141117一晴：Those were the days......

　　十一月是朋友月。北美的親友趁秋涼回港。近日同時在港的，一度有三四批。但難得回來，不免以港為基地四處旅遊，在港又有親人，想與在港的友好飲餐茶都不容易。有些約了幾次都湊不上時間。
　　但人到七十，這種幾年一次的茶聚，今後怕也就兩三次。七十五後，越來越少人捱得了十幾個鐘的飛機和事後連日的時差。八十過後，更屈指可數。到時即有人回港，怕也湊不夠一桌。我都不敢說自己還能來往北美幾次。
　　說白了，當年再友好，但相隔萬里數十年，根基有別。到了此年紀，見得一次係一次。如果每次飲茶不過兩小時，今生餘下共聚的時間不過是半天。此後who knows。
　　而且上了年紀，話題轉向老與病。這次就有海外同窗在港call 999，要就地開刀。但風雨遇貴人：主診醫生剛好是這方面的權威，術後良好。但康復期長，返回北美後怕不輕易再回來。整個經過是福是禍，也就是半杯水到底是半滿／樂觀還是半空／悲觀的角度。
　　另一個同窗月前在機場被行李箱絆倒。這一跌，足足有幾個月生活難以自理。這再次告訴我，Never take things for granted. God never promise us a rose garden.每一天過得無恙無礙，都應該感恩。你可以不信宗教，但不能不信邪。
　　住處多石級，我幾乎每年都跌一次。月前落樓梯就面朝上仆到。但至今無事。八十年代初住在華盛頓近郊。有一次清晨上班，開門第一腳踏出台階就踩在透明的薄冰上，成個人如坐滑車仰天躂到直。但除了痛，竟無損傷。即便純屬好運，我都多謝上天。
　　就在這幾天，失散20年後剛聯絡上的昔日摯友收到我的電郵時，正在醫務所做檢查，而且不是例行的體檢。我只有善頌善禱。God bless you my friend.

　　今晚決定寫此文，因為飯後忽然想到昔日最愛的一首歌。很悲涼，但很合我的口味。今天的周永康、黃之鋒，四五十年後亦會有同感：

Those Were The Days

melody: originally from Russian
English lyrics by Gene Raskin
performed by Mary Hopkin

Once upon a time there was a tavern
Where we used to raise a glass or two
Remember how we laughed away the hours
And think of all the great things we would do

Those were the days my friend
We thought they'd never end
We'd sing and dance forever and a day
We'd live the life we choose
We'd fight and never lose
For we were young and sure to have our way.
La la la la...
Those were the days, oh yes those were the days

Then the busy years went rushing by us
We lost our starry notions on the way
If by chance I'd see you in the tavern
We'd smile at one another and we'd say

Those were the days my friend
We thought they'd never end
We'd sing and dance forever and a day
We'd live the life we choose
We'd fight and never lose
For we were young and sure to have our way.
La la la la...
Those were the days, oh yes those were the days

Just tonight I stood before the tavern
Nothing seemed the way it used to be
In the glass I saw a strange reflection
Was that lonely woman really me

Those were the days my friend
We thought they'd never end
We'd sing and dance forever and a day
We'd live the life we choose
We'd fight and never lose
For we were young and sure to have our way.
La la la la...
Those were the days, oh yes those were the days

Through the door there came familiar laughter
I saw your face and heard you call my name
Oh my friend we're older but no wiser
For in our hearts the dreams are still the same

Those were the days my friend
We thought they'd never end
We'd sing and dance forever and a day
We'd live the life we choose
We'd fight and never lose
For we were young and sure to have our way.
La la la la...
Those were the days, oh yes those were the days