2018-04-21

【Aiden in English】

        While most parents would say that high school is an opening to hundreds of new chapters, a much-cherished chapter is coming to an end.

        I met Eric during the summer of the 5^th grade in 2014. After graduated from middle school recently, he volunteered to be a Chinese yoyo teacher at the local summer camp of Guanghua Chinese School, which I enjoyed … somewhat. However, his class would be the essential reason why I continued to go.

        The following year, a yoyo club formed. I immediately joined. Along with a few other friends, the base for the coming three years had emerged. Interestingly, the original group wasn’t led by Eric in the teaching fashion nearly as much as it was by Alec, another student who had a lot of expertise in the yoyo. After getting off the ground, he became the main source of study, mostly because its arsenal of tricks was slightly larger than Eric’s. I like to think we three became a trio of our own within the club. Although some other friends were a part of the club, I think the fact that this single friendship was forged from practicing possibly the most useless skill ever strengthened it greatly. Furthermore, all the others quit along the way. I would say that I stayed on the path through sheer determination, but I would be lying. If it weren’t for the community service as a volunteer and a persuading mom, I would’ve bolted long ago.

        But I didn’t, and I’m pretty sure the others had the same experience. This probably further strengthened the absolutely annoying friendship. Think of it this way: no one wanted this trio to occur. It was all just the byproduct of an overall mess we called a club. I stopped coming to the weekly meetings but remained in the performances for the hours. That was enough to get the taste of the club.

        It wasn’t long before I began discovering different sides to Eric. He is a great thinker, one who probably thought too much over certain topics. He read many philosophical books, often providing in-depth summaries or preaching to the older kids. It got to a point when he would go on a spiel every week, resulting in quite the educational moment. And it wasn’t like the annoying “is water wet” stuff either. We talked deeper ideas, from flaws of the school system to the reason behind competitive sports. While most of this seemed extremely nerdy, I can’t deny enjoyment. Through each one of his speeches, he grows more and more passionate. Sometimes, I zone out, only to come crashing back in at one of his climatic points, and am instantly baffled on how he got to that point. 

        They say true friends survive the test of fire. Trial by fire is fine and all, but not even fire can compare with the 3^rd, 4^th, or 5^th graders in the yoyo club. I stayed the entire year as Eric’s TA last year, and they weren’t overly unbearable. This year, I don’t know what they learned over the summer, but someone definitely lent each one a how-to-guide on annoying others. It was really something. I don’t often use this expression indiscriminately, but they seemed like a bunch of drunk penguins waddling around. Like serious, I remember a kid intentionally banging his head against a tree and laughing hysterically. I also remember not feeling obligated to stop him.

        At the end of the day, we three became a team. But why am I saying this? Well, Eric, the oldest out of us (who also has the same birthday as mine), is going off to college this fall. So there goes to this club. I’m near certain none of us is going to return next year together, at least not the experienced and reasonable yoyo kids. Regardless, this has been a crazy ride, one that probably will end here for now. 

        Maybe later this chapter will have a sequel.

【紅霞譯文】

        正當多數父母親感慨高中為人生打開一扇通往絢爛未來大門的時候，這段彌足珍貴的篇章即將宣告結束。

        我於2014年小學五年級暑假期間遇見耶桁，剛剛從初中畢業的他在附近賓州光華中文學校夏令營義務擔任中式空竹老師，我挺喜歡抖着玩。然而，“星星之火可以燎原”，他的課堂竟然成為我繼續學習空竹的根據地。

        新學年空竹俱樂部成立，我二話沒說立馬加盟，與其他幾位朋友結伴一呆就是三年。有趣的是，最初空竹班與其說以耶桁的教學風格為主導，不如說靠另一位經驗豐富的學生明達做指點，建立起一定基礎之後，明達逐漸成為大家心目中學習的榜樣，主要因為他比耶桁玩得稍微花點，俱樂部里咱哥仨形影不離，雖然不乏別的夥伴同進同出，但彼此間真摯友情就是在日久扎堆練習這個也許最沒用途的技能中磨練而成，與此同時，其他人相繼離開。假如說我堅持到今純屬執着，恐怕成心撒謊，要不是志願為社區服務也免得媽媽嘮叨，我早就拍拍屁股走人甩手不幹了。

        但我並沒一走了之，而且非常確信其他哥們感同身受，無意之中大大加深了彼此風吹不倒雷打不動的兄弟般情誼，接下來：誰都不想要這三人舞，咱哥仨組合只能當成被我們自封瀟灑“俱樂部”的副產物。我不再參加每周一次活動，只有到了演出的時候才重新歸隊突擊練習幾個鐘頭，藉之足以領略俱樂部氛圍。

        不久，我開始從不同側面認識耶桁。他是一位了不起的思想家，對某些話題可能給與過多思考；他讀過很多哲學著作，經常進行深度概況並講給年齡大點的孩子們聽，以致每周都換盞傳杯高談闊論，讓大家獲益匪淺，而且絲毫沒有夾雜着“水濕嗎”這類膚淺的話題。我們討論感想，從學校體系弊端到體育比賽背後原因所在，儘管多數問題似乎學究氣十足，但我還是掩飾不住內心喜悅。縱觀各個演講，他的言辭越來越充滿激情，有時我如墜五里霧中，一旦重新聚焦在他的唯物觀點上，不由得納悶他是怎麼推理出來的。

        常言道：“烈火試真金苦難試友情”，考驗對所有一切都是有益的，唯獨不適於空竹俱樂部中那些三、四、五年級小學生。2016—2017間我以耶桁的助教身份堅持了整整一年，這些萌寶簡直牛得讓你無所適從；今年我並不知道他們暑假學了啥，但有人免不了傳幫帶調皮搗蛋，定叫你大眼瞪小眼吃不了兜着走。我極少套用這種表達，但他們宛若一群醉熏熏的企鵝搖來擺去，認真地說，我記得有位萌寶故意用頭撞樹並歇斯底里地開懷大笑，我還記得自己犯不着阻止他。

        末了，咱哥仨自成一體，我何必要提及這事？沒錯，耶桁也就是我們當中年長的那位空竹老師（與我同月同日生）今年球季將上大學，因此俱樂部隨之而去，我敢肯定明年哥仨不再同台獻藝，留下的幾乎儘是初出茅廬的學弟學妹。無論如何，這段經歷非同尋常，到此暫且劃上句號。

        興許以後還有續文。

Today in History(歷史上的今天):

Yo-Yo @ 2017 Lansdale Intl Fest(2017年蘭斯代爾國際節抖空竹)

2013屆光華畢業生(2013 GHCS Graduates)

Crosslinks(相關博文):

The 2018 Year of Dog Celebrated w/ Yo-Yo(抖空竹過狗年)

The 2017 Year of Rooster Celebrated w/ Yo-Yo(抖空竹過雞年)

Yo-Yo @ 2016 Lansdale Intl Fest(2016年蘭斯代爾國際節抖空竹)

YoYo @ 2016 PHL Travel & Adv Show(2016年費城旅遊探險展抖空竹)

The 2016 Year of Monkey Celebrated w/ Yo-Yo(抖空竹過猴年)

Yo-Yo @ 2015 Lansdale Intl Fest(2015年蘭斯代爾國際節抖空竹)

The 2015 Year of Goat Celebrated w/ Yo-Yo(抖空竹過羊年)

2014: GHCS Camp─Yo Yo-2(光華夏令營抖空竹之二)

2014: GHCS Camp—Yo Yo-1(光華營抖空竹之一)