First Time

First Punjabi suit in life, it was tailor-made and definitely not cheap but I really like it.

I may not look good in it but screw that! As long as I am happy with it, I guess that's enough!

Thanks Juejun for bringing me to this shop at Ipoh. :-)

贱兔拖鞋

这是我人生中的第一双卧房拖鞋，购买于二零零三年的三月或四月。实际的日期我忘了，只记得这是我第一次离家求学、入住校舍时妈妈给我买的。

我家总和贫穷摆脱不了关系，第一年的先修班不能借钱，我又坚持不上中六、不削国立大学，妈妈因此而头疼不已。她东奔西跑想破脑袋去筹我第一期的学费，我忘了她去向谁借钱了，不过在一番辛苦后她总算借到了第一学期的钱，当时真的有一种饥寒交迫的感觉。但是，不懂事的我竟还和朋友逛街，买了一些无聊的小玩意而惹怒了妈妈因此而被骂得狗血淋头。现在回想起来我真该死！

之后准备行李搬迁去吉隆坡，妈妈又花了一笔钱买了好多必需品，在百货公司里，走在她身后的我突然瞧见这双可爱但要价近三十零吉的卧房拖鞋顿时停下脚步看了一会儿。敏感的妈妈发现后就问我是不是喜欢想买，我摇了摇头直说太贵了。她二话不说取了贱兔走向柜台还钱。

那一年，年纪不到十八岁的我在文良港念着大学先修班，初次离家再加上三百六十度的生活转变压得我透不过气；软弱无助的我终日郁郁寡欢，上完课后只要一回到宿舍关上房门我总会很没用的独自流泪。记忆中，滚烫的泪水连串滑落时我的脚上总是紧紧地被这双贱兔拖鞋包裹着；泪水汪汪的眼睛盯着白白胖胖的兔仔，心里挂念的是远在家乡的妈妈。

度过了极不快乐的一年，课程完毕后我带着贱兔拖鞋随着其他同学搬迁至繁忙的八打灵闹市正式升级为大学生。由于开始适应了游子生活，也有了一些比较合得来的朋友，接下来的三年过得还算不赖，但是我浓重的思家之情还是挥之不去。只要稍微一得闲我就会飞也似的奔向我最恨的富都车站乘搭快巴回家；哪怕只是少过四十八小时的周末我也照回不务。

是的，当时的我一直希望可以永远贴在妈妈身边，感觉那一份温暖无私的亲情，就是那么的简单。

在像流星一般闪过的大学生涯里我仍旧日日穿着我的贱兔拖鞋，并定时每两个月清洗一次、细细的呵护。毕业后我带着它回家，妈妈嚷着我把它丢了，我抵死不从，洗干净后好好的放入抽屉收藏起来。接着我突发奇想，启程远渡重洋的流放，拖鞋依旧乖乖的呆在原位两年。这期间，我和它分开了多于十万里路；心，漂流在太平洋。妈妈最需要我的时候，我浑然不知，那么差一点的就要愧疚终生。

两年后，我以败者的形态归来，休息一阵就收拾行李、携带着被忽略了两年的贱兔独自上首都工作，三个月内又只身北上，投入另一份行业。间中，贱兔拖鞋一直紧随着我。

屈指算来已经七年，我的贱兔拖鞋早已松弛变宽、无法紧紧包围我的双脚了。我还是无法狠下心来把它扔掉，妈妈重重的关怀我无法丢弃。在我很小很小的时候，妈妈喜欢和我一起做剪报。我们从‘南洋学生’里选择文章剪下、贴在厚厚的剪贴簿里。她会坐在我身旁对识字有限的我细细朗读文章，印象最深的是一篇叫“爸爸的草鞋” 的作文。作者在结尾终结：

“爸爸的草鞋是船，它承载了我们的喜悦与悲伤。”

现在想了一想，我倒想说：

“妈妈的贱兔拖鞋是家，无论身在何方，它都用爱将我包围。”

我已独立长大，不可能永远待在妈妈身边。假若我即将再远行，这一次我会把拖鞋带走，但把心留下。

我的心会守候我生命中最重要的人，不会再让历史重演。

The Road Not Taken

I learned about this poem back in high school's English literature class. For some unknown reasons, I was totally fascinated by it. I would like to dedicate this to my dear friend, Lampfly who is going to set off for another journey in life.

The Road Not Taken

by Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

*No matter where you are, I always keep you in my prayer and sincerely wish you all the best..