社團往事：我們小的時候
曾慶潭 Ching-Tang Tseng
ilikeforth@gmail.com
Hamilton, New Zealand
19 February 2017
民國四十八年春天，有一天，我從社團國小放學回家，回到社團新村的村門口，順便趕著我家放養路邊的大白鵝回家。那時，這個住滿 200 戶人家的新村，家家純樸，戶戶濃情，從未聽說過有人掉過雞、鴨、鵝、狗的事情。
放養村門口大白鵝的情況是這樣的：鵝群吃的是路邊的天然青草，天黑前，你不趕牠們回家，也會有一隻帶頭鵝，自動帶著鵝群回家。我家並非大肆經營養鵝來過日子，經常只養三到五隻，逢年過節時就能有鵝肉可吃。我也喜歡撿鵝蛋，母鵝常有賴抱(孵蛋，北方人的俗語)的時候，整天蹲在窩裡，不肯外出覓食。
那天，一進家門，我就感覺到家中的氣氛有點不對，我姐姐小聲告訴我，今天村裡來了一個大家都不認識的軍人，到處通知了好幾戶人家，說是爸爸服役的四十一師裡，有很多軍官，去年砲戰時，受了重傷，一直住在金門的野戰醫院，吃不好、穿不暖、很可憐。他是請假回台，順便代表那些軍官，來村子裡通報消息的。希望各家人今天都先做好準備，以便明天能讓他順道帶點衣物、食品、或零用錢，回去轉交給各家人的爸爸。
隔天是周末星期六，只上半天學，這個為四十一師眷屬通風報信的人會再來拿東西。我們放學之後，也許能見到這個人，小孩大概沒機會開口，只能旁邊站著，乖乖的聽話，我姐姐要我明天早一點回來，聽一聽爸爸的消息。
準備晚餐時，一向是我幫著媽媽生火，她炒菜。我生火很熟練，平日此時，應該是向媽媽報告在學校裡上學情況的時候，但是，燒這一頓飯，我卻不敢隨便開口。在後院廚房邊添炭加火時，透過紅通通的火光，我偷看媽媽，知道她在流淚，我更不敢說任何話了。飯後，我比平常更加勤快，收拾桌子，舀出水缸內的存水，快速洗碗，安靜地寫完作業。我擔心媽媽會受不了，不斷的暗示弟妹少講話，今晚要乖一點。我上竹床睡覺時，不得不想爸爸的事情，難過是當然。深夜裡看著媽媽取出軍用公文箱內存放的家當，用厚厚的軍服包好了東西，寫好了爸爸的名字，卻背對著我們不言不語坐了許久，我則硬是等到她也睡了，才肯閉眼。睡時，我想到我們的鄰居與同學，大概有很多人家跟我們家一樣。
次日上午，上了甚麼課？已經記不起來了，放學後，真是匆匆忙忙地奔回家去，喊著：『媽！我回來了』就急著想去安慰她。嘿！ 她很高興地告訴我，昨天那個人被抓起來了。陸續回家的兄弟姐妹，一家七口人圍成一團，聽媽媽講述早上發生的事情。
她說：『村子後面當憲兵的王家爸爸，今早回村時，聽到這個消息，就通知派出所抓人，說他是個騙子。』接著說：『起初，這人還死賴著不肯承認是來騙錢的。後來，當著警察的面，王家爸爸直接問他，你從金門請假回台，下船就直奔社團新村，那來的便衣？於是，當場銬上手銬帶走了。』王家爸爸還安慰大家，明天他會提早回部隊，查證此事，若真有事，也應該是憲兵隊來通知家屬，不可能有人可以這樣子隨便通報，以後再遇到這種人就先報警。
那個下午，我就不去外面野戲了，照媽嗎的吩咐，乖乖地寫了一封家書寄給爸爸，大約要一個月後才可能收到爸爸的回信，我與爸爸有個約定，每封來信，信中都會夾帶違法的五毛錢紙鈔，他會私通部隊裡的指導員，不要查扣他寄回家裡卻違規夾帶了鈔票的信件，我封封都收得到。
加轉貼我女兒的譯文：
她願意翻譯，就表示很想了解早期台灣眷村艱苦生活的背景，她是自願做的，貴在體會，我也欣然轉貼。
Translator: 曾凡玲 (my daughter)
This is my attempt in translating dad's story: Story from dad's childhood.
The year was 1959. One day, I walked home from Community Primary School. I shepherded the geese home when I reach the village. There were about two hundred households in the village. Everyone lived a simple life, and we take care of one another. Stealing livestock such as chickens, ducks, geese or dogs are unheard of.
