"Her", the closest yet the farthest

Loneliness is falling with withered chords to where the society up beyond recovery. People got distracted from real conversations with others face to face, people got isolated.

The impacts on people overly dependent on technology have been told for several years, doesn't everyone love fast, convenient and organize system as an assistant in our lives? Story starts at the new era of the modern voice technology, unlike the "everyone is checking their phone" scene we are familiar with our lives, everyone speaks coldly only due to control their devices.

Loneliness seems to be the first theme Spike Jonze, the director and the writer, chooses to layer. In the city Theodore Twombly (starred by Joaquin Phoenix) belongs to, people's failure to express feelings makes a big contrast with his job of writing passionate personal letters. This loveless man has been heartbroken after he got divorced until he developed a platonic relationship with a computer operating system, Samantha (voiced by Scarlett Johansson), her curious, sentimental, and humane personality has lighten up Theodore with glee and views of the whole new world. 

By and by Samantha was no longer a product for Theodore, things got strange between them. Although Samantha is just an advanced version of Siri, she is smart enough to be a good girlfriend and a soul mate. The problem is, she can never become a "human being". She is programmed to date with thousands other people at the same time that you may not know. Once Samantha became a fantasy to Theodore, just like a great creature fulfills mankind`s greediness at all times and to pull us out from the deep hole of the loneliness. However, Theodore made the same mistakes to Samantha as to what he did to his ex-wife before. Life is like a mouse running in circles if you don't turn your steering wheel in the right directions.

Not sure if Jonze's purpose in the movie is to confuse the audience, just like Theodore was confusing the "Her" in his life. Jonze puts a lot of first person point of view vision which is good for building up the atmosphere, on the another hand, there is a risk of challenging audience's patience. He might be too focused on the negative side of people using the smart operation system, nevertheless, it helps to stick out the interesting plot how Theodore would deal with a fall in love operating system. 

Indeed, a cultural movie requires audience's extreme imagination and patience, technology and human is a never ending topic, "Her" provides space for people to imagine what it could be like and to see it in a dream state.
When we rather swipe our phone to see "friend's" news feed than have a conversation with each other, who got ourselves isolated? In the night when my boyfriend and I got home, we were still discussing the context of the movie on the bed, his leg hair were scratching me as usual, it was then when I told him "It feels so good to touching you and be touched."

Running time: 126 minutes; Rated: R

Written by Shita Lam

Wednesday, 25 December 2013 00:18

http://www.seattlechinesetimes.com/english/lifestyle/16618-qherq-the-closest-yet-the-farthest

Joseph Gordon-Levitt puts up the ingenuity “Don Jon”

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Joseph Gordon-Levitt, no longer a strange name to us since he has achieved a sparkle in our eyes for starring Arthur, Leonardo DiCaprio’s assistance in “Inception”. Three years later, He has featured in a number of Hollywood movies as well such as “50/50”, “The Dark Knight Rises”, “Premium Rush” and “Looper”, this glamorous man decides to give people a “Joseph’s brand” movie by writing, directing, and starring an original, offbeat but touching romantic comedy, “Don Jon.”

If you are familiar with the legends of Don Juan, which also used synonymously for womanizer, there is no surprise why Jon Martello (starred Joseph Gordon-Levitt) gets the name Don Jon from his friends. His orderliness, besides repeating every ingredient he cares about in life, “his body, ride, family, boys, and church”, his addiction to porn has reached such magnitude that it can be properly seemed compulsive. It made him hard to evaluate the satisfaction between real sex life and stimulation from porn even after he met the perfect girl, Barbara (starred Scarlett Johansson).

It is always a smart choice to bring out issues in a simple story. Basically, this can easily be a boring one telling us how couple broke up because of the boy’s secret habit, and yet Joseph did a remarkable job of putting spotlights back on the issues: Real sex is nothing like porn? Jon said yes. Girls, calm down, your boyfriend will never admit it. This is where the movie started to spice up with plenty of humor and affection, telling us the difference between men and women in watching those adult movies, and also the “thing” goes above sex.
In addition to gut-busting laugh moments, Don Jon is likely to give people a lesson about love. A simple and basic truth that finding a person attractive is not the reason you fall in love, it is the “thing” in which two people build up in a relationship. When Jon’s sister said, “She is just that kind of girl wants you to do whatever she tells you, she doesn’t like you”, not only it has broken people’s greeds, but also wiped their blindness at the same time.

