論最低工資/莊峻華

論最低工資/莊峻華 昨夜歐巴瑪之國情咨文中，提到最低工資，他有一行政命令，要聯邦契 約商，開始提高最低工資到一小時US$10.10，目前最低工資是一小時 US$7.25，共和黨人反對，大部份僱主也反對，認為負擔不起，將嚴重影 響就業機會，歐巴瑪認為有全工就業者，不應淪為貧戶，兩者說法都避 免提到家庭因素。 我們家元兒，在超市上班，六年前從一小時最低工資，US$6.75開始，到 最近一小時，US$8.75，寄來之報稅所得是，2013年US$18.466，如果是 歐巴瑪之新最低，年收入將達US$21,008，而且不是如算而已，還需要加 上公司給予之社會福利稅一半，老人保險金一半，健康保險補助，自己仍 舊需交聯邦所得稅，健康保險費，工會會費等，所以一開始，我們就要他 留在家，無需再交單身生活支出，此為家庭能提供賺錢能力稍差子女機會 ，政府官員，像總統等人，民間之神父牧師，學校老師等，不敢向國民說 教，美國幾近半數家庭，都有過離婚經驗，家庭有過不穩定，我寧可讓子 女晚獨立生活，而無需單獨奮鬥，況且留在家，也使空室，物盡其用。 僱主賺錢與否？賺多少錢？只有僱主知道，去年元兒超市僱主，賺錢不多 ，所以減少元兒工作時間，我不覺此為悲天搶地，六年來，我們均依規矩 ，按照法令，存退休金，儲蓄，這些錢都有一定之利息，股息等收入，而 且我也按琳兒公司價錢，給付我們旅行之機場接送，一次US$90，去年我 出外旅行，車夫工作交給他，也讓他有額外之收入，住家省錢，送家人到 機場賺錢等，都是家庭提供之機會，許多新移民家庭，都是如此艱困起家 ，我賣保險34年，見識到無數之成功家庭。 保守派美國人，喜歡使用廉價勞工，我說共和黨人，像農場地主，工廠主 人等，但又不願見到新移民法之製定，非常矛盾之哲學，而且這些人都是 強調信基督教，每週日都上教堂，但絕不寬恕非法移民，美國成長有賴不 斷之移民，連中餐廳廚房，都是墨西哥師傅，公路建設，造橋，修車，看 護等，彼彼皆是。國家政治，並非國民所能主宰，但是求生存，立爭上游 ，則是每一家庭之，基本責任。

歐巴瑪之國情咨文2014/莊峻華

歐巴瑪之國情咨文2014/莊峻華 今夜歐巴瑪總統，發表今年國情咨文，我特別打開電視聆聽，國情咨文一 般是總統之施政報告，為全國國民鼓舞士氣，總統認為美國開始恢復，成 為全球最佳投資中心，製造工業開始回流，美國能源產量增加，經濟復甦 ，失業率降低，總統能言，講了將近兩小時，共和黨派出一位女眾議員 簡短答辯，我仍舊能體會其重點。 去年高科技股市，領導股市上揚，能源產量增加，整個德州，均蒙其惠， 高科技看加州好，加州之透支，預算赤字平反，兩州房價均增高，有投資 者，均有感覺，但美國人很多人都無投資，未獲利益，所以貧富懸殊，越 來越大，總統要提倡另一個人退休計劃，總統要聯邦契約公司，最低工資 US$10.10，比當今待遇提高一些，當然僱主利潤減少，全國僱主都反對， 早上賢妻問我，何以元兒稅表收入，有US$18,466？實際上領到者少，原 因是健康保險補助，和工會會用，我們在六年前，就末雨綢繆，將兒子留 在家裏，幫忙其儲蓄，今夜這位共和黨女議員，也提到此點四分之一秒鐘 ，歐巴瑪府上兩女孩，平日晚上不准看電視，美國政治者，不敢多言家庭 紀律，深怕得罪選民，家庭經濟問題，許多家庭絕對不能等待政府來解救。 剛才之一萬八千五，除一下每小時是US$8.75，六年超是資歷，尚不足總統 新標準。 總統要加強四歲小孩之學前教育，當然共和黨不願意，總統要改善學生貸 款，讓有更多學生有讀大學機會，我覺得借錢讀大學，是一巨大投資，假 使畢業後，無法償還，變成自己一生之負擔，如果不喜歡讀書，最好不要 借錢讀大學，借錢只能幫忙銀行，大學，和附近之屋主等人。 總統提到健保，此為好事，已經有將近一千萬人參加，總統要共和黨人提 出有意義之計劃，要經過精打細算，不要鬧，很有意思，共和黨答辯者， 簡短之持論反對，非常軟弱，新健保當然要花政府預算，就像打仗一般， 國家預算要先後有序。 總統侃侃而談，克林頓有此本領，但希樂莉‧克林頓，則無此能耐，培養 一位能言善道之總統不易，國家大事是現象哲學，越聽越有趣，越聽越看 開，無需為肉食者，無需為古人擔憂。

