話說那年住在美中某古蹟的老屋，每棟有八家住戶
同棟樓的樓下住一個同校的男孩來自馬來西亞華人
有次聊起來知道他的媽媽與我同姓就這樣似熟非熟起來
有時我們上下課時間差不多，為了省油費他會搭我便車
常要我改變行車路線以防有心人跟踪
警戒的眼神不安地左右張望弄得我好緊張
他打工的地方是家清潔公司，學校的大樓打掃由這公司標下
打掃得避開上課使用時段因此都在晚上十一點才開始
通常要到夜裡兩點才結束，他永遠是睡不飽的樣子
但似乎很满足物質的充備包括尖端的電腦設備
和八成新加裝新潮設備的黑色寳貝車
學分選到最低標時間也在下午以後，差不多變成職業學生了
我問為何不找個正常工作？說是夜間又是危險工作收入較高
說前幾天才有同仁為了清天花板摔下來傷到脊椎
他的朋友多為台灣年輕人，愛佔點小便宜
尤其是對台灣人的羡慕有點心理不平衡
因為台灣學生家裡經濟比較寬裕很少打工
最常說：「反正你們台灣人有錢嘛！」
諒他不敢跟其他台灣同學講真話。
想起小學四年級時的一位同學
小學的大掃除是大事，尤其是督學來學校視察時
最危險的是把兩張椅子相對再放上一張椅子
疊了三至四層在桌子上，站上去擦氣窗
抺布擦透明玻璃不太管用，要用報紙揉搓一下使勁擦才能乾淨
教室在二樓以上的要爬出去站在薄薄没有圍欄的水泥台
一隻手板著窗框另一隻抬高高地擦，一個不小心就會掉落的驚險
不懼高的男生會跨坐上窗框還一邊打鬧，哎～無知的年代
那時候通常老師不會在教室守著學生安全
還是小學生的我都看出風險太高但師長都没有眼睛了嗎
那個開學日我跟一位同學負責擦氣窗
因為兩張椅子還夠不到頂，於是疊了第三層椅子
那位同學長得瘦小平常胆子也小，爬上去時就面有難色
我當然也怕還是硬著頭皮上去
我怕到手腳發麻，同學更是雙腳抖得厲害
誰知一個不平衡兩個人像同命鳥一樣嘩啦啦地從高處摔下地
同學嚇得尖叫聲此起彼落，幸好我只是摔疼了但同學可不這麼幸運
我看著她側身躺著已失去知覺血像小溪流從裙下流出來慢慢擴大
有同學嚇到只會拼命尖叫，找不到班導有人跑去校長室通報
校長跑來了二話不說抱起同學往保健室跑
同學們追到後面一長串跟著跑，看熱鬧的也跟一堆
我的腳摔痛了没人理只儍儍地站在班門口
看人群跑過升旗台方向再往保健室去
然後救護車的警笛響在校園造成轟動恐慌
同學受到重傷等傷好以後回到學校有點儍了，為什麼那樣？
小孩子有不明的事理不懂追問，那問號就一直放在心裡
就同某些陳年傷痛一樣要經過許多年才消化掉。
When I was an elementary school girl,at the age of 10,
students were responsible for cleaning work at school.
One day I was appointed to clean the transparent glass transoms
with another girl. We were required to clean them
without any streaks or our teacher would punish us.
We stood on loosely stacked chairs.
My companion told me that she was afraid and felt dizzy.
I saw her face turn pale, then I felt the chairs shaking.
I just wanted to warn her, but it was too late,
and I screamed as we fell down on the floor.
I was hurt, but I pulled myself up.
I saw my companion lying on the floor unconscious,
with a stream of fresh blood flowing from under her skirt.
I screamed with fright and all my classmates surged in suddenly.
Some were crying and screaming.
A few minutes later, the principal ran in
and held the wounded girl tightly,then hurried out rapidly.
When the girl appeared in the classroom two weeks later,
she was quiet; I didn’t know what was going on.
Our principal announced to teachers:
“Girls are not allowed to clean the ceiling or transoms.”
students were responsible for cleaning work at school.
One day I was appointed to clean the transparent glass transoms
with another girl. We were required to clean them
without any streaks or our teacher would punish us.
We stood on loosely stacked chairs.
My companion told me that she was afraid and felt dizzy.
I saw her face turn pale, then I felt the chairs shaking.
I just wanted to warn her, but it was too late,
and I screamed as we fell down on the floor.
I was hurt, but I pulled myself up.
I saw my companion lying on the floor unconscious,
with a stream of fresh blood flowing from under her skirt.
I screamed with fright and all my classmates surged in suddenly.
Some were crying and screaming.
A few minutes later, the principal ran in
and held the wounded girl tightly,then hurried out rapidly.
When the girl appeared in the classroom two weeks later,
she was quiet; I didn’t know what was going on.
Our principal announced to teachers:
“Girls are not allowed to clean the ceiling or transoms.”