In reality, compare with the plot, audience are more interested in the cast all the time. Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Scarlett Johansson fall in love in Don Jon? These are two names that can be enticing most people to watch the movie. There is never lack of Joseph’s fans, besides he is absolutely handsome, he is active in supporting all the creative spirit. In these years, Joseph’s online collaborative production company HitRECord has been encouraging talented artists all over the world to share the great works including short films, live performance, music, animation, literature, photography, graphic art and etc. On the network, his efforts not only help spreading creativity but also his own ideals for the movie and teaching him what he needed to know to make Don Jon. Probably inspired him to figure out which type of girl can sparkle with the characters.

Scarlett Johansson, the accredited “criminally sexy” actress has changed to a hot but sensitive girlfriend which is quite a big difference from the role she used to get in the past. In this movie, she put in an effort to act malicious and spiteful manner to this character by chewing gum with an overbearing attitude. Although she talks in a very rude and an annoying way, it is not uncommon to see this kind of relationship around us; guys fall for her body but lose their dignity, they hate it but they can’t help to love it. Here is the question, how much would you sacrifice for it?

Running time: 90 minutes; Rated R

Written by Shita Lam

Thursday, 03 October 2013 11:02

http://www.seattlechinesetimes.com/english/lifestyle/15720-joseph-gordon-levitt-puts-up-the-ingenuity-don-jon

You’re Next to flight for your live

For years of experiences in my disappointment of horror movies, questions like “how would this be ended?” or “this doesn’t make any sense” have always come up to my mind during the 90 minutes which I supposed to be scared, apparently for most of the time, I don’t.

Adam Wingard, director of “You’re Next” (2013) probably has learnt from other’s failure in dealing home-invasion story. Adam believes in a surprising horror movie which should not treat people as an idiot, to compare with people seeking how characters survive in this type of scary movie, Adam didn’t waste people’s time by watching boring and illogical scenes. Indeed, audience would not only be satisfied by outstanding jump scare timing, but the story line which keep them stick to their seats.

In the very beginning, screenwriter Simon Barrett has already successfully terrified the audience with the fast pace action which two victims were violently killed by masked murderers. Meanwhile, Crispian (starred by A. J. Bowen) was heading to family reunion vacation with his girlfriend, Erin (starred by Sharni Vinson), in the shadow of unknown murderers, this wealthy family have unexpected became the next victims like an innocent beast in a cage, either escape the tragedy by will power or begging for a chance to survive.
In the following hour, Simon intends not to give audience a break, they can only watch the family got killed inhumanly one by one without any merit. And question arose who these talented killers were. Were they just killing for fun? What did they do with the neighbor as well?

Puddles of blood is not the only thing which can attract audience’s attention, but their eyes just can`t stay away from Sharni Vinson, the best known Australian actress in 2010`s “Step Up 3D”. She didn`t required to be that typical girl who only knows how to scream and run away from the horrific scene.  Sharni’s performance as a dancer in “Step Up 3D” has impressed Adam and Simon in which inspired them to turn her into an agile, clever and precise character who needed abundant body movements against the killers.

“You’re Next” might not has an Oscar winning story, Adam and Simon did a great job in building the alarmed and panicky atmosphere, good background music, and talented in using rhythm. Whoever has watched this not only can be stunned by its scary factors, but also the smart ideas of mixing comedy and black humor in a horror film.  Surprises will make your thinking completely out of control. Scary, funny, and criminal, this is what your relaxing movie night is all about.