養身數論/莊峻華

養身數論/莊峻華 網路郵件裏，有些養身理論，經過善心者傳閱，我有些切身實踐之經驗， 有些感觸，提供世人參考，僅提素食，禁菸酒，經常運動三項。 我之素食，是在2007年開始，因為被一保險公司開除，無法繼續團體健 康保險，家庭醫生，給我三個月糖尿病葯，此葯據聞有副作用，後來科學 無法證明，兩日惶恐間，我讀巴納德醫生書，開始素食，用以嚇阻老病， 心理建設，體重減輕，血糖仍高，一直到去年開始老人保險，開始服藥， 血糖降低，但仍舊未達醫生標準，增加劑量，增加新葯。 我一直不吸菸，因為小時候目睹先父，為菸毒所害，從1996年開始，全 面禁酒，真是滴酒不沾，之前我喝啤酒吃藍蟳，蟳卵，滷鴨，滷牛肉等， 於是有肝臟轉安酶指數高，醫生以為我有B型肝炎，素食禁酒後，飲食生 活，非常單調無味，每天只能聽歌讀書寫作和充份睡眠，有時出外旅行。 所有人均鼓勵他人，要經常運動，我的運動是散步和網球，許多人到健身 房，每天投資固定時間，像定期儲蓄投資基金一般，對身體一定有助。 善養身者，能維護身體健康，無病痛之苦，維護壽命養生，則仍舊需要養 心，不為金錢欲望所困惑，要過一有意義之生活，日復一日，週而復始。

發酵學/莊峻華

發酵學/莊峻華 昨日中午，校友會年會飯局後，會長邀請一位女學長演講，講題是環保 酵素和飲用多種發酵果汁，我覺得非常有趣，此為基本應用化學知識， 就是發酵學，基本之製酒方法，當然第一種環保發酵，不能飲用，只能 當清潔，殺蟲，和當有機肥料，演講讓我回家路上，重新思考我們家， 處理蔬菜果皮等方法。 過去我將蔬菜果皮等，埋在枯葉堆肥中，引來許多老鼠，今年賢妻乘我 旅行中，將蔬菜果皮等，置放於蓄水桶中，中間加上沃土，聽說已經完 成一兩次，施肥在椪柑樹下，聽完演講，我想沃土必將緩慢發酵，講者 有許多成品提供參考，都是過濾後之液體，甚至可以幫忙，疏通堵塞之 水管，水管彎曲處，或有微生物滋長，有水分有微生物，日久堵塞，請 水匠來很貴，經常灌一兩平發酵液，一定有幫助，酵菌和微生物搶養分 ，起發酵作用，分解這些有機物，第三級汙水處理廠，就是根據此道理 ，讀了一輩子書，居然無法應用到日常生活，玫瑰花葉，橘葉等中之蟲 繭，澆上發酵液，當立即起作用，可以殺蟲不用農藥。 第二節講之水果發酵法，就是造酒過程，只不過提早飲用，味道當然比 一般果汁強，有酒精含量，西班牙語教科書中，提到一種著名飲料，將白 蘭地放在果汁中曰珊迪亞，糯米發酵後，中國人曰酒釀，甜味可食，春 節前後飲用可保暖，講演者帶來之樣品，一飲而盡。發酵過濾後，是一 種介於固液態之物，汙水廠將之分離，提供農田使用，處理過後之水，要 合乎標準含氧量，始可排入巴伐落溪，當然汙水廠處理者與水果皮不同， 發酵原理一樣。 加州整州都在種葡萄，都在製造葡萄酒，賣給台灣等國家，講者提到一些 添加糖，紅糖，白糖，黑糖等，都是酵菌食物，還好我出身在台糖，又有 一位當過製糖工場主任，博學之家父，甘蔗在壓榨後，加熱濃縮，有一黑 糖漿物，就像美國早餐使用之楓糖漿，經過離心機結晶，粉狀黑糖為產物 ，此物有許多不同多糖類，聽眾中有人提到，黑糖比較不甜；糖廠將黑糖 溶於水，加熱濃縮再結晶，產品就是紅糖，講者提到需要到特別店購買， 紅糖比較粗製，需要再加入活性碳粉，像廢物利用之椰果殼，一起溶於水 ，過濾後加熱再結晶，成品就是白糖，是雙糖結晶，葡萄糖是單糖，果糖 是多糖，都是酵母菌之食物，酵母可以將之分解成酒精，就是英語中之精 神所在，製酒方法有幾萬年歷史。

