七○年代中期，戴芬妮剛到美國加州長堤。那時，她上午由家裏到大學上課，下午由大學去餐廳打工，晚上再自餐廳回家，統統要搭乘公共汽車，而且還得轉兩趟車。因為她每一天每一程的時間幾乎是固定的，因此她往往搭的是同一位司機開的車；久了，她和司機們也很熟，有時轉車沒接好，他們都會稍稍等她一下。大部分的司機年紀都不小，但仍很康健，而且人也都很和藹；年輕些的，就比較沒有耐性些，開車也較猛，但人也都還好。如果老人家來不及走到巴士站牌，很多司機往往會停下來等；又或者老人家要下車的地方，離站牌有點兒距離，他們往往就在那兒停下來，省了老人家再走一段路。有位中年的黑人司機，總是對老人家特別尊敬，讓她印象很深刻。老人家行動不便的，他甚至起身去攙扶他們上來，引他們就近坐在前頭的位置上、下車時，又攙扶他們下去。戴芬妮第二次搭他車時，他就很愉快地和她招呼，誇獎她是個仁慈的好孩子。原來是前一天，她在公共汽車上，讓座位給老人家之故。以後有時乘客少，戴芬妮得以坐在前邊的位置時，他便會有一搭沒一搭地和她聊聊天。那時她英語會話還很差，總是聽的多，說的少；所以從他的言談，也就知道不少他的為人處事。可惜戴芬妮卻沒能記住他長長的姓名，只知道人家叫他艾爾。艾爾出生在喬治亞州的鄉下，有姐妹兄弟十人，是個虔誠的天主教徒。他說他父母從小就教他們要仁慈、恭敬和忍耐；戴芬妮告訴他，這也正是中國人傳統的教育，他非常開心。幾年以後，戴芬妮有個自己的連鎖企業，在長堤附近的分店，很需要一位忠誠負責的經理，她就想到艾爾，卻無從找到他了。不知他是否還在當公車司機？還是已改行或退休了？
一個仁慈善良的人，往往也對人恭敬有禮，能守住進退交接的分寸；這樣的人，誰都會喜歡親近的。有一首小詩叫做〈可愛的孩子〉，其中有幾句雖然說的是女孩子，亦可做男孩們的參考；希望每個人自小就能做一個謙恭有禮的好孩子。
嫻靜有禮，一如紫羅蘭，
又如玫瑰花蕾般甜蜜。
這樣的小女孩，人人愛見。 |
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Stephanie moved to Long Beach, California, in the mid-seventies. At that time, she went to classes at a college in the morning, went from the college to her job at a restaurant in the afternoon, and went from there back home in the evening. She got to all of these places by bus, and she had to change buses twice. Since her schedule was pretty regular, she usually ended up seeing the same bus drivers. After some time she became quite acquainted with them. If Stephanie happened to be a little late, the bus drivers would wait for her. Most of the drivers were middle-aged, but they were all very healthy and very kind. The younger ones were a little more impatient and drove a bit fast, but on the whole they were nice people. Sometimes if there were elderly people who couldn't make it to the bus stop on time, the driver would wait for them. Or if some elders needed to get off a little ways before the bus stop, the driver would often stop right there so they wouldn't have to walk so far. There was one middle-aged black bus driver who was particularly respectful to the elderly, and who made a deep impression on Stephanie. When some of the elders had trouble getting on the bus, he would give them a hand and have them sit in the front rows. When they reached their stop, he would help them off the bus. The second time Stephanie saw this bus driver, he happily greeted her and praised her for being a good and kind little girl. The reason was that one day when she was on the bus, he had seen her yield her seat to an elderly person. Sometimes when there were few passengers, she would sit in the front rows, and the bus driver would talk to her. At that time her English was very poor, and she could listen more than she could speak. From talking with him she found out a lot about his conduct. It's too bad she can't remember his long name. She only knows that others called him Al. Al was born in the countryside in Georgia. There were ten children in his family, and he was a devout Catholic. He said that when he was young, his parents taught him compassion, respect, and patience. When Stephanie told him that was similar to the traditional Chinese education, he was very happy. After a few years Stephanie started her own chain of stores, and she needed a good and honest manager near Long Beach. She immediately thought of Al, but she couldn't find him anywhere. She didn't know if he was still a bus driver, or if he had retired or changed his job.
A kind and compassionate person is always respectful towards others and knows how to carry himself. Other people like to be around him. There is a little poem called "Lovely Child." Although this poem talks about girls, boys can also learn something from it. Let's hope everyone can be a good and respectful child.
Modest as a violet, As a rosebud sweet--
That's the kind of little girl People like to meet. |