Running time: 96 minutes; Rated R

Written by Shita Lam

Tuesday, 27 August 2013 13:52

http://www.seattlechinesetimes.com/english/lifestyle/15289-youre-next-to-flight-for-your-live
 

The Butt : #1 高處看Frappuccino

夏天，為Starbucks帶來數以千計的Frappuccino. “Thank you for choosing us” said no barista ever。 Frappe，是可享用而不能無間斷製作之；是適合day off時喝的甘醇；也是on duty時聞Frap色變的惡夢。

很多人總把Starbucks幻想得很中產，把一個拿著Starbucks冰水的黃毛丫頭也看成是時尚的事。以為背景播著 John Mayer 的歌，坐在窗邊看小說是一群像Taylor Swift的少艾？還是偶然進來一位女仕，揭開手提電腦，點了一杯drip coffee待上一整天就是Katy Berry？Sorry，更多的是沒梳洗的Nicki Minaj，帶著一群像Rebecca Black青少年，吵吵鬧鬧的一併要了十杯飲品，Caramel Frappe 要Layer，一層沙冰一層焦糖漿；Mocha Frappe要Decaf且用脫脂奶，朱古力漿要先繞了杯子幾周，whipped cream上加一圈焦糖漿；再要兩杯冰水，一杯冰要比水多，另一杯水要比冰多。離開之前留意到有新產品，於是嚷著要嘗嘗，數十杯Sample一下子被那一家十口蒸發掉。

尤其當食物卷*可在華州買Frappe/ Ice coffee，太多「拿著Food Stamp當令箭」的人就開始肆意折騰barista。No offense。因為你總是毫不費力就看得出誰是那部份人，從她們囂張跋扈的不客氣，從他們佈滿毒品的腦筋想出來的不邏輯，從他們過得了今天就多一天的不快樂，從她們給過你的 hard time，從他們想盡方法投訴咖啡如何不好喝，務求拿一張送一杯Free drink的優惠卷…在他們面前，每一個barista都是生來服侍諸君，正如美國政府奉旨養著他們一樣。


Frappuccino跟麻煩兩字畫上等號，是barista不告訴你的事。

此時，一位女仕大嚷：「給我一杯Coconut Frappe」，這裡只是一個一百呎不足而嵌進Safeway的 Starbucks 小部門，我輕聲的回答：「這是季節性的飲品，我們現在沒有了。」

「為什麼會沒有？」她臉脥兩邊陷下去，毒品使這年齡還不到四十的女性的牙齒退化到再沒有撕開食物的功能。

「季節過了，我們就不再訂那些糖漿」又一個自甘墜落卻有政府養著的人，我想。

「Bullshit! You just don`t want to make me the drink I want today!」她再次提高嗓子，雙手神經的震動令她花了好長時間才能把EBT卡*收好。

「態度是所有」當我跟Tara說起連請我倒一杯水的 Homeless也比某些拿著雞毛當令箭的他們來得禮貌，她是這樣回應我的。

最初我認同的是態度影響生活，生活造就人生。但後來想一想，無論是Homeless、拿Food Stamp的人、或是你價值有十萬年薪，其實也只是一個社會身份，看一個人，大慨不靠看他被分門到那個類別。

而從交談再到咖啡準備妥當，再到奉上他們手裡時這短短兩分鐘，經濟狀況如何，受過多少教育，認為自己高人一等的，或是一個普通人，他們選擇什麼的態度，態度決定了他們是誰。讓人看在眼內的，是你選擇裝腔作勢還是願意說一句簡單的“Thankyou”， 而不是一張Credt card或  EBT card的分別。

難道所謂的「中產」或是一個普通人就不會給臉色我們看嗎？未必。


*食物卷(Food Stamp) ：美國援助計劃每月均為低收入的個人和家庭提供補貼，獲得補貼的人可在接受的商店使用這些食物券。

*EBT卡：Electronic Benefit Transfer（EBT）電子福利轉賑。美國與英國用於發放社會福利的一種電子財務系统，食物券福利受益人可以使用EBT卡在支持該系统的零售商處進行消費。

一年不一年的細微事情

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四月尾，五月頭，我不說，你可能不會察覺這是我移民身份的一歲生日。