聽歌曲阿根廷莫為我哭泣/莊峻華

聽歌曲阿根廷莫為我哭泣/莊峻華 幾日前聆聽網路日本歌曲，有位歐洲歌星，唱夏川之歌聲閃閃，經過一 影片，夏日最後之玫瑰，就見到阿根廷，莫為我哭泣，此為一首近代名 曲，我連續在網路上，欣賞歐美各家解述，歌曲為兩位英國作家，在 1976 發表，韋伯作曲，萊斯作詞，原唱歌星為，珠莉‧克文頓，一舉成 名，後來愛蓮‧佩琪在倫敦舞台代替克文頓；美國紐約百老匯，則有貝 蒂‧菈鳳主角，民間有幾位著名歌手演唱，像奧麗維雅‧牛頓約翰，凱 倫‧卡本特等，一直到38年後之今日，仍舊有新一代唱歌者，繼續解釋 ，我一口氣聽上百遍，頗多感觸，這位曲中傾訴麗人，伊哇‧貝隆，是 阿根廷第一夫人，因癌症病逝，年僅33歲，曲名伊維達，係西班牙語伊 哇之暱稱。 真是一言難盡，歌詞如此說，真難解釋，我試圖解釋我之感觸，你會奇怪 ，為何我仍舊需要你的愛？經過這些年來，我之所作所為？我想此言對像 是貝隆總統，她之親人，舊日戀人，和後來阿根廷之選民。 你不會相信我，過去你所認識之女孩，雖然她每日起身打扮到九點多，每 夜六、七點陪伴你，我不能如此下去，我不能整日站在窗口望外，避免陽 光，我必須改變。 所以我選擇到處自由旅行，企圖嘗試每件新事項，然而沒有一件，令我滿 意，當然我從未如此盼望過。 莫為我哭泣，阿根廷，事實上我並未離開妳，雖然在我放肆時日，愚蠢經 驗下，我一直守信，我們不要有距離。至於功名利祿，不請自來，並非我 所願者，雖然舉世人皆認為。兩者均是幻想，於事無補，真正解決之道，早 在於此，我愛妳，也期望妳愛我，莫為我哭泣，阿根廷。 我是否過於囉嗦？我欲無言，妳只要看我，我所言每句皆實。 網路維基辭典中，有許多介紹說明，我為伊維達慶幸，雖然紅顏命薄，但 此曲已為 她立傳，阿根廷因而出名，傳聞萊斯認為是吶喊，而非哭泣，我 以為哭泣無誤，許多聽眾為此歌落淚，體會生命之無常，貝蒂‧菈鳳一張 影片結尾，可見其淚水盈頰。

