美国故事 SENEWS-2006-1230-Feature

Jane got up from under her warm bedcovers and faced the cold of her room. It was another New Year's Day. In the bathroom she looked at herself in the mirror. Nothing had changed except the lines around her eyes and mouth looked deeper. Jane was 49 year old. She would be 50 this year. She did not feel old, only tired sometimes. What was age? Jane was simply and always herself she felt. She did what she did every morning, she cleaned her teeth and washed herself, she then shows what to wear among the same five skirts and ten tops. She drank black coffee and went out the door as usual.

Today she was visiting her mother in an old people’s home outside her city. She took the same bus to her mother that she had taken to work everyday for the last 15 years. Jane worked with Butler & Son’s Company. It was not the best job; it was not the worst either. She was now responsible 2 for employing new workers. She made telephone calls, answered letters and questioned new people about their skills. She had done this for long enough that she did it without really thinking. The new faces became one young empty face that knew so little. Jane, however, felt it was too late for her to change.

There was Mr. Solomon walking down the street, his back was as straight as a ruler. He came out of his house at exactly the same time Jane did everyday. He wore a black coat and carried a black umbrella everyday as if he lived in London England not Rockwell, Maryland. He moved his head in silent 3 greeting. Jane did the same as always. They passed each other by like clock hands moving, like machines. Jane thought to herself: “Where was he going on a holiday? To work? What would happen if she broke the unspoken rule and said good morning to him? Would he answer? Would he smile? Could he smile at all?” She did not think so, but she did not say anything.

Down the road came a red-haired woman walking her dog. Jane did not know her name even though she saw her every day too. The woman always said, “Down doggy, down!” The dog did not listen to its owner, it jumped here and there. Every morning Jane silently 4 questioned how someone could name her dog “doggy”? And every morning Jane noted 5 she thought that exact thought every time. Why not say “Happy New Year to each other like normal people?” But the woman never looked the way from her restless 6 dog so Jane passed by as usual.

It was winter, cold and dry. There was no sign of snow. The tree at the end of the road had no leaves; its branches looked cold and lonely. Jane let out a heavy breath 7 and hold her coat closer around her. She did not want to look at the house nearest the bus stop. Old Mr. Overall 8 was always there looking out of his window. He never changed from the clothes he wore to bed. He looked like he had felt to sleep and was sad and angry. Jane had learned 9 to avoid his hard eyes; they seemed to accuse 10 her of having somewhere to go when he did not. Poor old man, Jane thought. He has to live through the start of yet another year. She looked away and walked faster.

Luckily her bus arrived on time. Old Mr. Overall made Jane think of her mother, she was 92 years old. She and Jane were the only ones left in the family. Her father and brother had died five years apart more than ten years ago. Jane’s mother too had grown old and weak. She broke her head bone two years ago and now could not move around easily. Arthritis 11 caused two bones to hurt. Her mind moved from idea to idea. She forgot almost everything but her childhood. She needed someone to take care of her all the time, but Jane had to work to support them both, so her mother agreed to live in an old people’s home. Thankfully, she liked it because she was with people her own age.

Jane visited her mother every Sunday afternoon. On Saturdays, Jane saw a movie or a play with her good friend Stella. Jane liked plays about love, marriage and family life. Stella did not. She said “It was all talk”. Jane answered, “Well, what else can a play be?” Stella liked movies with a lot of action, car chasing 12 and shooting 13. They argued about the violence 14. “What is it all for?” Jane asked. “It is only a movie.” Stella replied laughing, “afterwards you feel glad you have a quiet life, don’t you?” They kept on going together to plays and movies so that each one would not feel alone. Staying home would not be considered healthy. Jane made sure her work kept her busy all week. Other than that she read books and watched television. She avoided the silent question at the back of her mind “Was this enough?”

The bus reached Jane’s bus stop. The driver said with lots of energy “Happy New Year, Mam!” Jane wanted to ask him if he liked working on a holiday, She wanted to ask him if he liked to drive down the same roads day after day after day. But she did not.

Jane got off the bus and walked into the prime 15 of life home. Her mother smiled widely when she saw her.
“Happy New Year! I’m so happy to see you.” Her mother said.
“You knew I was coming.” Jane answered.
Her mother continued happily, “It’s such a lovely morning, isn’t it? I never thought I would live this long into a whole new century.”
“Why not? You are the most healthy person I know.”
“Oh, Jane, Jane. You make it sound like that is a bad thing. Aren't you glad to be alive?”
“Well, I suppose so!” Jane would not force herself to be happy just because her mother was. “Anyway, you have seen quite a lot of New Years, haven’t you?”
Her mother laughed like a young girl. “No, no, my age is my secret.”
“Don’t be silly, I know how old you are and calling today New Year does not make a difference, it is just another day.”
“Oh, Jane, you are just like your father. I had to teach him how to smile. Come, come outside, I want to show you something.”
“It really is cold outside, mom, you will get sick.”
“The nurse let me go out, come on!” her mother leaned 1 on to Jane and they walked out slowly.

The cold air was fresh, the sun was shining bright and clear.
“Oh, look!” her mother said pointing to the sky. Her eyes were shining like a child. “Where? What?”
“Did you see that huge wide bird, so high and still against the blue sky, it looked so balanced.” Her mother led out a soft breath. Jane looked around, “I missed it.”
“Stop,” her mother said.
“What now?”
Her mother tried to reach down. “Pick up that stone for me, that big blue one.”
“This one? It looks great to me.” Jane picked it up and gave it to her mother. She rubbed the stone clean with her coat then held it up to the sun.
“Look, Jane, have you ever seen this kind of blue?”
“It’s just a stone.”
“Of course not. It does not look like any other. How do you think it got here? Well, it must come from far away, across oceans right here to us. Imagine that, it looks so pure, it must be valuable. ”
“Oh, I see, you think you can sell it.” They both laughed. “Mom really the cold is going to kill us.” Jane tried to pull her mother toward 16 the door.
“Wait, Jane, close your eyes.” Her mother had always like these childish 17 games, but Jane thought she was getting worse. The only way to stop her was to do what she asked.
“OK, they are closed. So what?”
“Wait. Now open them.” Her mother had placed the stone right in front of Jane’s face. The sun shone just behind it. That close for a moment it looked like a jewel, shining and smooth. Jane could not stop herself, “Oh!” She forgot herself and got lost in the blue light.
“This is a new kind of blue, isn’t it?” her mother said softly 18. They continued looking in wonder, “There are so many new things around us.”
“OK, mom,” Jane said, “let us look for them inside, please, before we die of cold.” They walked back into the home laughing. Jane kept the blue stone tight 19 in her hand. It was like a secret.

You have just heard a special story for New Year’s Day “A New Kind of Blue”. It was written by Dowling Bangana, the story is copyrighted 20. All rights reserved 21. Your storyteller was Barbara Klein. The producer was Lawan Davis. The VOA Special English staff wishes all of you a very Happy New Year!