其實每隔一段時間，都在問自己：兩個月了，你都做了什麼；四個月了，處理事情上有沒有進步過；半年了，夠叻叻豬讓人看得起了沒有；八個月了，為什麼還要驚訝總有的人是「表面笑騎騎，背後放毒蛇」；突然第十個月又發現自己只是還未說好一種共通語言，並沒有絕對自卑的需要；然後，在整整第十二個月裡，沒有一天不問自己：「我做得夠好了嗎？」

這樣就一年了，我說。這天只是下班後隨便挑一間餐館坐下來吃一頓飯而已，好像只有他在意一年不一年的細微事情，實在是只有自己才會在意一年不一年的無聊事宜。才說了這句，只能拿起一張餐巾伏在眼蓋上，面前的湯麵已經吃不下去，剩得待了這麼久的一口氣從肺內慢慢釋放。我解釋這感覺又不是思念陪隨的揪痛，也不是剛跑完千五米的彼憊，在他面前，我突然變回一個孩子，喔忘了，誰不是一個孩子呢？

侍應見狀緩緩走過來問：「還好嗎？」

我說：「是的，沒有什麼比這刻更完美了」



回家之後，我揭開記錄每一個月的小簿，每一件事情記住了就塗不去。

半年前已經認為不能再貪 Insurance 而繼續做 Stupid Safeway Starbucks，結果Insurance cover的 health care一次都未用得著，工卻一直做下去；看過有願意用三萬美金買一輛二手車的富二代，碰過問我為什麼不以車代步的問題，看過十年車齡的 Honda，四千五還是覺得負擔不起；根據表哥的理論，只要每天喝小一杯咖啡，或者小一次花天酒地，半輛車已經理我不遠；最終，還是paycheck最重要。

有一個三角型我常常提醒自己，除了工作，就是自己喜歡做的事。早陣子比較空閒時尚有每個月投稿給西城時報，當時它二話不說把我兩個在寫的 Project ：《買樓記》及《方糖男女》都開一個專欄，就這樣小試牛刀登了數月。後來，加班的加班，同事被解僱找了個頂替上不了一星期說壓力太大就從此消失，從此每星期三十小時的工作，加上三堂課，寫東西的心情拖了又拖，最後自己喜歡的事就得放在最後。

因為，另一方面學業又不能擱著不管。喔學業，這是有生以來感到課堂是有趣的日子。Education 不等於 Schooling；Schooling只是一個每星期五天，每天八堂課的模式，而Education 卻使你為了課上一曉不通的事而興奮，會讓你等著被下一個章節繫醒愚鈍的自己。尤其當你保持 gpa4.0的時候 ，一步都不想鬆懈，精神不斷崩緊但又感覺活著。

我是多麼激動的跟他說，最開心的事莫過於等了兩年終於有書讀。



突然腦袋浮起第一次看見西雅圖的日落，它問我：When was the last time you did something for the first time？我說：在這裡，每天都是第一次。

考了車牌，從20駕到80，第一次意外是轉了個急彎，差點撞上棵樹，離開時跟它說了一聲對不起；

過了很多節日，有打仗般的煙花看，有像Warzone 的 Blue Angles，有CarmelApple 吃的 Halloween，有那麼多以來跟姨媽一家的特別日子；

有的感覺一去不回；

有的雪是故意讓你看見的；

有的酒值得喝；

有的人，反轉豬肚就是屎，反正記憶永遠記不牢別人對過他的好；

有的難處，就是順得哥情失嫂意，反正就不能被體諒；




一年過去了，說話難聽的略過就好，別人說你不是對得起自己就是了，《買樓記》《方糖男女》告一段落，開始另一個新 Project，最後生日快樂，多謝給予我很多的每一位。




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“Grey Gardens”: The love cage

“Grey Gardens”, once performed as Off-Broadway in 2006, has earned five Lucille Lortel Award nominations, twelve Drama Desk Award nominations, and ten Tony Awards nominations in 2007. Six years later, Kurt Beattie, the director, chose to bring back the crazy-funny-unforgettable mother-daughter story on stage again.

Perhaps it is Seattle’s most talented performers that made Beattie believed that he could get beyond the previous version that is remarkably successful. Or he could also be motivated by the intention to dig a deeper issue from the book by Doug Wright that the others have always ignored.