The geese would forage fresh grass during the day just outside of the village entrance. If you don't shepherd them, one of the goose would still take the lead. We didn't keep these geese for profit, keeping only 3 to 5 geese at a time. This gave us the opportunity to have geese during the holidays and I liked collecting geese eggs. The mother goose would take care of the eggs sometimes.
I noticed something was different immediately when I got home that day. My older sister whispered to me that an unknown soldier turned up in the village today. He said he's from the same division as dad, the 41st Division. A lot of people were wounded after the artillery battle last year and they've been staying in the army hospital of Jingmen Island. They didn't have enough food to eat or clothes to wear and have been living in deplorable condition. He was on holiday and brought news to families in Taiwan from the soldiers. Hopefully, everyone could prepare some clothes, food, and money so he can take those things to all the fathers (soldiers).
It was Saturday the next day so I only had to go to school in the morning. We might see this man again after school tomorrow, so my sister told me to come home early.
I always started the fire going when mum cooks dinner. Normally, I would tell her about my school day, but today I was too scared to say anything. I noticed mum crying when I added more firewood to the fire. I kept my mouth shut after this. After dinner, I quickly washed the dishes and finished homework. I told my younger brother and sister not to talk and be extra good tonight because I was afraid mum wouldn't be able to hold it together. I was really worried about dad when I went to bed. Mum took the supplies out of the soldier letter box and wrapped them up carefully with thick soldier uniform, she just sat there not saying anything for a long time. I waited up until mum went to bed. I thought that my classmates and neighbours would be going through the same thing like us.
I couldn't recall what happened in the morning the next day. I ran home quickly after school finish and yelled: "Mum, I am back!" I wanted to comfort her. She was happy to tell me that the man had been captured. My brothers and sisters came home and the seven of us sat around mum to hear what happened in the morning. She said: "Mr. Wang, the military police who lives at the back of the village came back this morning. He contacted the police station and the man was comprehended. He was a scam artist." Then she said: "This man wouldn't own up to it, but Mr. Wang asked him in front of the police how did he get civilian clothing straight after getting off the boat? They handcuffed him and took him away." Mr. Wang also said he will return to the division to investigate. Normally, the military police would bring the news to us, not just anybody. If we see someone like this again, we should call the police immediately.
I didn't go out to play that afternoon. I wrote a family letter to dad as mum asked. We would receive dad's reply in a month's time. Dad and I had an agreement, he would send 5 cents note with his letter, which is illegal. He would ask his superior to let it go safely to his family so I would get the money from every letter he sent.
附註 ： 20241030 重新整理後貼出。
放養村門口大白鵝的情況是這樣的：鵝群吃的是路邊的天然青草，天黑前，你不趕牠們回家，也會有一隻帶頭鵝，自動帶著鵝群回家。我家並非大肆經營養鵝來過日子，經常只養三到五隻，逢年過節時就能有鵝肉可吃。我也喜歡撿鵝蛋，母鵝常有賴抱(孵蛋，北方人的俗語)的時候，整天蹲在窩裡，不肯外出覓食。
那天，一進家門，我就感覺到家中的氣氛有點不對，我姐姐小聲告訴我，今天村裡來了一個大家都不認識的軍人，到處通知了好幾戶人家，說是爸爸服役的四十一師裡，有很多軍官，去年砲戰時，受了重傷，一直住在金門的野戰醫院，吃不好、穿不暖、很可憐。他是請假回台，順便代表那些軍官，來村子裡通報消息的。希望各家人今天都先做好準備，以便明天能讓他順道帶點衣物、食品、或零用錢，回去轉交給各家人的爸爸。
隔天是周末星期六，只上半天學，這個為四十一師眷屬通風報信的人會再來拿東西。我們放學之後，也許能見到這個人，小孩大概沒機會開口，只能旁邊站著，乖乖的聽話，我姐姐要我明天早一點回來，聽一聽爸爸的消息。
準備晚餐時，一向是我幫著媽媽生火，她炒菜。我生火很熟練，平日此時，應該是向媽媽報告在學校裡上學情況的時候，但是，燒這一頓飯，我卻不敢隨便開口。在後院廚房邊添炭加火時，透過紅通通的火光，我偷看媽媽，知道她在流淚，我更不敢說任何話了。飯後，我比平常更加勤快，收拾桌子，舀出水缸內的存水，快速洗碗，安靜地寫完作業。我擔心媽媽會受不了，不斷的暗示弟妹少講話，今晚要乖一點。我上竹床睡覺時，不得不想爸爸的事情，難過是當然。深夜裡看著媽媽取出軍用公文箱內存放的家當，用厚厚的軍服包好了東西，寫好了爸爸的名字，卻背對著我們不言不語坐了許久，我則硬是等到她也睡了，才肯閉眼。睡時，我想到我們的鄰居與同學，大概有很多人家跟我們家一樣。
次日上午，上了甚麼課？已經記不起來了，放學後，真是匆匆忙忙地奔回家去，喊著：『媽！我回來了』就急著想去安慰她。嘿！ 她很高興地告訴我，昨天那個人被抓起來了。陸續回家的兄弟姐妹，一家七口人圍成一團，聽媽媽講述早上發生的事情。
