2007年八月底至九月初,我們在  Royal Caribbean公司的
“Adventure of the Seas” 海洋遊輪上,在加勒比海
(Caribbean Sea) 東邊的諸島之間享受著各島的美景與各種
的美食。

每晚,我們去三樓大餐廳吃遊輪所提供的正餐。我們四位
來自南加州的中國人﹝當然也是華裔美國人啦!﹞被分配
與四位來自德州的土生美國人同桌。他們是 Harold
Piemons ﹝父親﹞, Peggy Piemons﹝母親﹞, Shelley Sayers
﹝女兒﹞, 及 Shelley的一位女性友人﹝忘了姓名﹞。
Shelley的丈夫及其女友的丈夫均沒有跟著來參加那次的海
洋遊輪之旅。

八個人每晚在一起吃正式的晚餐,大家互相之間談得頗為
投機,成為很好的新交之友。

Harold 大約有七十多歲吧!他那時尚未退休,仍在美國西
南數州﹝包括從德州至加州的幾個州﹞之間從事於商業建
築物的開發、建造等的業務。如同大部分的德州佬一般,
他在政治上是一位典型的共和黨保守派。我雖然一向對於
任何地區的政治生態與政治人物﹝包括台灣的、美國的和
其他國家與地區的﹞都抱著些許失望、懷疑的心態,且缺
乏強烈的關心、興趣,但仍不免有一些所謂自由派
(Liberal) 的傾向,對於保守派的所謂”美國欲維持做世界
的老大、到處用其優越的武器耀武揚威、向他國強售其所
謂美國式的民主”等等的諸多想法從無好感。然而政治是
一個高度敏感的話題,因此我們在餐桌上儘量避免談論
之。偶爾 Harold 會提起一些保守派似的言論,我便會微
笑地聽入左耳、微笑地送出右耳。無論如何,Harold是一
位相當友善、風趣的美國德州佬。
2007年八月底至九月初,我们在Royal Caribbean公司的
“Adventure of the Seas” 海洋游轮上,在加勒比海
(Caribbean Sea) 东边的诸岛之间享受着各岛的美景与各种
的美食。

每晚,我们去三楼大餐厅吃游轮所提供的正餐。我们四位
来自南加州的中国人﹝当然也是华裔美国人啦! ﹞被分
配与四位来自德州的土生美国人同桌。他们是Harold
Piemons ﹝父亲﹞, Peggy Piemons﹝母亲﹞, Shelley Sayers
﹝女儿﹞, 及Shelley的一位女性友人﹝忘了姓名﹞。
Shelley的丈夫及其女友的丈夫均没有跟着来参加那次的海
洋游轮之旅。

八个人每晚在一起吃正式的晚餐,大家互相之间谈得颇为
投机,成为很好的新​​交之友。

Harold 大约有七十多岁吧!他那时尚未退休,仍在美国西
南数州﹝包括从德州至加州的几个州﹞之间从事于商业建
筑物的开发、建造等的业务。如同大部分的德州佬一般,
他在政治上是一位典型的共和党保守派。我虽然一向对于
任何地区的政治生态与政治人物﹝包括台湾的、美国的和
其他国家与地区的﹞都抱着些许失望、怀疑的心态,且缺
乏强烈的关心、兴趣,但仍不免有一些所谓自由派
(Liberal) 的倾向,对于保守派的所谓”美国欲维持做世界
的老大、到处用其优越的武器耀武扬威、向他国强售其所
谓美国式的民主”等等的诸多想法从无好感。然而政治是
一个高度敏感的话题,因此我们在餐桌上尽量避免谈论
之。偶尔Harold 会提起一些保守派似的言论,我便会微笑
地听入左耳、微笑地送出右耳。无论如何,Harold是一位
相当友善、风趣的美国德州佬。
Columns Section: 世紀網站專欄區  世纪网站专栏区: 001
中美 專欄        020       绿中美 专栏        作者:李偉宗  李伟宗  Bill Lee  
Peggy 的最後一次海洋遊輪之旅
(Chinese Traditional Version)
(寫於 2011-07-16,於南加州海濱。)
Peggy的最后一次海洋游轮之旅
(Chinese Simplified Version)
(写于2011-07-16,于南加州海滨。)
Click to go to companion website:
Google
 
Lunarpages.com Web Hosting
因他們四位均來自德州,而我所最喜讀的美國作者 James A. Michener 於1997年病逝前的
最後的幾個晚年是與其日裔髮妻在德州渡過的,因此我便主動地與他們談起 Michener 的
生平及其諸多的著作,包括他在德州所寫的 Texas 一書。如我所猜,他們對於 Michener
也是頗為認同的。

在女性們當中,Harold的女兒Shelley及其女友講話較多,Harold的夫人Peggy則似乎比較
沉默,雖然偶爾也會表達一些意見。Peggy看起來雍容大方,端莊地坐在其夫婿 Harold的
身邊,給人頗佳的印象。

就如此我們在一起渡過了八天的愉快的晚餐時刻,而於2007年九月二日在Puerto Rico互
道珍重。

五個月之後,2008年二月五日,我突然收到 Shelley Sayers ﹝Harold和 Peggy的女兒﹞的
一封電子信,她信中寫著:

“Bill: This is Shelley Sayers, HP's (HP for Harold Piemons) daughter (from
the Caribbean
Cruise). I have tried to write you several times and m
y e-mails were returned undeliverable. I am
so happy you wrote again. I hope you receive this e-mail. I have so much I want to share with
you, Daisy, Gordon and Alice.