隨遇而安/莊峻華

隨遇而安/莊峻華 許多人鼓勵我，已經有歲數者也，應與世無爭，應隨遇而安，此為中國 古老哲學，也是佛門大道理，其實我能爭者何也？每日換洗照鏡，顏面 蒼老，頭髮稀疏，不知如何與世爭？昨夜聽歌正熱，賢妻前來打岔曰，有 好友要買兩萬五哩數，而且有旅遊日本團特價，八日美金四百，她認為應 該考慮，我正在聆聽1965年日本NHK紅白交戰，非常不耐煩，隨便應付 一下，賢妻不滿下樓，念念有辭，於是我又火上加油，一點都不讓步，一 點都不隨遇而安。 哩數實在是美國人，會作生意之花樣之一，許多人和我一樣，都知道其好 處，許多人不願意麻煩，不願意和信用卡，和航空公司計較，我們家琳兒 ，經常乘坐飛機旅行，累積許多免費機票和知識，我無意間學到一些，我 講給賢妻聽，該公司哩數無免費轉移之好處，旅行日本團八日四百美金沒 釣，日本政府與中國政府不同，無需補助民間商團，除非景氣非常差，賢 妻仍舊不信，認為我之態度甚差，一點都不容許詢問，這是非常正確，我 說我之旅行計劃，陪妻女遊日本和台灣，正呈交琳兒批准，馬上要購買日 本鐵道之七日票，賢妻不能中途插入，加上馬後砲，昨夜琳兒，親自回兩 封信曰，轉兩萬五哩，需付四百零七元美金，賢妻仍舊不信，說是一位開 旅行社之姊妹說是免費，我說她開旅行社，難道也開航空公司，賢妻大怒。 今晨，賢妻開始電話許多人，要求轉移之姊妹，給她帳號和密碼，賢妻要 我在網路上轉元兒哩數，我說第一點，她教堂姊妹是要我送她哩數？賢妻 曰昨夜我不是說要送她？其實我是打賭，先有一假設，如果有如此免費之 美事，我就送她哩數，賢妻只聽到一半。旅行團廣告，非常精打細算，但 並非四百美金，小費和其他費用是三百美金，新幹線只是大阪到名古屋， 只是出發期和我們到達日期不同，我們在日本停留一週，旅行團是八日遊。 隨遇而安，是人生之哲學，是生活之藝術，我雖言在家修行，仍舊無法避 免俗事，我深思釋一行老和尚，對生命意義之看法，他說先要了解，周遭 之現象，多讀書多歷練，現象是水平面，生老病死，有一日始得了解物本 垂直間，人與上天，人與上帝間之關係，我一直非常費解，於是二十年來 ，我一直在設法了解，老和尚之維名論，物本論，我未深入了解康德之學 說，我相信老和尚亦是自行解釋，若了解現象，周遭之道理，了解教堂姊 妹之免費轉移說法，賢妻之執著，不惜激怒愚夫，此為周遭現象，問題終 究需要解決，待了解始末，亦無需動氣，無需計較務本，與上帝間，微妙 之關係，佛家道家到終究極點，都是無，都是空，都是隨遇而安。

