old man

old man went to the boss' office. he told the boss it's time for him to retire. for 30 years, he worked in this job. it is time to go. the boss looked at him with some thoughts in his head. after hearing what the old man had to say, boss started to talk. the man said, yes, indeed, for these 30 years, the old man had worked tirelessly 30 years for this agency. and it's time for him to go. however, he just ran into a problem. boss thought old man was the best man for the job. boss looked at the old man intendedly. then he kept going, com' on this is for old time's sake. we had worked together for almost 30 years. you gotta help me on this one.

wearily looked into boss' eyes, old man came up with a light chuckle. tell me, what's the hot potato? then we can talk.

boss' face seemed relieved somewhat. ah, it's a new agent. this girl just got into FBI about half year. i tried to partnered her another experienced field agents. but it seemed to me nobody could really put rules in her head! boss was almost angry. the face was red. the bold head seemed to be shinier. he stood up and started to walk about. i need somebody who could lead her into field without causing mayhem. somebody who had the experience, the temperament, and the wisdom. ha, and nobody but you fit that description better! boss turned towards the old man, seemed happy again.

he was still the same, old man thought. smile came up a bit. why don't you just fire her then? what's so special about her?

well, the boss sighed a bit, she's senator billman' in law's daughter. old man let a smirk signed on his face. look, i know what you are thinking. but she's very competent. she wast the best sharpshooter in the marine. and even though she broke so many rules in the field during this half year, the cases she involved were all solved. boss exclaimed, red color seemed returned. boss strode back to the leather chair and slumped in there. both the agents i assigned to mentor her said she's very competent. however, besides the disregarding of the rules, she is also overly competitive! it seemed that she has to be on top of everything and everyone. it's okay for her to be that way when she's out there alone sharpshooting in the war. but it's not okay here! that's why i need somebody who's a living legend in the bureau, and that's you. smiled boss looked at the old man.

the old man said, no, jake, this is not my problem. you could just fire her. plus i think i will only slow her down. it's you who pulled me from the field to sit at the table. that certainly made me realize how old i must have been...

boss looked at the old man with a sad look. com' on, john. it's bureau's policy that anyone who's over 65 should be pulled from the field work. and you know we need people with most experience to sit at the meetings! anyway, if you don't like to sit at the table, now it's your chance!

can i go over her files? old man sighed.

yes, of course. boss raided the file on his table. here, take a look at it. you'll know she's competent though needed guidance. this will be easy for you.

looking through her file, old man did not show any signs. the boss sat there with elbows on the table and mouth in the hands. wow, she's very beautiful... old man murmured. he was smiling bigger and bigger while reading the two ex-mentors' report on her. it's comical...

1 year. old man raised his head from the file.

1 year what? john?

i will be her mentor for one year in the field, then you have to let me go. no matter if i banged the rules in her head or not!

ah! great! john, i will definitely hold my end of bargain! you have no idea what much weight you saved me from!

weight? the old man looked at him.

i was too happy, don't mind me! boss laughed out loud.

姚莉-大江東去

中國版的 the river of no return.

大江東去
作詞： 司徒明　
作曲： Lionel Newman / Ken Darby

看流水悠悠　看那大江一去不回頭
有時浪濤濤　她有時靜悄悄
愛情像流水　像那大江東去不回頭
永遠向東流　流到蒼海不停留

為了你　我為大江在呼喚
看她掀起浪濤濤
為了你　我為愛情在呼號　在呼號
走遍那海角和天涯　意中人兒何處尋找
看流水悠悠　看那大江東去不回頭

(為了你　我為大江在呼喚)
(看她掀起浪濤濤)
(為了你　我為愛情在呼號　在呼號)
走遍那海角和天涯　意中人兒何處尋找
看流水悠悠　看那大江東去不回頭

看流水悠悠　看那大江東去不回頭
為了你　為了你　那大江東去不回頭


和原版的比比看:


The River of No Return
Marilyn Monroe

There is a river called THE RIVER OF NO RETURN
Sometimes it's peaceful and sometimes wild and free!
Love is a trav'ler on THE RIVER OF NO RETURN
Swept on for ever to be lost in the stormy sea
Wail-a-ree I can hear the river call [ no return, no return ]
Where the roarin' waters fall wail-a-ree
I can hear my lover call come to me [ no return, no return ]
I lost my love on the river and for ever my heart will yearn
Gone gone for ever down THE RIVER OF NO RETURN
Wail-a-ree wail-a-re-e-ee
She'll/He'll never return to me! [ no return, no return, no return]

life is brief

it's a japanese song i heard from Akira's movie, ikiru.
i loved the movie.
the protagonist was fantastic. one of staggering moment in the movie for me was when the protagonist asking the young lady how was she looked so alive, stayed energetic.
he's asking the question for me...

i like soundtracks in movies sing by the actual actors. the voice doesn't need to be professional, but with good emotional vibe is more important than skills. this goes with a lot of disney's soundtracks.

here it is the song, life is brief. it was sung by the protagonist, i just love it!

generation kill (殺戮世代)

才看完一個 HBO 的小影集, generation kill. 我看過最好的一部戰爭電影/影集之一!