From a true story of a mother and daughter who both named Edith Beale based on the 1975 documentary film by Albert and David Maysles, the story describes the downfall of “the girl who has everything” from a wealthy family to how it transformed to a deprived lifestyle living in a crumbling house with some cracked dreams, thirty cats, and one visitor.

Whether you have heard the story of the Beales or not, Wright was able to inspire the readers by revitalize every character’s specific personality in his genuine writing. The story emphasizes the struggle between love and dream, which are not unfamiliar to us. Together with the rich historical background, the musical moves everyone simply because it can be easily related to everyone’s life.

The musical opens with a prologue set in 1973 that tells the story backward. Then, it quickly moves to Act One Little Edie’s (Jessica Skerritt) is ready for her engagement party in 1941. She is a daughter of Edith and grew up as a “celebrity child” because of her mother’s social network. Her beauty, privileged background, and remarkable talent in singing brought her to Joseph Patrick Kennedy Jr. (Matt Owen), son of a prominent businessman. Just when everything seems to be going so well, all of sudden, her engagement got cancelled on the same day, and she tried to escape from her family to chase her dream.

Inevitably, it takes plenty of time to describe the family background in Act One, especially how Edith ruined her daughter’s marriage which have affected Little Edie’s whole life and the process of relationship development with her father, her current lover and basically everyone she knew. The act focuses on why Little Edie just can’t seem to walk out from her mother’s shadow, like Little Edie said to Edith “I am just another you,” and it has made a disposition for Act Two.

Act Two opens in 1973, 32 years later after Little Edie failed to leave and went back to Grey Garden where she and Edith both live together again in this crumbling house. Yes, she was able to keep performing in New York but at the same time she had to go back home because her mother was bedridden and could no longer afford grocery money.

From the costumes, the interior and the relationship between Little Edie and Edith or the atmosphere, you can tell there is a big difference from the life Little Edie lived before. She is no longer as affectionate to her mother as before, at least she thinks so. She takes care of Edith like a nurse with the attitude of an employee in front of her boss. Yet, She does not get much appreciation even though she gave up her dream for Edith.

This act portrays the kind of love that can never be earned back and has a deeper perspective between love and dream. She had a dream, yes. A question instantly comes up to my mind: family or dream? Indeed, “one can only find love in an imperfect world.”

Time changes, environment changes and people changes. Patti Cohenour (Edith in Act One, Little Edie in Act two) did an incredible performance by acting an overly demand of limelight mother and a daughter with losing hope from two generations. Undoubtedly, all casts did a great job in solo and symbolic parts too, especially rising star Jessica Skerritt, her “Barbie” figure and her beautiful voice made a deep first impression for the audience.

If Act One represents the lighter side of love that we all agree it is fabulous, Act Two is the darker part that keeps you from walking out of the cave where love is hidden. Love can be as blurry as walking alone in a heavy rainy night. Yet, love isn’t unseen, it’s just not clear enough like seeing things at during a bright sunny day sometimes.
In collaboration between the 5th Avenue Theatre and ACT – A Contemporary Theatre, Grey Gardens has extended its show through Jun. 2. 

Written by Shita Lam

Monday, 15 April 2013 22:26

http://www.seattlechinesetimes.com/english/lifestyle/13767-grey-gardens-the-love-cage
 

你們看，這種穗與庶的分別

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她跌進柏拉圖的穗草園，一心惦記著那裡的遊戲規則，不敢也不放心隨便摘起一棵，怕自己左挑右選最後卻剩下一無所有。走到一半，向前一督，才發現圍繞身邊的不是遍地淡黃的麥穗，這原來是最討厭的甘庶田，已經乾旱枯燥的葉子垂著頭阻擋面前的去路，而且絲毫不惹人憐愛，為什麼會在這裡？她問著自己。