Renew Time Magazine/ Charles Chuang

Renew Time Magazine/ Charles Chuang Time Magazine sends a renewal notice to Arthur, I carefully read the notice and find out the renewal rate is very inexpensive. I therefore use my credit card to renew it for another three years. By using that credit card can also help me to finish the new card spending requirement. Before I came to the United States, I used to subscribe Time in Taiwan. That had help my English, enlarge my world view. The American edition becomes thinner and thinner , probably because the change of time, people like to read free newspapers, free magazines, and free books. Time changes so does Time Magazine. I have changed myself too, I have not read printed newspapers, watch TV, And I only surf through Associated Press and Reuters from Yahoo News. I Admit that I am alone and have heard but little, yet I get used to it. I think that I should go out on travel more often, facing more of the world outside, getting to know more new friends and the old. Mentioning about the travel, yesterday morning our neighbor informed me that the new airfare from Houston to Taipei will be US$850 for a round trip by Air China. Today I read An advertisement by the United Airline’s promotion for a round trip tickets to Beijing for US$750, of course you need to pay additional from Beijing to Taipei. I noticed that two planes which I took from Honolulu to Taipei were quite empty, even Houston to LosAngeles planes were smaller than before. I believe that travelers around the world are more careful on their spending like watching the cost of magazine, no waste. Of course, there are still some luxury magazines not fallen to deep promotional Rate, such as my wife’s Lady Home Journal for example. It is still very thick and popular yet I have not enjoying reading it, I like the politic, I like news. Economic Information helps me understanding thee U.S. policy and the stock market. Yet these only cover domestically, after I reach to the foreign soil, I notice the subjects are somewhat different from the U.S. Another magazine, the Economics, is an English magazine which we subscribe. We are waiting for another promotion to get in next time with unused mileage. The Wall Street Journal also invites us to renew and so does the New York Time. I overheard a gossip that a Chinese would purchase the New York Time. They say it and I cannot stop hearing it. All newspaper and magazine have their difficulty nowadays. Free speech is number one in the democracy, rule of law. I believe that under the speedy progress of the internet, the news passes faster Than people can believe; therefore, newspaper becomes magazine, magazine becomes new book, and only a good book can be passed on to the next generation.

續約時代雜誌/莊峻華

續約時代雜誌/莊峻華 時代雜誌，寄來元兒續約通知，我仔細閱讀內容，發現其續約價格，驚人 便宜，於是我逕自續約三年，而且使用信用卡，可以幫忙該新卡消費要求 ，我在台灣教書時候，就訂閱時代雜誌，對我英文視界，幫助甚大，美國 版越來越薄，大概是時代不同，大家都喜歡免費報紙，免費雜誌，免費書 籍等，何需勞神讀書讀報紙讀雜誌？時代在變，時代雜誌也在變。 我也在變，已經有幾年，不訂閱報紙，不看電視，不聽廣告，只在網路上 ，選擇喜歡聽之日本歌謠，閱讀紐約時報，美聯社，和路透社消息，非常 孤陋寡聞，我也習以為常，我以為我應該多旅行，多親自見識外面世界， 多認室外界新舊朋友。提到旅行，昨日清晨，鄰居告知，自三月一日起， 中國航空提供，自休市飛往台北機票，八百五十美元來回，真是便宜，今 日有聯合航空廣告來，是看到修是飛北京，七百五十美金來回票，當然從 北京再加上飛往台北，另有費用。去年回台灣，十一、二月間兩日，夏威 夷航空，機客寥寥無幾，就是洛杉磯休市間之座機，亦是稍小，並非大型 者，美國和世界旅客，亦開始注意費用，開始精打細算。 當然，仍舊有許多豪華雜誌，許多不淪入特價廣告之雜誌，像賢妻訂閱幾十 年之婦女家庭雜誌，仍舊很厚，其怪我一直不曾閱讀，我喜歡政治，我喜歡 時事，政治中之經濟，幫忙我了解，美國之政策，但此仍舊侷限於美國，等 到旅行英國和加拿大，才發現外國輿論重點，與美國不同，最近英國經濟學 人雜誌，電話來邀請元兒續約，已經中斷多時，該雜誌甚佳，我們家人都看 ，我想下次利用，剩餘哩數訂閱。 華爾街日報也來邀請續約，紐約時報也有優待，聽說有中國人要買下，紐約 時報，我在免費雅虎新聞中，道聽塗說，姑且言之，我也信之，報紙雜誌都 有困難，輿論自由是民主法治之第一條，我相信網路越進步，消息傳播越快 ，報紙形成雜誌，雜誌變成新書，唯有份量之書籍，可以永存於世。

