寞。希望下一階段許是「沒所謂」。213Please respect copyright.PENANAGLplA10w0b
213Please respect copyright.PENANAtsQaVHfvwz
就像住在村尾那個百歲人瑞婆婆那樣,老得癡癡呆呆,忘記一切,生活日常全靠家人打理。老農偶爾會經過她家,總會看見她坐在屋前搖搖椅,搖搖搖,遙遙望天望雲望鳥。有人說她安享晚年,有人說是折磨,老農認為她對身邊一切沒所謂——她無法感知,因而無法思考、無法反應,只可被動地隨遇而安……213Please respect copyright.PENANAShChtxDfI4
213Please respect copyright.PENANANNZ1SQfnNF
「你回家午餐吧。」老農懶得走路,乾脆留在水田另邊原地高聲喊話。213Please respect copyright.PENANA5cJyCXm1zq
213Please respect copyright.PENANAV9F9OIeSdU
「好的。我用餐後會盡快回來繼續工作。」小子喜上眉梢,連忙放下水桶跑到老農面前回話。213Please respect copyright.PENANARZrUuhBoMF
213Please respect copyright.PENANAgezkorSQIl
「你毋須回來。」老農下意識揮臂抹走眉頭汗珠,以免汗珠滴在眼裡妨礙他仔細打量小子的臉。213Please respect copyright.PENANAixxv7lBLHG
213Please respect copyright.PENANAJVeUVO4Nw5
「我犯錯了嗎?抑或我表現欠佳?」沒料到小子的難過表情與阿犇有七分相像。213Please respect copyright.PENANAOPO5bnswfz
213Please respect copyright.PENANAwfBOordtJm
「你的表現很好!我是擔心你承受不來。絕不能一下子過度虛耗身體!」當年無法對阿犇啓口的關心話如今竟可流暢說出,對一個沒有半點血緣關係的陌生人。213Please respect copyright.PENANAundQTVAGWq
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「明白!謝謝你!」小子如釋重負,與老農揮手道別。213Please respect copyright.PENANA06cGvAyUyN
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目送小子遠去,老農始回到屋裡用膳。213Please respect copyright.PENANALGO2vqWYVs
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午餐是拜託鄰居女兒從城市買來的自熱飯連簡單餸菜。只需加入少量清水到碗底空格,靜待幾分鐘就可以飽餐一頓。味道佳,步驟簡單。來自城市的玩意真的很不錯。難怪年輕人對城市生活趨之若鶩……213Please respect copyright.PENANAaePf8r6kYM
213Please respect copyright.PENANAzahkporzEu
餐後,提不起勁工作。四處散步去。路經人瑞婆婆的家,見她仍然坐在屋前搖搖椅。推門內進,與婆婆家人打個招呼,然後找來小櫈子在婆婆身邊坐下。213Please respect copyright.PENANAe4TXs3VWUA
213Please respect copyright.PENANADki0MUd3qp
婆婆是老農同齡友人的外祖母。友人去年死了,友人父母三年前相繼離世,但婆婆仍然活著。沒有留意婆婆何時開始患得痴呆症。她知否兒孫已逝?希望她不知道。話雖惡毒,不過患上痴呆症或許一是好事……213Please respect copyright.PENANA8tbBxHdEn8
213Please respect copyright.PENANAvu7F1GwlRe
日將落,鳥知還。老農正為自身煩惱而煩惱,對眼前絢麗無感。冷不防一坨濃稠白液從天而降,正好落在他頭上。他抬頭一望,不由得大為驚訝:「這是哪來的鷺鳥?」213Please respect copyright.PENANA5xiWQJdppq
213Please respect copyright.PENANAlqiJkzBJWi
婆婆家人聽到老農大呼,紛紛跑到屋前抬頭看鳥,心知不妙。悉才鷺鳥飛遠,緊隨其後的是數之不盡的同類鷺鳥。213Please respect copyright.PENANAdJsFJUvG7V
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「驅鳥!」婆婆曾孫首先回神,提醒眾人保護田地。213Please respect copyright.PENANAJ5v1aoyJnA
213Please respect copyright.PENANAsTq7uVZMEw
老農恍然大悟,頓時明白昨夜破壞水田的正是這群鷺鳥!他拼命跑回家,因為鳥群肯定會經過他的水田!跑跑跑,跑跑跑。氣喘,腳軟,不得不停下腳步。水田重要,保住性命更重要——他希望可以再次見到阿犇!213Please respect copyright.PENANAhCvbBgKS6S
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機會渺茫,但他還是想要堅持下去!213Please respect copyright.PENANAlc2bLqsbdR
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他掛念阿犇!從不稀罕大富大貴,只想家人好好陪伴身邊。兩老仙遊,妻子早逝,僅餘阿犇一人伴在身邊。213Please respect copyright.PENANAmoBGmeflqx
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怎麼阿犇不明白?怎麼阿犇不知道?怎麼阿犇狠心離開他?213Please respect copyright.PENANAHgXbIPHMud