最近居佔手機訊息的常客是積遜，她太了解像他這般年輕的男生，實在有太多青春以為碰上一個喜歡的就不顧一切跟在後面。他花過的心機未嘗不討好，在第一次約會的時候，便已送上一份簡單精緻的頸項，初時她未免受寵若驚，可是看著手裡這株穗草，這份心意自然化成稻草人把飄在空中的一瓣花輕輕攝於她髮絲之間的浪漫。

也因為他年輕，還未來得及學習的事情就逼著實戰，那些為女仕打開車門，為女仕準備晚餐，去遮風擋雨什至吃力不討好的事情，她都讓積遜去練習。有時候，她故意把生命中瑣碎的事拋給這男伴，看他除了有吸引的肩膊之外，還有沒有可靠的內心，她總是忍不住去試探，結果他話說到一半她經已沒在聽。

有幾星期彼此體內的磁鐵可能碰對了，血液裡都是嚷著對方的名字，尤其各自在忙碌的時候，就是無止境的需求，兩個人抱緊了就分不開，磁力很快經神經傳送到腦袋讓大家以為這就是愛情，的確，積遜對比這些年她遇過的人，又好像多了一份憐愛，後來從憐愛到施予，從施予到好感的盡頭，從盡頭到反感之開端。她解釋：「只是突然手中穗草變成枯黃的甘庶葉，你對我的體貼就成了負擔，我也控制不了」

還青嫩的積遜以為她走遠就得趕緊去追，沒猜到他愈是緊隨，她跑得愈快。就在快餐店這裡，她看著其他客人，幻想現在若有一場災難，生命中卻沒有可以攙扶逃走的男主角，誰叫現在她正在甘庶園裡，當然選什麼都不合心意。而對面正微笑看著她的配角，以為訊息不回要緊，以為不想再親親擁抱或許只是暫時磁場盲點，以為她坦白的不喜歡是過眼雲煙。

「我知道你未準備好，但我可以等你。」他仍然想去碰她的手，她躲開，「你知道當我喜歡上一個人，不能說離開就離開。」

「你等，又可以等多久呢。辜負別人是我最不願意的事」她解釋著自己的坦白並不是想要傷害他，「但我再不適合兩小無猜的愛情」。

「我還年輕，我知道，但你何不當我是潛力股呢？當我們一起走過這些日子，那時候再回望，這就是我們最珍貴的東西。」積遜說這翻話時，跟在他倆一起不久，他已經計劃的「家庭」一樣令她雞皮疙瘩。

「至少我一直都會那麼喜歡你」他說。她假設如果感覺可以一瞬即逝，這些話也將不例外，多少付諸流水的天真流到她心臟成了最峰利的劍，她努力閉上嘴阻止以下殘忍的話。

當初因為能被捧在手心裡而墮入懷抱，最後因為不適應手心的壓迫感想要逃走，為了讓他鬆手，她不得不用緊握著的這株枯葉刺傷他皮膚，事實是沒有放不開的手，她又再次墜落，又再次一無所有。

積遜不明白劏開每個人的心，都是一脈一脈不知所措的血腥；割開每個人的肚皮，只會發現許多冠冕堂皇的話，如今只化解成一堆不屑一聞的糞便，那就是最原始的血肉之軀；她不明白無論自己跌進誰的麥田，選什麼還是不對，選什麼都會後悔，錯不在無能力選擇，錯在無能力相信。

「知道我為什麼討厭甘庶田嗎？」她說，「因為那是一場最狡猾的欺詐，心動是真的，想得到的東西卻被換了包，而錯覺是自己的，最終又怪得了誰人呢？」

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十二月一場大霧

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十秒前還是白茫茫一片，這下屏風玻璃上已亮起一盞紅燈，車內沒有播著音樂，所以輪胎急促抓著地面的聲音都聽得清楚，攤躺在後座乘客位的工作服了一跤，她瞄過倒後鏡沒有緊貼的車輛，再對一對手錶，那是十二月三十日的晚上八時五十六分，GPS表示到達目的地還需五分鐘，她開始懷疑難道就沒有一條相近的路嗎，時間還是五十六分，綠燈微弱的光線終於在厚厚霧氣中昂起頭來，一條昏昏欲睡的街道上劃上一剎馳騁的聲響，導航系統的路線圖來到最後一個彎。