A travel companion to Japan and Taiwan/ Charles Chuang

A travel companion to Japan and Taiwan/ Charles Chuang My daughter Michelle informed us her two weeks break from work several days ago, invited us to be her travel companions to Japan and Taiwan. She likes to Visit my hometown both Puli and Huwei where I grew up; visits the night markets Both in Taipei and Kaohsiung; enjoys the scenery of Taiwan. While visiting Japan is simply her admiration of that nation. She purchased the tickets with her accumulated mileages the other night; therefore, I started make a plan for Taiwan and expressed my opinion toward Japan for her reference. For the part of Taiwan, we would take the high speed rail to Chiayi and transfer To Huwei for the first night, then after several sets of tennis, my sister Mary would Take us to Puli across Chusan, the central Taiwan sierra, and to Puli where I was born. On the way back to Huwei, we may pass the famous Sun Moon Lake. We are going to reach Kaohsiung on that night via the high speed rail and visit the night market where we can enjoy Taiwanese eatery. Early next morning, Wan Fong a retired banker will take us south to Kending on the southern tip of Taiwan. In 2009 she took me to this route and I was very impressed for the scenery. Again early following morning, we will take the first train available to circle southern Taiwan to Taidong or Hwalien in order to rent a car for Ching Piao and his wife to get on to show us Hwa Dong Valley and Taroco Gorge etc. We shall take the last train available back to Taipei on that night and spend the rest of our time to visit the capital. Before arriving to Taiwan, there is a stopover in Japan. After learning that I would pay some of the expanse, Michelle got the airplane tickets issued. Traveling to Japan is very expansive as I have been told, yet I understand visiting Tokyo is no difference from visiting London or New York City. First I check on three travel agencies for the hotel promotion. I can get a hotel room US$150 a night both in Tokyo and Kyoto, a daily pass for subway in Tokyo for US$15 and the rest is food. I am a vegetarian and can have Kamage odon while they can enjoy sushi for six days until reach the night market in Taiwan. I don’t believe that we have to pay as much as the price for a tour. We visit both famous city is for the classic scenery, thousand years ancient capital etc and should not worry too much for the room and board. As a matter of fact, if I can spend carefully during , I can visit some more places and enjoy more travel.

伴遊日本台灣/莊峻華

伴遊日本台灣/莊峻華 幾日前琳兒告知，有兩週休假日，準備邀請我們，旅行台灣和日本，到台 灣準備參觀，我成長之故鄉，台灣夜市，和台灣風景；日本則純粹是慕名。 昨夜在墨西哥市出差中，將三張機票訂出，都是使用信用卡哩數，於是我 先安排台灣行程，以供其參考，日本部份，我也有我之看法，希望她能採 用。 台灣部份，我們先搭高鐵到嘉義，然後接駁車到虎尾，翌晨在虎中紅土球 場，打幾局後，就由姊夫驅車往埔里，可以經過竹山等，中台山脈，回程 中繞過日月潭。當日設法到達高雄，參觀夜市，翌晨一大早，婉芳姊有車 來，載我們到墾丁鵝蘭鼻，此路2009年她帶我去過，非常美麗，當夜回高 雄，準備翌晨一大早，搭第一班南迴鐵路到台東，我在台東或是花蓮，租車 開到玉里，接上清標兄嫂，由他開車遊覽花東縱谷和太魯閣，夜宿花蓮，第 二天，搭火車回台北，所剩時間，在台北兜留，台北比較簡單，有捷運到達 所有著名夜市。 台灣之前，有日本行，琳兒在詢得我同意出錢後，立即將機票開出，日本旅 遊昂貴，但是處理日本，和紐約倫敦無異，先將旅社搞定，我查一下幾家大 旅行社，許多特價廣告，價錢在一夜US$150之譜，六夜$900，再來就是東京 和京都市內，交通工具，東京我查一下，約是UD$15一日無限制使用，再來 就是飲食，我素食，賢妻和琳兒，可以手捲裹腹，回台灣夜市，再大吃大喝， 如何都不需風聞中之跟團價格，六日內想觀看如此兩座歷史古城，美麗之千 年之古都，主要是眼福，無需過份計較食宿。 我發現只要謹慎用錢旅行，可以多玩幾次，可以多參觀許多地方。

