The Red Scarf

At 9:15 on Monday the first seat is empty.

星期一,九点十五分,第一个座位是空的。

People get on. The nurse. Mr Kaplan. Two students. No tall man. No black case.

人们上车。护士。Kaplan先生。两个学生。没有高个子男人。没有黑色的箱子。

I wait. One minute. Two minutes. Three. The doors are open and the cold comes in.

我等。一分钟。两分钟。三分钟。门开着,冷风进来了。

“Rosa!” says Mr Kaplan. “My wife waits for me!”

“Rosa!”Kaplan先生说。“我太太在等我!”

“Sorry, sorry.” I close the doors. I drive.

“对不起,对不起。”我关门。我开车。

Now I am late, and I am late all night. At every stop somebody is angry. At the last stop the square is dark. There is no light in the high window of the church.

现在我晚了,整个晚上都晚。每一站都有人生气。在最后一站,广场很黑。教堂的高窗里没有灯。

On Tuesday, 9:15: the empty seat again.

星期二,九点十五分:又是一个空座位。

The woman, I think. The woman in the red scarf. He is with her. Or he goes away with her. Or I am a silly woman with lipstick. And he is tired of me.

是那个女人,我想。那个戴红围巾的女人。他和她在一起。或者他和她一起走了。或者我是一个涂口红的傻女人。他烦我了。

That night Mr Kaplan is on my bus again. I talk to everybody. Tonight it is useful.

那天晚上,Kaplan先生又坐我的车。我和每个人说话。今天晚上这很有用。

“Mr Kaplan. On Friday there is a woman on my bus. Small, a big hat, a long red scarf. From the square, I think. Do you know her?”

“Kaplan先生。星期五,我的车上有一个女人。很小,有一顶大帽子,有一条长长的红围巾。我想她是广场那边的。您认识她吗?”

“A red scarf? That’s Ruth Adler. The piano lady, with the Hanukkah candles. She teaches my grandson.” He looks at me. “Why?”

“红围巾?那是Ruth Adler。就是那位弹钢琴的女士,有光明节蜡烛的那位。她教我的孙子。”他看我。“为什么问?”

“No reason.”

“没有为什么。”

“Rosa. There is always a reason.”

“Rosa。总是有为什么。”

On Wednesday I don’t work until four. At two o’clock I am at the door with the piano sign. I ring.

星期三,我四点以前不上班。两点,我站在有钢琴牌子的门前。我按门铃。