她說：『村子後面當憲兵的王家爸爸，今早回村時，聽到這個消息，就通知派出所抓人，說他是個騙子。』接著說：『起初，這人還死賴著不肯承認是來騙錢的。後來，當著警察的面，王家爸爸直接問他，你從金門請假回台，下船就直奔社團新村，那來的便衣？於是，當場銬上手銬帶走了。』王家爸爸還安慰大家，明天他會提早回部隊，查證此事，若真有事，也應該是憲兵隊來通知家屬，不可能有人可以這樣子隨便通報，以後再遇到這種人就先報警。
那個下午，我就不去外面野戲了，照媽嗎的吩咐，乖乖地寫了一封家書寄給爸爸，大約要一個月後才可能收到爸爸的回信，我與爸爸有個約定，每封來信，信中都會夾帶違法的五毛錢紙鈔，他會私通部隊裡的指導員，不要查扣他寄回家裡卻違規夾帶了鈔票的信件，我封封都收得到。
加轉貼我女兒的譯文：
她願意翻譯，就表示很想了解早期台灣眷村艱苦生活的背景，她是自願做的，貴在體會，我也欣然轉貼。
Translator: 曾凡玲 (my daughter)
This is my attempt in translating dad's story: Story from dad's childhood.
The year was 1959. One day, I walked home from Community Primary School. I shepherded the geese home when I reach the village. There were about two hundred households in the village. Everyone lived a simple life, and we take care of one another. Stealing livestock such as chickens, ducks, geese or dogs are unheard of.
The geese would forage fresh grass during the day just outside of the village entrance. If you don't shepherd them, one of the goose would still take the lead. We didn't keep these geese for profit, keeping only 3 to 5 geese at a time. This gave us the opportunity to have geese during the holidays and I liked collecting geese eggs. The mother goose would take care of the eggs sometimes.
I noticed something was different immediately when I got home that day. My older sister whispered to me that an unknown soldier turned up in the village today. He said he's from the same division as dad, the 41st Division. A lot of people were wounded after the artillery battle last year and they've been staying in the army hospital of Jingmen Island. They didn't have enough food to eat or clothes to wear and have been living in deplorable condition. He was on holiday and brought news to families in Taiwan from the soldiers. Hopefully, everyone could prepare some clothes, food, and money so he can take those things to all the fathers (soldiers).
It was Saturday the next day so I only had to go to school in the morning. We might see this man again after school tomorrow, so my sister told me to come home early.
I always started the fire going when mum cooks dinner. Normally, I would tell her about my school day, but today I was too scared to say anything. I noticed mum crying when I added more firewood to the fire. I kept my mouth shut after this. After dinner, I quickly washed the dishes and finished homework. I told my younger brother and sister not to talk and be extra good tonight because I was afraid mum wouldn't be able to hold it together. I was really worried about dad when I went to bed. Mum took the supplies out of the soldier letter box and wrapped them up carefully with thick soldier uniform, she just sat there not saying anything for a long time. I waited up until mum went to bed. I thought that my classmates and neighbours would be going through the same thing like us.
I couldn't recall what happened in the morning the next day. I ran home quickly after school finish and yelled: "Mum, I am back!" I wanted to comfort her. She was happy to tell me that the man had been captured. My brothers and sisters came home and the seven of us sat around mum to hear what happened in the morning. She said: "Mr. Wang, the military police who lives at the back of the village came back this morning. He contacted the police station and the man was comprehended. He was a scam artist." Then she said: "This man wouldn't own up to it, but Mr. Wang asked him in front of the police how did he get civilian clothing straight after getting off the boat? They handcuffed him and took him away." Mr. Wang also said he will return to the division to investigate. Normally, the military police would bring the news to us, not just anybody. If we see someone like this again, we should call the police immediately.
I didn't go out to play that afternoon. I wrote a family letter to dad as mum asked. We would receive dad's reply in a month's time. Dad and I had an agreement, he would send 5 cents note with his letter, which is illegal. He would ask his superior to let it go safely to his family so I would get the money from every letter he sent.
附註 ： 20241030 重新整理後貼出。