Health insurance/ Charles Chuang

Health insurance/ Charles Chuang Before my trip to Taiwan at the last quarter of last year, Blue Cross had offered several seminars for the Obamacare which would be effective on 01/01/2014. The first one that I needed to enroll was my wife’s application. She has a basic major medical plan which covered hospitalization and surgical with a $10,000 deductible. The monthly premium is now $130 and thanks her god that there had been no big medical issue during the last 12 years. The Obamacare is a good policy which can enroll all uninsured to a decent health insurance coverage. I believe that my wife’s simple coverage can be elevated to a comprehensive one like most of the civilian group policy. I had had group policies for more than 20 years and I understood how vital it had been especially with my son Arthur. The health insurance had saved him as well as the family. There are 2 millions enroll to the plan for the time being and expecting 7 millions at the first half of this year. It is still not quite successful as the original expection; however, this is a beginning of a good policy. There are many nations in the world carry national healthcare, even some developing nations such as Thailand, for instance, carries health insurance for the farmers. The premier may run into political problem, yet she still can win the election because this popular program. I don’t know whether Obamacare will be good for either parties during the next General election, yet I must manage the urgent family need. According to Yancy, my brother, that my wife’s existing policy is qualified as a grandfather policy. As long as the company offers to continue the policy with some modification to meet the Obamacare minimum requirement, she doesn’t need to switch to the Obamacare and no penalty involved. Many who opposes Obamacare encourages the young not to enroll and pay the penalty. I feel that these people are irresponsible if they themselves carry health insurance. Once the young and uninsured is involving a catastrophic heath loss, their attorneys should look into the liability issue. I start to do some research to enroll my wife into the plan. For the past 12 years While I haven’t provide a decent health insurance to my wife is really my fault. I should not make her worry about her health care. I shall provide her the Obama Care until the day of Medicare to come.

健康保險/莊峻華

健康保險/莊峻華 回台灣前，藍十字公司，舉辦講習多次，針對歐巴瑪健保法，這是今年 一月一日生效，我唯一需要處理之客戶，就是賢妻，她有一最基本之住 院開刀險，而且自付款在一萬美金，每個月保費已經是一百三十美金， 所幸這十二年來，托天之福，沒有重大健康問題，歐巴瑪健保是件好事 ，給予一般國民，有機會參加健康保險，賢妻之簡陋保險，應可升格和 一般有公司福利者同，我曾經有過20年公司團體保險，元兒出生時之困 難，完全仰賴健康保險，因為剛好我自費參加當年服務公司之團體險。 歐巴瑪健保一開始，有兩百萬人加入，再過半年，約能增加到七百萬人， 效果不是很理想，但是確是一項德政之開始，世界上許多國家都有全民健 保，許多國家都開始有，像今日泰國消息，泰國女總理有危機，解散國會 後，反對者仍然要她下台，但她有農民支持，選舉仍然有勝算，因為她給 農民健康保險，歐巴瑪健保對美國大選何黨有利？無人知曉，但我家之健 保，確是馬上需要解決之課題。 按照健保有很深研究之峻嚴曰，賢妻之藍十字基本險，可以繼續投保，聯 邦承認該老保險為合格健保，無需交無保險者之罰款，反對歐巴瑪健保者， 鼓勵年輕人健康者，寧可拒絕參加而交罰款，也比較省錢，這些人是否否 認保險，我不知情，但如自己有團體保險，而又鼓吹他人省錢拒保，此甚 缺德，美國律師會找其責任。 我將開始研究，如何替賢妻申請保險，十二年來無法提供像樣隻健康保險， 為我之失職，我應該讓她安心度日，等到老人健康保險之到來。

