第13部分(第2/5 頁)

。　He　told　me　about　the　moment　when　he　had　taken　the　drastic　step　into　maturitr　by　being　Michael　and　refusing　to　respond　to　“Mikey”。　Had　he　been　twelve　or　fourteen？　He　couldn’t　remember，but　he　did　recall　that　his　mother　had　cried　and　said　he　was　growing　up　too　quickly。　As　we　bit　into　our　blueberry　blintzes；　I　told　him　about　the　blueberries　that　my　sister　and　I　used　to　pick　when　we　went　to　visit　our　cousins　in　the　country。　I　recalled　that　I　always　finished　mine　before　we　got　back　to　the　house；　and　my　aunt　would　warn　me　that　I　was　going　to　get　a　very　bad　stomachache。　Of　course；　I　never　did。　txt小說上傳分享

永相廝守（2）

As　our　sweet　conversation　continued，my　eyes　glanced　across　the　restaurant，stopping　at　the　small　corner　booth　where　an　elderly　couple　sat。　Her　floral…print　dress　seemed　as　faded　as　the　cushion　on　which　she　had　rested　her　worn　handbag。　The　top　of　his　head　was　as　shiny　as　the　soft…boiled　egg　on　which　he　very　slowly　nibbled。　She　also　ate　her　oatmeal　at　a　slow；　almost　tedious　pace。

But　what　drew　my　thoughts　to　them　was　their　undisturbed　silence。　It　seemed　to　me　that　a　melancholy　emptiness　permeated　their　little　corner。　As　the　exchange　between　Michael　and　me　fluctuated　from　laughs　to　whispers；　confessions　to　assessments，this　couple’s　poignant　stillness　called　to　me。　How　sad，I　thought，not　to　have　anything　left　to　say。　Wasn’t　there　any　page　that　they　hadn’t　yet　turned　in　each　other’s　stories？　What　if　that　happened　to　us？

Michael　and　I　paid　our　small　tab　and　got　up　to　leave　the　restaurant。　As　we　walked　by　the　corner　where　the　old　couple　sat，I　accidentally　dropped　my　wallet。　Bending　over　to　pick　it　up，I　noticed　that　under　the　table，each　of　their　free　hands　was　gently　cradled　in　the　other’s。 They　had　been　holding　hands　all　this　time！

I　stood　up