Archive for April, 2006

Marrow Donor Program

Saturday, April 29th, 2006

Went to sign up for the national marrow donor program today with a couple of friends. The nurse who drew my blood said it was usually the tall and big guys who pass out at the first sight of blood. I think I did OK, although I tried not to look at my finger when the nurse was squeezing it for blood. Happy thoughts… happy thoughts… I may be able to save a life… civ pro wasn’t all that bad… con law will be a breeze…

And then it was done.

民法考试,国际歌

Thursday, April 27th, 2006

说了三个星期不写的,考完了第一门以后开始手痒,于是写两句。

考的是民法,题目挺刁钻的,不过看考完以后大家一片哀鸿我就节哀了。某上学期平均成绩在A以上的牛人给大家发了封email,抱怨这次考试,大致内容在此。我自忖比他差得还远,所以就不埋怨了。

考完试以后和朋友去看电影散心,散场后去酒吧喝酒,一干人等喝得脸红话多的时候不知怎么说起了国际歌,于是同行中得两个中国人一个白俄罗斯人借酒力用各自的语言开始放声高歌,“起来……” 歌词不一样(中文和俄语差别还是很大的),但是曲调都是一样,还颇能合拍,当下甚有在落魄之时找到无产阶级同志的感觉。

同去的老美同学听得一愣一愣的,完了对我们感慨,怎么咱资本主义没有一首全世界通用的歌呢?

酒罢回宿舍,开大音乐,把民法的教材和参考资料一本本拿出来,丢进纸箱里,盖上,一脚踢进壁橱里。

Three Weeks of Abstinence – II

Friday, April 14th, 2006

No blogging for 3 weeks, until I am done with the finals.

Money grows on trees

Thursday, April 13th, 2006

I was talking to a friend of mine after lunch in the Law Quad when he said, “look, there is a nickel lying in the grass.” I looked down and there is was, a shiny nickel right next to a tree. Then he said, “look, there’s more. There’s money everywhere.”

I picked up the nickel and three pennies, all in the immediate vicinity of the tree. Our conjecture was that we had found a coin-growing tree. If we could shake the tree more coins will probably drop, but I decided to wait till the fall when the fruits mature into hundred dollar bills.

Errant Grand Juror

Wednesday, April 12th, 2006

Irk Judge, get time-out chair

Our Civ Pro professor sent us this link. The judge in the story was the one who held his court session in our classroom last week.

Anna’s First Long Distance Travel

Tuesday, April 11th, 2006

Anna flew to Detroit when she was barely four months old, but that one-hour flight is nothing compared to her trip to China tomorrow with grandma and grandpa to see great-grandma and great-grandpa.

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Anna, at 11 months, getting used to the camera.

你是中国人么?

Monday, April 10th, 2006

过去几个月里在底特律和华盛顿之间来回飞行多次,在机场的时间大多是读课本笔记打发掉的,几次下来大约知道了机场里哪里的咖啡好喝,哪里的座位边上有电源插座,同时也不可避免地和陌生人打了些交道,而其中不少是以一句“你是中国人么?”开始的。

半月前从华盛顿回底特律,在机场排队等安检的时候一个中国男生走过来问我,“你是中国人么?”

“是啊,怎么?”

“麻烦你给我女朋友带句话,她刚进去,请你跟她说,我还在这里等她。”

我一时没明白怎么回事,觉得有点蹊跷,不过先答应着。等我进了候机厅,恍然大悟:眼前一个文弱的女生,步履蹒跚地拖着行李,三步一回头地走向登机口,红红的眼睛明显刚哭过。我上前把话转述完毕,她难过得又要哭出来,大约由于我这个陌生人才努力止住,很礼貌地道谢,缓缓地转身,走了几步,却又停步不前,最后到电话亭边打投币电话。

我猜测应该多半是恋人分手身不由己吧,想来自己也曾有过这么一幕,不由唏嘘时过境迁。等她打完电话我上前一问,果然如此。正好飞机晚点,于是在上飞机之前和她聊半个多小时。其间我说不用再去打投币电话了,上飞机前可以尽管用我的手机给男朋友打电话的。女孩连声道谢说不用不用。

今天再次从同一个机场飞回底特律,正坐在安检之外的一排长椅上努力在civil procedure课本上涂抹的时候,耳边响起了一声,“你是中国人么?”

我一抬头,一个中年男子在看着我。

“是啊。怎么?”

“我也是。”

“……”(这个好象比较显而易见,我不知该说什么好。)

“我来接我侄子,没接到,着急,我不会英文。” 很焦急的样子。

这个忙一定是要帮的。于是我站起身来说不急不急。

随后他说,“我不会打公用电话。” 他手里攥着几个硬币,示意要打电话。于是带他去打投币电话。发现电话号码拨不通,于是他说,“你的手机给我用一下。” 我婉言回绝。手机只有最后一格电了,等着回底特律给家里报平安用。

之后他问我一串问题,这里是不是里根机场,行李处是不是在旁边,等等。一一作答。结果发现此人一没有航班号,二不知道到底在哪个机场。帮他出谋划策,带着他去问讯台查询,也没有任何进展。建议他广播找人,说已经广播找过了。

前前后后折腾近半个小时,发现既然能做的都做了,我也再帮不上什么忙了。一筹莫展的时候我看看时间不早,准备过安检去候机厅,于是说,“对不起我只能帮这么多了。”我期待的是一句礼节性的致谢然后各行各路。然而他没有回答,开始四处张望。两人对峙一段时间以后,我的耐心开始流失,心里开始计算本可以省下来看书的时间。

最后他又问:“手机给我用一下。”

我直接了当地拒绝了他的这个直接了当的要求,拎起包大步向候机厅走去。估计背后有人暗骂我不念同胞之情,我也无奈……已然尽力,而且哪怕你说个“请”或者“谢”呢?