作者：芙丽雯.金根布莱兹

     美国诗人，小说家。她的兴趣是整个世界。她的自画像表白是：

“追随星晨和美梦，赞美生活和爱情，对我来说，写作就是生活，与人共享作品就是爱。”

诗篇，故事和小说形式的故事讲述者。

黄金恋  

翻译：应中革

艾贝为了逃脱她所痛恨的权势和纪律终于离家出走，成一匹脱缰的马。她已经远离那种可恨的世界，或者说，她是这么想的。她已经挣脱第二个继父的约束和母亲对她的处境愚味的举动。她知道，妈妈已经对处处打工收入低微的生活厌烦了，而现在第三次结婚给她带来了更多的安全感和希望。妈妈与继父婚后生下了她的同母异你小弟，还不到一周岁的，叫凱立。既然如此，她有什么必要继续是个男人的女儿，已经16岁的女儿对他们还有什么意义？她知道自己不再属于她们任何一方。她只能是母亲错误婚姻的纪念品。

现在她来到何处了？她流浪在一条穷乡僻壤的2车道的公路上，不知道前方是何处，身无分文，又累又饿。四周数英哩渺无人烟，她看不到有房屋影子。她最后见到的一个笨小子让她搭便车后，想要与她“友好”一下，于是她坚决要他让她下车。他将她扔到一个什么鬼地方！一片渺茫！

她还是往前走，希望能走到一个小镇，能看到一座房子也好。这时候，她突然听到一阵狗叫声。狗叫声来自附近不远。通常有狗的地方必有人。

接着，她发现这条路已经转弯，绕山而过。路边的杂草沿山岥向下延伸，看上去并不险峻却原来这是一个小山岗。狗叫声正是从公路的下方传上来。难道那条狗有危难？它受伤了？虽然她污垢满面，无家可归，但是她仍然有爱心。她走到路边往下面看去，希望能看到狗。如果情况不太严重，或许她能够求助它。

她所看到地方正是她刚才盼望所能看到的景象。公路下方是一条大溪或者说是小河，水流并不太急。她本来想过会有一条溪流。小河相当宽而且好像很深。缓缓流水反照阳光，闪耀着五彩缤纷的彩虹。左岸一层层茂密的树林和灌木丛，右岸接公路边，是一片平坦的宽阔空旷的绿草地。

她又听到了狗叫声。

她又开始找它。终于她看到那条狗了，而且还有新发现。远离她所站的地方的上游方向有一个岸边桥墩，狗就是在那边。狗有同伴。有人与它在一起，是两个老人。就像年轻人一样，他们正在拥抱亲吻。他俩就坐在桥墩的前端，女伴就坐在他的大腿上，他的双手紧紧地抱着她，他们不停地接吻，仿佛明天就是末日一样! 真是耻辱。艾贝心里想，他们这么老了还要如此亲热! 然而他们…

看来，他们相爱合情合理而且感情自然。他们非常特别，令人惊叹。她简直忘记自己的存在，发现自己在傻笑。尽管得不可思议，然而他们在相爱! 大黄狗坐在他们很近的地方，好像它也是当中一员。在风景如画的溪水边，金灿灿的红日下面，一对老人在相爱！这时狗又叫了，它想说什么？说她？是的，它正朝她叫。他们随时都会抬头看见她。她不情愿走开，但是她还是一步一步地后退，回到路边，又是独自一人站在老地方。虽然没有同伴，刚才看到的一切改变了她的心情，她心里不再像以前那么难受了。不管人有多老，在这人世间的确还有爱。

忽然，一阵马达声传来。她猛一回头，往身后马路望去。一辆摩托车，或者说很像摩托车，正朝这边驶过来。她以前从来没有见过这种老式的摩托，肥厚的轮胎，宽大的油箱，扁平的坐垫，一点都像她的朋友比特那辆尼杰牌。骑车人是个男人，不是老头，是个小伙子。

此时此刻的怪事真是不可思议。

摩托车终于开过来，和她并排时停住了。这时，她仔细地打量了他。他的头发整齐而且剪短，身穿法兰绒衬衫和退色的牛仔裤，脚上一双牛仔靴！他那碧绿色双眼和红棕色头发确实逗人喜爱。虽然他的脸上有用几颗雀斑，但他个儿挺高而且身材苗条。看样子他的年纪不比她大多少。