在講述進入伊拉克的先頭部隊裡面的一組 marines 的故事. 故事經過是伊拉克戰爭的最前面的四十天.
美國軍部有鑒於越戰, 伊拉克戰爭的時候特別為了討好媒體, 美軍會同意甚至邀請記者和部隊一起進出. 這個影集就是根據一個和進攻伊拉克先鋒隊一起進出四十天的記者所寫的書來拍的. 影集的製作小組還特別邀請那一組 marines 裡的兩人來當指導.

影集為了求真, 髒話滿天飛, 無辜的伊拉克人民到處死, 所有戰爭的醜惡全部出現. 一些軍官的無能, 前線士兵的無奈, 伊拉克人民的心聲也通通可以看的到. 一個戰爭片, 最重要的是心理表現, 而不是視覺特效. 這是最佳範例.

經過戰爭的人, 對人生會有更深層的感觸. 這對於沒有接觸過戰爭的人們很不容易瞭解. 某個領導日本在日俄戰爭勝利的將軍在死前說: "喜歡戰爭的人都是沒有經過戰爭的人, 真正經歷過戰爭的, 沒有人會真的喜歡戰爭." 對於大多數沒有經過戰爭的人, 看看這一類的影片/影集, 或許會幫助我們瞭解真相, 而努力朝著更聰明的方向前進.

----------寫於天涯小站論壇.

挑起的回憶

媽媽很難得坐在電腦螢幕前看 youtube. 上個星期的某一天, 我本來是在給他看中國戲劇和外國音樂劇的不同. 我想說, 我似乎對外國音樂劇的音樂比國劇要熟悉. 後來, 我竟然在 youtube 上和他看了一個介紹郭小莊的影片一個小時. 他很高興, 真是有趣.

上個星期六晚上, 他竟然又坐在 youtube 前面, 而且一坐就坐到他上樓睡覺. 這一次是因為我本來借了一個很老的中國電影, 叫做小城之春. 一部 1948 年的片子. 但是光碟盒子上卻寫的是夜半歌聲. 媽媽那時看到了很興奮! 說, 那不就是在大陸的時候, 外婆和大姨常常看了回來說好棒的片子嗎? 結果根本不是他說的... 因為電影實際上是小城之春. 他看了大感失望. 小城之春又很慢很軟, 不是他喜歡的那一種故事. 他喜歡的是主題明顯, 人物正派的那種. 小城之春剛好是又曖昧, 又隱誨.

既然他提到夜半歌聲, 我就上網查了一查. 我只知道張國榮的夜半歌聲, 原來, 1937 年中國就有一個夜半歌聲! 剛好星期六晚上我查的時候, 他也很有興趣看一看. 雖說 1937 年的夜半歌聲 在 youtube 上後來沒看成. 但是我還是給他聽了一聽張國榮的夜半歌聲電影原聲. 他滿喜歡的. 之後他看到我 favorite 名單上有一個葛蘭的歌, 他一聽就勾起很多回憶. 所以, 我就在 youtube 上找了很多葛蘭的短片. 又從那兒找到了很多他喜歡的明星, 像是尤敏, 林黛. 一邊看, 就一邊說, 小時後, 他們剛到臺灣, 外公就常常帶外婆, 媽媽, 佩蘭阿姨 還有老舅去台北西門町看電影. 那是民國四十九年前後, 所以那時的電影他記得不少. 他還說, 那時的電影多從香港來. 他那時候覺得香港真好, 拍了那麼多好電影! 他說葛蘭活潑大方, 尤敏是他見過最漂亮的女星之一, 林黛也漂亮只可惜早死. 他一邊看, 還一邊指著一些旁邊的配角, 說他們的名字!! 這真是令我大吃一驚! 我們看的一些電影片段, 像是藍與黑, 星星月亮太陽等等. 說一句實在話, 我也覺得好棒! 有人講解這些電影, 真是一種享受!

這真是一個難得的時光! 難得媽媽有閑情可以坐下來觀賞電影片段. 難得 youtube 有這些老片. 難得我也可以享受老電影的風采! 就算以後沒有這樣的機會, 那個星期六晚上的回憶也足以令人高興了!