端午节马上就要到了。
昨天下午,精神抖擞地出去买粽叶,糯米,准备周末包粽子。以前我自己曾经包过,虽然是比较麻烦,但经济,味好,特别是选择多。我准备包三种味:白味(浇枫叶糖浆),豆沙,和腊肠。
很快就买好了材料。
买来的粽叶
打道回家的路上,去了一个Shopping Mall 的杂志店,准备买本杂志,再买张电话卡,晚上给妈妈打电话。
杂志店是一对来自中国的夫妻开的,还带着两个小孩子,一个三岁,一个八岁。
我常常到他们那儿买点东西,每次都要聊几句。听他们讲,很不容易。店小利薄责任多。杂志和报纸有20%的利润;糖果饮料,虽利润大,但销量小;还有彩票,销售大,但利润只有6%。他们一周营业7天。周五,周六从早上8点,开到晚上九点。几年来,我从来没看到他们休过假。
三点过,商场内人不多。我高高兴兴地走进他们店,看见两个人都在那楞起,苦起脸。
问他们出了什么事?
女的说,她刚才被人骗了。
有个很潇洒的西男子,戴个墨镜,来买东西。先要 $100的 fido电话卡, 又要了两张 $20 的长途电话卡。要付钱的时候,他说等一等,又去拿了7,8本杂志,一瓶饮料。女店主高兴极了。这对她来说是一笔很大的生意。然后算账,$200多。墨镜白男,摸了下口袋,说是钱包在车里。女店主忙说,你去拿吧,没关系。墨镜男一去不复返,女店主半天才反应过来被骗了。杂志虽然没拿走,但是,墨镜男把价值上百元的电话卡放在兜里拿走了。
两个人起早贪黑,勤巴苦做。卖一份报纸只赚0。15,不容易啊。就这样被人一下骗了上百。
倾听了他们的故事,我去拿了本杂志,一张 calling card,又加了瓶水。。。
其实本来我也不需要买电话卡的。家里有专线拨中国,打加拿大全部 "free", 月费$8.99。听他们说,生意越来越难做。烟,书报杂志的销量每年递减。所以,我不时找个借口,到他们店买点小东西,给一点小小的帮助。
People
这是我买的 Style Watch,(People 的时尚特别版)。交钱的时候,杂志在收款机上扫瞄的时候,我一下就看见,$4。99。在这之前,我看了价格是$6。99。 然后马上就问她,上面的标价是$6。99?你怎么输入的是$4。99呢。这样的话,你每卖出一本,不但赚不到20%,还要损失约$5。5 哦!两个人,欲哭无泪的。他先生说,经常变了价格,杂志公司不会通知。自己又顾不上检查每本杂志。我听得心都酸了。因为像这样的话,每卖一本杂志,不仅赚不到钱,还要倒贴。也不知道他们已经卖出去多少本了。。。
回家的路上,无独有偶,车里的音频里,依依扬扬,似诉似泣,漾起一首“Angels to Fly”,那是一曲 “红灯女” 断粮无居的悲惨世界;
窗外的道德世界里,寒雨,凄切,冰冷
问一声,天使,你飞翔吗?
不过,至少我知,那份包粽子的心,怅然而飞了!
附Angels to Fly歌词及分析(网络分享)
White lips, pale face Breathing in snowflakes
Burnt lungs, sour taste
Light's gone, day's end,Struggling to pay rent
Long nights, strange men
And they say ;She's in the Class A Team
Stuck in her daydream .Been this way since 18
But lately her face seems ,Slowly sinking, wasting
Crumbling like pastries And they scream
The worst things in life come free to us
Cos we're just under the upperhand
And go mad for a couple of grams
And she don't want to go outside tonight
And in a pipe she flies to the Motherland
Or sells love to another man
It's too cold outside For angels to fly
Angels to fly Ripped gloves, raincoat
Tried to swim and stay afloat
Dry house, wet clothes Loose change, bank notes
Weary-eyed, dry throat ,Call girl, no phone
And they say She's in the Class A Team
Stuck in her daydream
Been this way since 18 But lately her face seems
Slowly sinking, wasting Crumbling like pastries
And they scream
The worst things in life come free to us
Cos we're just under the upperhand
And go mad for a couple of grams
And she don't want to go outside tonight
And in a pipe she flies to the Motherland
Or sells love to another man It's too cold outside
For angels to fly Angels to fly
An angel will die Covered in white
Closed eye And hoping for a better life
This time, we'll fade out tonight
Straight down the line And they say
She's in the Class A Team Stuck in her daydream
Been this way since 18 But lately her face seems
Slowly sinking, wasting Crumbling like pastries
They scream The worst things in life come free to us
And we're all under the upperhand
Go mad for a couple of grams
And we don't want to go outside tonight
And in a pipe we fly to the Motherland
Or sell love to another man
It's too cold For angels to fly
Angels to fly To fly, fly Or angels to die
Yahoo Analysing:
It's written about a girl who is vulnerable, hence the reference angel, but life has dealt her a cruel hand and she's now homeless living on the streets. She's got a heroin addiction hence the pipe ref and the stuck in her daydream is ref to the drug induced state she lives in. She doesn't want to but can't fight her addictions and is forced into prostitution. The worst things in life come free to us is either a ref to her upbringing or the things in life that have happened to her that weren't her fault, or if people seem to tell her that she's just a waster like she just chooses this life at no cost to herself. Not sure about that one, beautiful tragic song. And the cold is ref to her life on the streets and how her life is too desperate fo her to find a way out. Sorry if i've reiterated the other answer in places cause i cant see it as i'm typing! :)
另:
People 杂志封底,(我用缩小图放在左中位置)是Nicki Minaj 所代言的口红广告。言称收款将用于爱滋治疗。虽用心良苦,但却感道德上,主题间的矛盾荒唐。