〈Parallel Universes〉 平行時空

9、〈不倒翁併軌〉
家在京都的日本朋友大田德一，是我相交近三十年的老朋友，早在我大學時代就認識，當時他是我室友，兩人經常一起去陽明山或北投泡溫泉，跟我是「坦誠相見」的麻吉。我跟他時相往來，他來台灣時我招待，陪他全台走透透；我去日本旅遊時，多半會繞到京都見他。
京都祇園附近有五條花街，大田的家就在熱鬧的「花見小路」上，以販賣「和菓子」營生。這回我去日本石川縣金澤市，面見市長、北陸新聞社長和電視台長等幾位重要人物，洽談台日合作拍攝「台灣水利先驅：八田與一」連續劇。在金澤盤旋兩天，再度遊歷位於市郊的「兼六園」後，回程就搭乘高鐵如約抵達京都。大田特地開車來京都車站接我，才見面他就哇啦哇啦笑我又變得更胖了，肯定是「人逢喜事、春風得意」。
我有感而發地抱怨說：「案子才剛在談，成否還未定數，你們日本人做事一板一眼，態度嚴謹龜毛到不行，脾氣再好都會被你們搞到起笑…。」
略通台灣話的大田當然聽得懂「龜毛」和「起笑」，以前我常使用「龜毛」這個詞語叨念他，他的個性溫吞拘謹，典型的日本人，做啥事總是慢條斯理，非得考慮清楚才會做出決定。
大田聽著靈機一動，出主意說：「這樣好了，我帶你去我家附近的八坂神社，見一位高僧，聽說他供奉一座非常靈驗的不倒翁，你就拿你的案子問他，請他幫你卜個掛。」
「好吧！客隨主便，反正我也想去散散心。」這時我的確也沒有更好的主意。
晚間，在大田的書房裡，他和嫂子一起陪我喝清酒，品嘗他店裡的幾道新產品。
「非哥，你不是可以從教職退休了嗎？兩年前就聽你說要退下來享清福。」
我長嘆一口氣說：「唉…計畫趕不上變化啦！去年執政黨除了大砍軍公教退休人員退休金成數，八月初一突然宣布取消多項公教退休人員福利，其中一項就是子女教育補助金，我家三隻小鴨子正在讀大學，我若退休下來，這項補助金就會被取消，一年得多負擔將近六十萬日圓的學費。」
大田說：「這樣啊！我還盤算著等你退休，咱們兩對老夫妻一起環遊世界呢，看情形得延後幾年囉。不過，我們身體很健康，等上幾年無所謂的。」
次日上午，大田帶我去神社見到那位老和尚。高僧鬚髮俱白，一派仙風道骨，看來應該九十歲以上。才一見面，高僧就盯著我端詳良久，大田以日語跟他說明我的來意，高僧也說了一段話，我約略聽見他提到「夏目漱石」。
大田正色地轉達說：「師父說，他看見你的前世，是我國的小說家夏目漱石，日本將會是你發展事業的福地。」
我神情黯然說：「可我現在遇到麻煩，先見承諾我促成這件合作案子的中川會長兩年前過世，能幫我的貴人如今不在了。」
大田安慰我說：「師父說他知道你所遇到的困難，如果你願意誠心向不倒翁祈願，願望之神一定會助你一臂之力的。」
隨後，我按照一旁執事僧的指示，雙手合掌低頭膜拜那尊不倒翁，老和尚點起束香為我施法祈願，說來真是靈驗到不行，原本紋風不動的不倒翁，開始跟著老和尚的法咒搖動起來，而且搖動的幅度越來越大，竟然翻倒過去，倒在神桌上還不停地左右搖晃。除了老和尚，在場的眾人都面露訝異。
我轉頭低聲問大田：「不倒翁併軌(注1)，這馬是啥米款情形？」
大田按耐我說：「我也不知道，以前從沒見過不倒翁翻倒過去，等一下師父應該會有開示吧？」
果然，老和尚隨即面向我，一臉慈藹地說：「你的祈願，願望之神允應幫你，可祂要你承諾，等這部連續劇在日本播映時，你必須把這篇故事以小說形式，在日本本地出版，讓日本國民有機會知道，曾經有一位仁民愛物的日本官員，為台灣奉獻心力，留下許多影響深遠的利民建設。」
我大致聽懂老和尚的意思，以台灣腔日語向他鞠躬致謝。
老和尚又說：「夏目漱石跟你一樣，曾經是學校老師，而且還是個剛正不阿的老師。這一世，你走的同樣是文學道路，只可惜台灣人不懂得珍惜你的成就…。」
老和尚這席話，的確觸動我的內心深處。
「夏目漱石，你知道我活得很，很鬱卒嗎？」這句話在我的心中如空谷回音般，盤旋迴盪著…。

