情人節會Bird Man Valentine’s Day
(English version below)
12:30 pm 應該去到警察總署，原住民失蹤及被謀殺的婦女及女童的紀念Strawberry Ceremony. 離開地鐵站，人有三急，盡快找咖啡店解決，進店前眼尾感覺是一位無家可歸的男人𥖁在那裏，趕快入去問店員借洗手間，解決了，裏面溫暖，外面零下17度，不想出去，從玻璃門看這位男士，旁邊有一個膠盒，盛着幾隻類似雞髀的東西，全部未煮熟的顏色，去皮，可能有人送給他，我心困惑，他會否有家可以煮食呢？
出來，原來剛才我沒有眼鏡，現站在他面前看清楚，正專心雕刻木製小鳥。
「請問你叫什麼名字？」我問。
「Ross. 」他有禮貌的答案，聲音沉實，望了我一眼又低頭用沙紙磨手上小鳥的身體。
「你學了做這雕刻多少年？」
「哦，大概50年吧，我們原住民…」聽不明他後面講的幾個字，知道他的族裔背景。
他又指着旁邊膠袋，裏面幾塊未用過的木板，並拿起一塊，上面畫了幾隻小鳥的身形， 擠在一起，儘減少浪費材料，「這是我從Staple 買來的。」
今天很寒冷，他兩手都紅了，我怕他弄損手都不知道。
「你需要一對手套，太冷了。」
「有呀！」他拿起一隻放在旁邊那對手套。
「Ross, 我要買這隻小鳥，多少錢？」
「7 and fifty.」「我將這小鐵鈎在小鳥的背，你可把它掛起來。」
我取出一張$20紙幣給他。我心想告訴他: 「只給我$10找續吧！」他已經給我兩張$5紙幣，我說：「若不方便，$2.50是給你的，你今天教了我一些知識。」
他已經站起來拿出他的硬幣小包，找出兩個$1硬幣兩個quarter 遞給我。
我合手多謝他，跟他道別。邊走邊想： 「我應該留意他的dignity。」
February 14, 2024
12:30 pm I was going to the Police Headquarter, the Strawberry Ceremony to commemorate the missing and murdered Aboriginal women and girls. After leaving the subway station, I was so desperate to go washroom. So I found a coffee shop as soon as possible. Before entering the store, I felt that there was a person at the end of my eyes, sitting at corner of the entrance. Anyway, I quickly went in and asked the clerk to borrow the restroom. Done. It was warm inside and was minus 17 degrees outside. I didn’t want to go out. Looking at this man from the glass door, there was a plastic box next to him, containing something like chicken thighs, all uncooked and skinless, might have been given to him by someone. I was confused, would he have a home where he could cook?
When I came out, I realized that what I “saw” was when I was not wearing glasses. Now I stood in front of him and could see clearly. He was focusing on carving wooden birds.
"What's your name, please?" I asked.
"Ross." He answered politely with voice of dignity. He glanced at me and then lowered his head to scrub the body of the wooden bird in his hand with sandpaper.
"How many years have you been learning to do this carving?"
"Oh, about 50 years ago, we aboriginals..." I couldn't hear the next few words he said, but I got his racial background, though.
He pointed to a few wooden boards in the plastic bag next to him, and picked up one with several bird figures outlined on it. They were squeezed together to minimize waste of materials, "I bought this from Staples." He said.
It's very cold today and his hands are red because of the coldness. I'm afraid he might hurt his hands without even knowing it.
"You need a pair of gloves, it's too cold."
"I do have gloves.” He picked up a pair of gloves lying next to him.
"Ross, I want to buy this bird. How much?” I pointed at one of the three birds he showed.
"Seven and fifty. I put this little iron hook on the back of the bird, and you can hang it up."
I took out a $20 bill and gave it to him. I wanted to tell him: "Just give me $10 to change!" He had already given me two $5 bills, and I said, "If it's inconvenient, the $2.50 is for you. You taught me some knowledge today."
He had already stood up and took out his little coin wallet, found two quarters and two $1 coins and handed them to me.
I clasped my two hands and bowed a bit as a posture of Chinese saying of thanks and goodbye. As I was walking to the Police Headquarter, I thought, “ I should have paid attention to his dignity.”
