Thenextday,theoldmanboardedthebusenergetically,smiledandsaidinaloudvoice:「Andaverygoodmorningtoyouall!」Someofuslookedup,amazed,andmurmured「Goodmorning,」inreply.
Thefollowingweeksweweremorealert.Ourfriendwasnowdressedinaniceoldsuitandawideout-of-datetie.Thethinhairhadbeencarefullycombed.Hesaidgoodmorningtouseverydayandwegraduallybegantonodandtalktoeachother.
Onemorninghehadabunchofwildflowersinhishand.Theywerealreadydanglingalittlebecauseoftheheat.Thedriverturnedaroundsmilinglyandasked:「Haveyougotyourselfagirlfriend,Charlie?」Wenevergottoknowifhisnamereallywas「Charlie」,buthenoddedshylyandsaidyes.
Theotherpassengerswhistledandclappedathim.Charliebowedandwavedtheflowersbeforehesatdownonhisseat.
EverymorningafterthatCharliealwaysbroughtaflower.Someoftheregularpassengersbeganbringinghimflowersforhisbouquet,gentlynudgedhimandsaidshyly:「Here.」Everyonesmiled.Themenstartedtojestaboutit,talktoeachother,andsharethenewspaper.
Thesummerwentby,andautumnwasclosingin,whenonemorningCharliewasn』twaitingathisusualstop.Whenhewasn』ttherethenextdayandthedayafterthat,westartedwonderingifhewassickor—hopefully—onholidaysomewhere.
Whenwecamenearertothecentreforseniorcitizens,oneofthepassengersaskedthedrivertowait.Weallheldourbreathswhenshewenttothedoor.
Yes,thestaffsaid,theyknewwhoweweretalkingabout.Theelderlygentlemanwasfine,buthehadn』tbeencomingtothecentrethatweek.Oneofhisveryclosefriendshaddiedattheweekend.TheyexpectedhimbackonMonday.Howsilentweweretherestofthewaytowork.
ThenextMondayCharliewaswaitingatthestop,stoopingabitmore,alittlebitmoregrey,andwithoutatie.Heseemedtohaveshrinkedagain.Insidethebuswasasilenceakintothatinachurch.Eventhoughnoonehadtalkedaboutit,allthoseofus,whohehadmadesuchanimpressiononthatsummer,satwithoureyesfilledwithtearsandabunchofwildflowersinourhands.
三年前的那個夏天，我們還是一群素不相識的人，每天都乘坐巴士。在從郊區開往市區的早班車裡，我們都昏昏欲睡地坐著，衣領直豎到耳朵。整個車廂裡鴉雀無聲。
其中一位乘客是一位頭髮灰白的小個子老頭，每天早上，他都乘車去老年活動中心。微微有些駝背，每次艱難地上車後，他都獨自坐到司機後面，並且臉上總帶著一副悲傷的表情。沒人過多地注意過他。
然而，在七月的一個早晨，他先對司機說了聲「早上好」，並對車廂裡的人報之以微笑，然後才坐下。司機隨意地點點頭。而我們仍保持沉默。
第二天，這位老人精力充沛地上了車，微笑地大聲說：「諸位，早上好啊！」有些人吃驚地抬起頭來，低聲答道：「早上好。」
接下來的幾個星期，我們對他更加留意了。我們這位朋友現在穿著一件好看的舊西裝，打著一條寬鬆的過時領帶。稀疏的頭髮也精心梳理過了。他每天都對我們說早上好，而我們也逐漸開始點頭致意並互相交談。
一天早上，他手裡拿著一束野花，由於天氣炎熱，有些已經凋零。司機微笑著轉過頭去問：「查理，是不是有女朋友了啊？」我們都不知道他是否真叫查理，但他羞澀地點頭承認了。
其他乘客都吹著口哨為他鼓掌，查理鞠了個躬，晃了晃手中的鮮花，然後坐下了。
從那以後，每天早上，查理都會帶一支鮮花，有些老乘客也開始為他帶些花，輕輕地碰他一下，羞澀地說：「給你的。」每個人都面帶微笑。人們開始開玩笑，互相聊天，分享報紙。
夏天過去了，秋天快要到了。那天早上，查理沒在他通常等車的那一站等車，並且接連幾天都沒有出現，我們猜測他是否生病了，但更希望他是去某個地方度假了。
當我們的車逐漸行駛到老年活動中心時，其中一位乘客讓司機停車等一下，她走到車門時我們都屏住了呼吸。
是的，工作人員說，他們知道我們說的那個人。那位老先生身體很健康，但那個星期他沒有來活動中心。上週末他的一位十分要好的朋友過世了。他們估計下週一他能回來。接下來的路上，我們一直沉默不語。
下個週一，查理在車站等車。他看上去腰彎得更厲害，頭髮愈加蒼白，也沒有系領帶。他彷彿又恢復了原樣。車廂像教堂一般肅靜。儘管沒人說話，但我們所有人，他曾經在那個夏天留下美好回憶的這群人，每人手裡都拿著一束鮮花，眼裡噙滿了淚水。
Seattle'sRain西雅圖的雨
I』vegotadeepsecretfewpeopleunderstandandevenfewerwilladmittosharing.It'stimetotellthetruth:Ilovetherain,deeplyandpassionatelyandmorethanthesun.AtleastIliveintherightplace,famousforitsdampweatherandspawningitsowngenuinerainforest.Ican'timaginelivinganywhereelsethanthePacificNorthwest.Thesunshinessoinfrequentlythatmyfriendsforgetwheretheyputtheirsunglasses.Gloomycloudscausemanypeoplearoundheretosufferfromseasonalaffectivedisorder.YetIwelcometherain.
Seattleiteswillsaytheylikehowrainkeepsthecitygreen,howcleantheairtastesafterwards.Myrealreasonforenjoyingtherainissteepedinpureselfishnesswhenit』smuckyoutside,Idon』thavetodoanything.Icanspendtheafternooncurledupreading,buildafireandmakeabigpotofspicedtea.Icansleepinlate,wakingupoccasionallytohearsoothingpatterontheroof,waterracingdownthegutter.Nobodyexpectsmetoleavemyhouseordoanythingoverlyproductive.MaybeI'llinviteafewfriendsovertowatchanoldmovieorplayaboardgame.Friends』expectationsarelowandeasytomeet.
SummerinSeattleisbeautifulbutexhausting.Thesunny,gorgeousweatherandblueskiesdrawSeattleitesfromtheircozylittlehomes,readytodryoutandhavefun.Peoplegohiking,biking,canoeing.Folksworkintheirgardens,washtheircarsandattendoutdoorconcertsintheparkallinthesameday!Theeffortinvolvedtothrowapartyratchetsupseveralnotches,aspeoplehostbarbecuesandpicnicsandwater-skiingparties.
It』sasinaroundheretonotthoroughlyenjoyeverymomentofeverygoldenday.It』sembarrassingtoanswer,「Didyougetoutandenjoythesunshinethisweekend?」with「No,Istayedinside.」Co-workersfrownandexchangesuspiciouslooks;apparentlyI』moneofthoserain-lovingslugs.Itriedlying,butmypalecomplexiongavemeaway.
Anothermarkinrain』sfavoristhatmybodydoesn'tbetraymewhenit』scoldanddampoutside.Throughoutthewinter,peoplewearseverallayers,withperhapsseveralextrapoundshereandthere.InJuneIdigoutmyshortstodiscovermythighsresemblecottagecheese.Idreadbuyingaswimsuit,asconsecutivehorrorandhumiliationmakemecringeinthedressingroom.