注：「併軌」，台語諧音，原意為「翻倒過去」。

9“The Tumbling Doll’s Parallel-Track Encounter”
Ohta Tokuichi, a Japanese friend who lives in Kyoto, has been one of my close friends for nearly thirty years. I met him when I was in college, when he was my roommate. The two of us often went to Yangmingshan or Beitou together to soak in hot springs, and we were such close buddies that we could be completely open and uninhibited around each other. Over the years, we have stayed in close contact. Whenever he came to Taiwan, I would play host and take him all over the island. Whenever I traveled to Japan, I would usually make a detour to Kyoto to see him.
There are five traditional geisha districts around Kyoto’s Gion area, and Ohta’s home is right on the bustling Hanamikoji Street, where his family makes a living selling traditional Japanese sweets. This time, I went to Kanazawa City in Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan, to meet several important figures, including the mayor, the president of the Hokuriku News, and the head of a television station, to discuss a Taiwan-Japan co-production television series about “Hatta Yoichi, a Pioneer of Taiwan’s Water Conservancy.” After spending two days in Kanazawa and once again visiting Kenrokuen Garden on the outskirts of the city, I took the high-speed train back to Kyoto as planned.
Ohta had specially driven to Kyoto Station to pick me up. The moment he saw me, he burst out laughing and teased me for having gotten even fatter, saying that I must be enjoying good fortune and feeling on top of the world.
I could not help complaining, “The project has only just entered the discussion stage, and we still don’t know whether it will happen. You Japanese are so rigid in the way you do things. You’re so serious and ridiculously picky that even someone with the best temper would be driven crazy by you...”
Ohta knew a little Taiwanese, so of course he understood the words “picky” and “driven crazy.” In the past, I often used the word “picky” when nagging him. His personality was mild and reserved, a typical Japanese temperament. Whatever he did, he always took his time and had to think everything through before making a decision.
As Ohta listened, he suddenly had an idea and suggested, “How about this? I’ll take you to Yasaka Shrine near my house to see a high-ranking Buddhist monk. I heard he keeps a very powerful tumbling doll. You can ask him about your project and have him divine its prospects for you.”
“Okay. I’ll follow the host’s arrangements. Besides, I could use a little time to clear my head.” At that point, I really did not have a better idea.
That evening, in Ohta’s study, he and his wife kept me company as we drank sake and sampled several new products from his shop.
“Brother Fei, aren’t you able to retire from teaching now? Two years ago, I heard you say that you were going to retire and enjoy the good life.”
I let out a long sigh. “Sigh... Plans never keep up with changes! Last year, besides drastically cutting the pensions of retired military personnel, civil servants, and teachers, the ruling party suddenly announced in early August that it was canceling several benefits for retired public-sector employees. One of them was educational subsidies for their children. My three little ducklings are all in college right now. If I retire, that subsidy will be canceled, and I’ll have to take on nearly 600,000 Japanese yen in additional tuition expenses every year.”
Ohta said, “I see! I was actually planning that once you retired, the two of us old married couples could travel around the world together. Looks like we’ll have to put that off for a few years. But we’re both in good health, so waiting a few more years won’t matter.”
The next morning, Ohta took me to the shrine to meet the old monk. The high-ranking monk had completely white hair and beard and possessed an almost otherworldly, immortal-like bearing. He looked to be well over ninety years old.
As soon as we met, the monk stared at me intently for a long time. Ohta explained the reason for my visit to him in Japanese. The monk then said something, and I vaguely heard him mention the name “Natsume Soseki.”
Ohta solemnly conveyed the monk’s words to me. “Master says he sees your previous incarnation. You were the Japanese novelist Natsume Soseki. Japan will be a blessed place for you to develop your career.”
My expression darkened. “But I’m facing a problem right now. Chairman Nakagawa, who promised two years ago to help make this collaboration happen, passed away two years ago. The benefactor who could have helped me is no longer here.”
Ohta comforted me. “Master says he knows about the difficulties you’re facing. If you are willing to sincerely pray to the tumbling doll, the God of Wishes will certainly lend you a hand.”
Then, following the instructions of the attendant monk standing nearby, I pressed my palms together and bowed reverently before the tumbling doll. The old monk lit a bundle of incense and performed a ritual prayer for me. It was astonishingly effective. The tumbling doll, which had remained completely motionless, suddenly began to sway along with the old monk’s incantations. Its movements grew larger and larger until it actually toppled over. Even after falling onto the altar table, it continued rocking from side to side. Everyone present, except the old monk, looked astonished.
I turned my head and quietly asked Ohta, “The tumbling doll has gone off the rails. What the heck is going on?”
Ohta tried to calm me down. “I don’t know either. I’ve never seen a tumbling doll fall over before. Master should have something to tell us in a moment.”
Sure enough, the old monk immediately turned toward me with a kind and benevolent expression and said, “The God of Wishes has agreed to grant your prayer and help you. But He requires you to make a promise. When this television series is broadcast in Japan, you must publish this story in novel form in Japan, so that the Japanese people will have an opportunity to learn that there was once a compassionate Japanese official who devoted himself to Taiwan and left behind many public works that brought profound benefits to the people.”
I more or less understood what the old monk meant, so I bowed to him and thanked him in Japanese spoken with a distinctly Taiwanese accent.
The old monk continued, “Like you, Natsume Soseki was once a schoolteacher, and he was also a teacher of great integrity who refused to compromise his principles. In this lifetime, you have likewise chosen the path of literature. It is just unfortunate that the people of Taiwan do not know how to appreciate your achievements...”
The old monk’s words truly touched something deep inside me.
“Natsume Soseki, do you know how deeply frustrated I have been?”
Those words echoed through my heart like a voice resounding through an empty valley, lingering and reverberating within me...
Note: “Gone off the rails” is a pun based on the Taiwanese pronunciation of “parallel track,” and its original meaning here is “to topple over.”