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老農突感後腦發麻,噁心,嘔吐。天旋地轉,軟癱倒地,意識模糊……213Please respect copyright.PENANAdLne5u0apL
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幻聽?一連串爆竹聲在前方不遠處響起。213Please respect copyright.PENANAqueSZ9OVld
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噼啪——噼噼啪啪噼啪噼噼啪噼啪噼啪噼啪噼啪啪噼噼啪啪噼啪噼啪——噼噼啪啪噼啪噼噼啪噼啪噼啪噼啪噼啪啪噼噼啪啪噼啪噼啪——噼噼啪啪噼啪噼噼啪噼啪噼啪噼啪噼啪啪噼噼啪啪噼啪噼啪——噼噼啪啪噼啪噼噼啪噼啪噼啪噼啪噼啪啪噼噼啪啪噼啪噼啪——噼噼啪啪噼啪噼噼啪噼啪噼啪噼啪噼啪啪噼噼啪啪噼啪噼啪——213Please respect copyright.PENANA7ORLuBssrr
213Please respect copyright.PENANAAF1GGHumyG
驀地聯想起兒時歡度新年的熱鬧畫面。爆竹,油菜,雞肉,父母,友人,鄰居……213Please respect copyright.PENANAwbnIlgQtAm
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昏迷一星期的老農終於醒來。213Please respect copyright.PENANAhu0R8Yj3ok
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醫院?城市?213Please respect copyright.PENANAie6EVRjPly
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他顫巍巍落床走向窗邊。日已落,鳥盡還,傍晚的城市很美麗。華燈初起,萬家燈火,光點或動或靜,如水如月。213Please respect copyright.PENANAluzb6cr3uD
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水中月,存在又不存在,視乎觀者怎麼認為。213Please respect copyright.PENANAEVVcaiz9XG
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載月的水,存在卻被無視,視乎觀者焦點何在。213Please respect copyright.PENANAtZyxocl4Vu
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泣不成聲。213Please respect copyright.PENANAyKnu3t6L4f
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翌日,小子帶著果籃探望老農,說多吃水果才會身體好。213Please respect copyright.PENANA15sb579Zqh
213Please respect copyright.PENANAwk7voaGCQ7
「當日午餐時看到新聞報導說一群候鳥因氣候變化而改變遷徙路線,剛好經過我們這地區。我和爸爸意識到事態嚴重,馬上帶同音響和揚聲器為村民驅鳥。大家發現爆竹聲最湊效!後來部份村民還特意抽空協助打理你的水田,大家都預估不了你何時甦醒過來。」小子清洗一個大蘋果,送到老農手心。213Please respect copyright.PENANAl8PFA6Tisy
213Please respect copyright.PENANA7TgKY8ZY6z
「謝謝大家。」老農接過蘋果,感到窩心。「你喜歡種田嗎?不如我把田地送給你!」213Please respect copyright.PENANA8g364JiDbG
213Please respect copyright.PENANAE3rn5nMRrg
「那不是該要留給你的兒子嗎?村民說你的兒子在城市打工。」小子看不懂老農心事,無意間直擊老農軟肋。213Please respect copyright.PENANAHxy5H7W6AF
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「他不會回來。」老農表情生起細微變化,淡然得微苦微澀。213Please respect copyright.PENANAdu2PCfirxc
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「那就等啊!」小子看來不過十二歲,入世未深,不諳世間冷暖。「下班後就會回家!」213Please respect copyright.PENANAd9ifdIrKny
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「那我就多等一段日子吧!」老農輕拍小子的頭,笑得隱晦。213Please respect copyright.PENANAVgxBglY33I
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所謂一段日子,短則兩年,長則五年。屈指一算。不對喔!原來是七年。213Please respect copyright.PENANAQhBaijwHmB
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或許更長。213Please respect copyright.PENANA8MPxdHhglE
註:此篇將會收錄於短篇小說合集《雜念集》。
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