《手中纸心中爱》英文thepapermenagerieWord格式文档下载.docx
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“Kan,kan,”shesaid,asshepulledasheetofwrappingpaperfromontopofthefridge.Foryears,MomcarefullyslicedopenthewrappingsaroundChristmasgiftsandsavedthemontopofthe
fridgeinathickstack.
Shesetthepaperdown,plainsidefacingup,andbegantofoldit.Istoppedcryingandwatchedher,curious.
Sheturnedthepaperoverandfoldeditagain.Shepleated,packed,tucked,rolled,andtwisteduntilthepaperdisappearedbetweenhercuppedhands.Thensheliftedthefolded-uppaperpackettohermouthandblewintoit,likeaballoon.
“Kan,”shesaid.“Laohu.”Sheputherhandsdownonthetableandletgo.
Alittlepapertigerstoodonthetable,thesizeoftwofistsplacedtogether.Theskinofthetigerwasthepatternonthewrappingpaper,whitebackgroundwithredcandycanesandgreenChristmastrees.
IreachedouttoMom'
screation.Itstailtwitched,anditpouncedplayfullyatmyfinger.“Rawr-rsa,”itgrowled,thesoundsomewherebetweenacatdanrustlingnewspapers.
Ilaughed,startled,andstrokeditsbackwithanindexfinger.Thepapertigervibratedundermyfinger,purring.
“Zhejiaozhezhi,”Momsaid.Thisiscalledorigami.
'
skindwaesbsrpeeacthiael.dSinhtothemsothatthey
Ididn'
tknowthisatthetime,butMomsharedherbreath,andthusmovedwithherlife.Thiswashermagic.
DadhadpickedMomoutofacatalog.
Onetime,whenIwasinhighschool,IaskedDadaboutthedetails.HewastryingtogetmetospeaktoMomagain.
Hehadsignedupfortheintroductionservicebackinthespringof1973.Flippingthroughthepagessteadily,hehadspentnomorethanafewsecondsoneachpageuntilhesawthepictureofMom.
I'
veneverseenthispicture.Daddescribedit:
Momwassittinginachair,hersidetothecamera,wearingatightgreensilkcheongsam.Herheadwasturnedtothecamerasothatherlongblackhairwasdrapedartfullyoverherchestandshoulder.Shelookedoutathimwiththeeyesofacalmchild.
“ThatwasthelastpageofthecatalogIsaw,”hesaid.
Thecatalogsaidshewaseighteen,lovedtodance,andspokegoodEnglishbecauseshewasfromHongKong.Noneofthesefactsturnedouttobetrue.
Hewrotetoher,andthecompanypassedtheirmessagesbackandforth.Finally,heflewtoHongKongtomeether.
“Thepeopleatthecompanyhadbeenwritingherresponses.Shedidn'
tknowanyEnglishother
than‘hello'
and‘goodbye.'
”
Whatkindofwomanputsherselfintoacatalogsothatshecanbebought?
ThehighschoolmethoughtIknewsomuchabouteverything.Contemptfeltgood,likewine.
Insteadofstormingintotheofficetodemandhismoneyback,hepaidawaitressatthehotelrestauranttotranslateforthem.
“Shewouldlookatme,hereyeshalfwaybetweenscaredandhopeful,whileIspoke.AndwhenthegirlbegantranslatingwhatIsaid,she'
dstarttosmileslowly.”
HeflewbacktoConnecticutandbegantoapplyforthepapersforhertocometohim.Iwasbornayearlater,intheYearoftheTiger.
Atmyrequest,Momalsomadeagoat,adeer,andawaterbuffalooutofwrappingpaper.TheywouldrunaroundthelivingroomwhileLaohuchasedafterthem,growling.Whenhecaughtthemhewouldpressdownuntiltheairwentoutofthemandtheybecamejustflat,folded-uppiecesofpaper.Iwouldthenhavetoblowintothemtore-inflatethemsotheycouldrunaroundsomemore.
Sometimes,theanimalsgotintotrouble.Once,thewaterbuffalojumpedintoadishofsoysauceonthetableatdinner.(Hewantedtowallow,likearealwaterbuffalo.)Ipickedhimoutquicklybutthecapillaryactionhadalreadypulledthedarkliquidhighupintohislegs.Thesauce-softenedlegswouldnotholdhimup,andhecollapsedontothetable.Idriedhimoutinthesun,buthislegsbecamecrookedafterthat,andheranaroundwithalimp.Momeventuallywrappedhislegsinsaranwrapsothathecouldwallowtohisheart'
scontent(justnotinsoysauce).
Also,LaohulikedtopounceatsparrowswhenheandIplayedinthebackyard.Butonetime,acorneredbirdstruckbackindesperationandtorehisear.HewhimperedandwincedasIheldhimandMompatchedhiseartogetherwithtape.Heavoidedbirdsafterthat.
Andthenoneday,IsawaTVdocumentaryaboutsharksandaskedMomforoneofmyown.Shemadetheshark,butheflappedaboutonthetableunhappily.Ifilledthesinkwithwater,andputhimin.Heswamaroundandaroundhappily.However,afterawhilehebecamesoggyandtranslucent,andslowlysanktothebottom,thefoldscomingundone.Ireachedintorescuehim,andall