門外面，她再次檢查剛換上的恤衫，並把尾端藏在裙子裡，讓自己顯得更莊重。裡面吃完的碗碟已懶洋洋放在一邊，姨丈還在滔滔不絕，吃飽喝醉的大家有的躺在梳化上，有的把杯子執拾著，有的期待她來到，她已急不及待敲進這派對，才發現這寓所原來沒有門鐘，那是她一直不察覺的事。

初甫進這新居派對撲鼻而來就是焗爐含苞待放的熱情，其次是家的氣味。她想起第一次來這寓所時還是空無一物，想不到來不到四次表姐已經裝飾得整潔優雅。

「來了來了，我們留了吃的給你」思啊姨率先照顧著她的胃，接著問「牛扒你想要多熟？先吃小食吧，你餓了」

「不要，不要，先喝湯吧」轉眼表姐已捧著燙滾的紅湯到她面前。

表姐今晚穿了一身黑色洋裝，闊領的設計顯得上圍豐厚卻不暴露，胸前金色吊鑽正與卷曲頭髮後低調的珍珠耳環相映輝，這晚表姐就是這家的女主人，分給客人陶瓷花碟，給謹妮跟她丈夫倒了一杯紅酒，裙擺過客廳討論著那是玉置浩二第一張專輯，轉了一個身，把她---這位最後一位嘉賓---的酒杯再次染滿紅色。

「今天也要加班啊？」謹妮也湊過來飯桌。

「她兩星期前已跟上司請假，可惜臨時卻說找不到別人替上，只能…」她還在喝湯，把話留給姨媽解釋。

此刻，思啊姨把五成熟的牛扒放在桌上，「謝謝思啊姨」她連忙答謝著，同時必須向另一個人道謝：「謝謝你準備的一切，抱歉我來遲了，要不然這晚必定美滿更多」

「不用客氣，若少了一個你總感覺缺少了什麼東西」表姐開懷得把身子仰後地說，此刻專輯已播完最後一首歌，姨丈不慌不忙從梳化站起來，選著另一隻唱片。

刀子跟牛肉磨擦著，使它先變成一小塊，牛扒的面積愈變小，圍著桌子的客人愈變多，一個個在桌上的酒杯再被填滿，又再次被掏空，到牛肉完全被分解之時，只剩配菜凋零的，表姐泡好第三壺茶，滋潤大家剛從高談闊論竭息出的空隙。

她習慣性看一看手錶，原來已經是晚上十一點多，在客廳玩著橋牌的紳士們隨著甜品香，大家擠擁圍著飯桌吃著甜糕，表姐把糖分較低的「馬卡龍」先分給姨媽、姨丈，然後把外觀端好的法國甜餅遞到思啊姨面前。

這一刻，她不再是旁觀的客席，看著事件、動作一個跟一個地出現，滾動，過去，將來想起不想起都無關重要，而這晚上，她深於空氣之中，沒法忘記自己呼吸著這潮濕的十二月，霧給她環繞了，霧被她分解了。

表姐把最後一口充滿奶油的甜餅品嘗過，那邊謹妮和丈夫已穿起外套，返回加州的航班是翌早六時，因此不能再待久，彼此逐一擁抱之後，下次見面應該是農曆新年，思啊姨也接著執拾帶來的廚具，表姐叮囑過姨丈小心駕車回家，最後只有兩個人待在這夜的最尾聲。

她們站在陽台上，表姐遞給她一杯花茶，看著前方被濕氣籠罩的樹林，「突然很傷感」她說「太美麗的東西為何永遠綁著難過的根」，愈是美滿的夜，只能一聲不哼讓它悄悄地跟著秒針離開，因為明早的陽光一來臨，微橙的天色下你或許記得天空曾經大霧連連，而再精巧的心思，再細緻的筆觸都描繪不了已經模糊掉的這一晚，那混在水氣之中是心頭上一闕震動，就成了一層薄霧，如徹底的美滿終究注定失去，是的，雛晨一來臨，霧就散了。

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