他打量了她一下，而她立即意识到自己的样子糟透了，一头脏发，沾满灰尘的工作服，和她自己缝的牛仔裤下方那一双破的网球鞋。他想躲避又不原意起开走开，她却是骄傲地抬起下巴，正面朝他看过去。忽然他笑着问，“要骑车吗？”

“当然。这里附近有小镇吗？”她说。

“有啊，沿这条路走6英哩。你要搭车吗？”他又问。

“也许吧！但是，我想搭车又怎么样？这不是你的事儿，对吗？”她火辣辣地回敬一通。

“不是的，当然不是。但是，我想你会在一家饭店找个活儿干，并且在基督教女青年会找个房间住。饭店的女老板叫潘碧，她想招一名洗碗工，我肯定她会赊给你一笔钱租个房间，等你有工钱后再还给她。为她干活，白吃饭。感兴趣吗？”他问。

艾贝感到自己的希望之火点燃了，但是她一惯悲观厌世，却辛辣地说，“你怎么知道的？”

“因为潘碧是我妈妈。我叫雷，顺便问，你的名字？”

“艾贝”她不愿多说一个字。

“艾贝。唔，好听的名字 … 名字与你相配。快过来，上车。我带你去见我妈妈。她是天下最好的人了！考虑一下吧。几岁了？”雷继续问。

“十六”。

“你能够证明你是16岁吗，我妈不会用未成年人的。”

“当然，我有身份证和社会关系证明。我以前在米基.D店干过。”

“太好了。那么我们走吧。”雷一边说，一边示意让她坐在自己后面。艾贝起身上摩托时问了两个问题。

“你几岁？你认识下面溪边的那一对老人吗？他们在拥抱接吻！”

“18。我18岁。那是金先生夫妇。他俩常带着狗肯尼去那个地方。你看见他们了？”

“是的，但是他们没有发现我。他们一定是刚刚相好，时间不长，哈？我是说，还有什么原因他们要这样做呢？”

“不是的，他们结婚45年了。他们还是孩子的时候就在那个岸边桥墩上幽会，从那时起一直相爱至今。真了不起。”雷解释说。

“是吗？45年了？哇！你可知道，这叫‘黄金恋’，哈？”艾贝笑着说，眼睛里闪耀着幻想的神色。接着她大声地，多半是对自己说，“我一旦相爱，我也要像他们一样地爱！天长地久！”

雷回过头来，爽朗的笑声传递表示接受的的承诺。他说，“你想不到的。你完全可以这样做。”

Freewind
(Freewind Gingerblaze) Author's Page

Location: USA
Occupation: Writer
Interests: The World

Signature: Following a star and a dream in the celebration of Life and Love. For me, writing is Life and sharing it with others is Love.

Extra Info: A teller of tales in poetry, stories, and novels.

Golden Love
by Freewind

Amber was a runaway, running from all the things she hated the most; authority and rules. She had left the horrors of those behind, or so she thought. She had left all of the restrictions of her second stepfather's unfairness and her mother's blindness to her problems. She knew her mom was tired of living from measly paycheck to paycheck and this third marriage had brought her more security and more hope. Besides, her mom had just had her half-brother, Kelly, less than a year ago and he was the child of her stepfather, so why should she, another man's child and a sixteen year old at that, matter. She knew she didn't to either of them. She was just a reminder of a bad mistake to her mother.

Yet, where was she now? On some back country two-lane road to wherever or to nowhere, depending on how you looked at it, and she was broke, tired and hungry. There was not a house for miles or any that she could see. That last dumb guy she had caught a ride with wanted to get "friendly" and she had made him let her out! Where had he dropped her? In the middle of nothing!

She kept walking, hoping the road would lead to some town or a house when she heard a dog barking. From the sound of it, the dog sounded close. Usually where there was a dog, there were people!

She then noticed that the road had taken a turn and was going uphill in that curve. On the ride side of the road, the grass seemed to descend, not steeply but like the gradual drop of a small rise. The sound of the dog barking seemed to be coming from below the road. Maybe the dog was in trouble? Maybe he was hurt? She may be a dirty faced homeless kid but she still had a heart so she crossed over to the side and looked down to see if she could see him. If things were not too bad, then she might be able to help him!