When we went on the cruise my Mother (Peggy) was given only 6 months to live. She had
pancreatic cancer. We did not share it with the group because Mom wanted to live life to the
fullest and not act or behave sick
and she did. After the cruise she was so refreshed and you would
never have known she was sick. She continued to go to church every week and even attended a
Christmas Party 2 days before she passed on December the 4th and was buried on the 7th.

I spent every day with her and we had a wonderful time putting together her pictures, watching
the cruise video, shopping, visiting with friends and more. God really blessed her life. My Dad
(HP) is very lonely and he is having a difficult time but he is moving through it. I am devastated
to lose my Mother but thrilled that we had such quality time together.

My mother spoke of all of you often. Did you know that the cruise was the first time she had
California rolls and we ate them when we returned to Texas. You really helped in making my
Mom
's last vacation a wonderful time for her. She had just a desire to do the boat trip that you
spoke about but her energy would not allow for another trip.

Please write me back and let me know you got this. I hope you enjoy your trip. Here is a great
picture from the cruise. Also a picture from Thanksgiving. She died only a few weeks later.

Shelley K. Sayers
Strategic Sales Solutions”

在讀了 Shelley的信後的驚訝之餘,回想起我們在遊輪上共處的那些天當中,我們四人當
中沒有一人曾經在Peggy的臉上或身上看出任何一絲一毫生病的跡象! Peggy 是一位多麼
堅強的女性啊!

人活得越久,看到的生離死別也越多。Peggy的最後一次海洋遊輪之旅便是另外一例。

在我的網站上記錄那次海洋遊輪之旅的一個特別的網頁上,除了將 Shelley的信及她寄來
的照片置於其中外,我也特別加了如下的一段:
“In Memory of Peggy Piemons, Gracious and Courageous Lady we met on the 2007
August~September Caribbean Cruise, along with Harold Piemons, Her Husband, and Shelley
Sayers, Her Daughter. Peggy Passed Away on December 4, 2007. God Bless Peggy in Heaven”
(
http://www.aaapoe.net/tours16a.html as well as
http://www.1china1.net/tours16a.html)
因他们四位均来自德州,而我所最喜读的美国作者James A. Michener 于1997年病逝前的
最后的几个晚年是与其日裔发妻在德州渡过的,因此我便主动地与他们谈起Michener 的
生平及其诸多的著作,包括他在德州所写的Texas 一书。如我所猜,他们对于Michener
也是颇为认同的。

在女性们当中,Harold的女儿Shelley及其女友讲话较多,Harold的夫人Peggy则似乎比较
沉默,虽然偶尔也会表达一些意见。 Peggy看起来雍容大方,端庄地坐在其夫婿Harold的
身边,给人颇佳的印象。

就如此我们在一起渡过了八天的愉快的晚餐时刻,而于2007年九月二日在Puerto Rico互
道珍重。

五个月之后,2008年二月五日,我突然收到Shelley Sayers ﹝Harold和Peggy的女儿﹞的一
封电子信,她信中写着:

“Bill: This is Shelley Sayers, HP's (HP for Harold Piemons) daughter (from
the Caribbean
Cruise). I have tried to write you several times and m
y e-mails were returned undeliverable. I am
so happy you wrote again. I hope you receive this e- mail. I have so much I want to share with
you, Daisy, Gordon and Alice.

When we went on the cruise my Mother (Peggy) was given only 6 months to live. She had
pancreatic cancer. We did not share it with the group because Mom wanted to live life to the
fullest and not act or behave sick
and she did. After the cruise she was so refreshed and you would
never have known she was sick. She continued to go to church every week and even attended a
Christmas Party 2 days before she passed on December the 4th and was buried on the 7th.

I spent every day with her and we had a wonderful time putting together her pictures, watching
the cruise video, shopping, visiting with friends and more. God really blessed her life. My Dad
(HP) is very lonely and he is having a difficult time but he is moving through it. I am devastated
to lose my Mother but thrilled that we had such quality time together.

My mother spoke of all of you often. Did you know that the cruise was the first time she had
California rolls and we ate them when we returned to Texas. You really helped in making my
Mom's last vacation a wonderful time for her. She had just a desire to do the boat trip that you
spoke about but her energy would not allow for another trip.

Please write me back and let me know you got this. I hope you enjoy your trip. Here is a great
picture from the cruise. Also a picture from Thanksgiving. She died only a few weeks later.

Shelley K. Sayers
Strategic Sales Solutions”

在读了Shelley的信后的惊讶之余,回想起我们在游轮上共处的那些天当中,我们四人当
中没有一人曾经在Peggy的脸上或身上看出任何一丝一毫生病的迹象! Peggy 是一位多么
坚强的女性啊!

人活得越久,看到的生离死别也越多。 Peggy的最后一次海洋游轮之旅便是另外一例。

在我的网站上记录那次海洋游轮之旅的一个特别的网页上,除了将Shelley的信及她寄来
的照片置于其中外,我也特别加了如下的一段:
“In Memory of Peggy Piemons, Gracious and Courageous Lady we met on the 2007
August~September Caribbean Cruise, along with Harold Piemons, Her Husband, and Shelley
Sayers, Her Daughter. Peggy Passed Away on December 4, 2007. God Bless Peggy in Heaven”
(
http://www.aaapoe.net/tours16a.html as well as
http://www.1china1.net/tours16a.html)