What she saw was the last thing she expected to see.

Below the road was a wide stream or narrow river, not being too smart about waterways, she would have guessed a wide stream. It had quite a width and seemed deep. The sunlight bounced off the water in glistening rainbow reflections as the stream moved gently along in its current. The left bank was lined with thickly set trees and brush but on the right side, the road side, was smooth, grassy and open.

She heard the dog barking again.

She tried to find him again and she did but she found more. There was a pier farther upstream from where she was standing and that was where the dog was, but he was not alone. He had people with him...old people!! Old people cuddling and kissing like they were young or something! They were sitting on the end of the pier, with her almost in his lap, his arms around her and kissing her like there was no tomorrow! That is disgusting, Amber thought to herself, they are too old for that! But yet...

There seemed to be something so right and so natural about them. Something special. Something wonderful. Despite herself, she felt herself smile. Weird as it was, they were in love! The dog, a big yellow one, was sitting close to them as if he were part of it all. The pretty stream, the golden sunshine, and the old couple in love. Then he started to bark again and what was he barking at? Her! His face was turned towards her. Any minute now and they would look up and see her. Reluctantly, she stepped back and was once again alone on the road. She was alone but not as unhappy as before because of what she had seen. There really was still love in the world; no matter how old you were.

Just then, Amber heard the roar of an engine. Turning quickly, she stared behind her, down the road. Coming up the road was a motorcycle or at least, something that looked like a motorcycle but it was older than any bike she had ever seen. Fat tires, wide gas tank, and flat seat, nothing like her friend, Bits' Ninja! And riding that bike was a guy, but not an old guy, but a young guy.
This day was getting weirder by the moment.

The bike finally came abreast of her and it slowed to a stop. She was then able got a close look at him. His hair was cut neatly short, he had on a flannel shirt and faded jeans, and cowboy boots! But he was really cute with green eyes and red hair. He had a few freckles, too, but he was tall and slim. He didn't look to be much older than she was.

He studied her quietly for a moment, but she was instantly aware of how bad she looked with dirty hair, a dusty fatigue jacket, and scuffed up tennis shoes below her once designer jeans. She wanted to run but she didn't instead she raised her chin proudly and stared right back at him. He suddenly smiled and said "Need a ride?"

"Yeah, I sure do. Is there a town around here anywhere?"
she answered.

"Yep, 'but six miles up the road. You "hitching"?" he continued to question.

"Maybe! But what if I am? It isn't your business, is it?"
she snapped.

"Nope, sure isn't but thought maybe you would like to get a job at the diner and get a room at the YWCA. Peppy, the lady who owns the diner needs a dishwasher and I am pretty sure she would advance you some money to get a room until you get paid. Meals come free with the job. Interested?" he ask.

Amber could feel hope rising in her but then with her usual pessimism, she said sarcastically. "How you know all that?"

"Cause Peppy is my mom. By the way, my name is Les. What's yours?"

"Amber." she answered, volunteering nothing more.

"Amber. Hmmm. Nice name...suits you. Come on and hop on. I'll take you and introduce you to Mom. She's the greatest! Just a thought. How old are you?" Les continued.

"Sixteen"

"Can you prove that? Mom don't work no one underage."

"Sure, I got ID and my social. I worked for Mickey D's before."

"Good. Then let's go" Les suggested, gesturing behind him. Amber started to mount up behind him when she ask two questions.

"How old are you? And do you know that old couple down there by the stream? They are kissing and hugging!"

"Eighteen. I am eighteen. And that is Mr. and Mrs. Gold. They go there a lot with their dog, Kenny. You saw them?"

"Yeah, but they did not see me. They must have just got together, huh? I mean..why else would they act like that?" Amber remarked.

"Nope. They have been married forty-five years. They met on that pier when they were just kids. Been in love ever since. I think it's great!" Les stated.

"Really? Forty-five years? Wow. Guess you could call that "golden love", huh?" Amber said, smiling but a bit of a dreamy look in her eyes. Then she said out loud but mostly to herself. "When I fall in love, it is going to be like that! For forever!"

Les turned and grinned a smile full of possible promises and said, "You never know. You just might do that!"