The red clay courts at Huwei Senior High/ Charles Chuang

The red clay courts at Huwei Senior High/ Charles Chuang I carried a tennis racket back to Taiwan last year in order to play tennis at The red clay courts at Huwei Senior High, Huwei, Taiwan. There are two Roland Garros red clay on the courts which are very expansive to build and maintain in Houston, Texas, yet at Huwei it is reasonable and can be simply be kept up to a good shape. Usually the work is done by the club president and members. The facility was donated by a distinguished alumnus, Wen Shan Chen. The incumbent president is Wu, a retired elementary school Principal, who used to rent a room at our home while he attended at the Senior high school and also took care of the house when my mother came to visit Houston, Texas. Tennis is my life time hobby. I Play double three sets every week. There are seniors still playing tennis at Huwei courts. According to some experient, sandy courts are more friendly to knees than the hard courts. There are two regular meeting in a day, one is early morning for the seniors and some business owners; the other one is late afternoon for younger workers coming out of daily work. No need to make an appointment, like Waikiki courts, you can drop by any time to play. There are two other identical facilities at Huwei, one is at the old residential complex at the sugar corporation; the other one is at the Huwei Senior school for agriculture. I ran into an old neighbor, Kai Lung. He is a year older than me and a retired teacher from this high school. He used to play tennis until his knees injury. Every morning, he would ride a bike to the courts and meet his old friends. He mentioned a story and I wrote it done. Recently a former student came to the courts to find him to inform him that she planned to move back to the home town for her retirement and she went ahead to purchase a new house during that trip. She was one of a good student from the old Huwei Girls Senior High that he helped to arrange a scholarship with a former colleague who was also a successful business owner. This philanthropist one day told him that he would like to help some poor students at the high school. He would invite this student to his house for a lunar new year’s feast and give her a big envelope of yearly scholarship. I believe that would last until her graduation from college. She has become a school teacher until her own retirement. I am very touched with the story. I taught one year at the old Huwei Senior High, currently the majority part Of campus of the National Formosan University od Science and Techology. The university had torn down everything including the old hard courts in order to build such new facility. Most of my former teachers and colleagues are not playing tennis any longer. I am only passing by the campus not entering. Even the ditch along the front has been covered to make the street wider. The campus is no longer in my old memory.

虎中紅土網球場/ 莊峻華

虎中紅土網球場/ 莊峻華 去年回台，攜帶網球拍，回虎尾高中打網球，虎中有兩紅土球場，非常 方便，紅土球場，維護不易，在休市需要繳昂貴費用，當然虎中亦需要， 但是費用並非高昂，每日簡單維護，多半是會長和會友擔任，場地是事 業有成之校友捐獻，今年會長是退休之吳校長，吳校長現居立仁國小附 近，與我家有緣，高中時曾經租住我家，先母來美居住，亦幫她照顧糖 廠宿舍。 網球為我嗜好運動，每週有固定兩次，雙打三局，在虎中有些老人，仍 舊打球，據言砂土球場較硬地球常好，膝蓋磨損稍緩，因此我回虎尾，首 要之事為網球，姊夫朋友，退休之程老師，亦在此求場使用，四年前我就 遇見。球場之會員，多半是校友，許多是退休老師，當地之年輕醫生，店 面主人，也有正在工作者，他們打黃昏班，虎中球場，無需約定球局，早 晚兩班，隨到隨打，和威基基公園一樣，威基基是全天開放，同樣紅土網 球場設備，虎尾有三處，另兩處為糖廠民主九路，和虎尾農工處。 今年我在球場，巧遇老鄰居楷龍兄，楷龍長我一歲，虎中總務退休，膝蓋 受傷，無法繼續網球，所以每日清晨騎鐵馬來，和老友聊天，我很羨慕如 此退休生活，他和我說起一件事，我特地記下。最近有位在台北退休之學 校老師，前來球場尋他，輾轉找到，原來是位過去虎女畢業生，準備回虎 尾退休定居，這位曾經是清寒學生，受到一位富有善心同事之幫助 ，故事 感人，此同事家有事業收入，深覺可以幫助學生，於是請楷龍推薦，楷龍 就送此女生，過年到這位退休主任家吃飯，這位主任飯後，就給這位女生 紅包，一直到大學畢業，女生銘記此段人間溫暖，和其夫婿商量後，準備 回虎尾定居，據說房屋已購妥。 我曾經在虎中服務過一年，當年虎中仍舊在虎尾科技大，虎中有幾座硬地 網球場，當年同事和舊日恩師，多半不再打網球，科技大需要校地，拆掉 掉球場，改建大廈，我只路過學校，未曾進入校園，校園已經不是當年回 憶，連水溝都已經加蓋，學生大概也不重視如此運動。

Visiting Hsinchu(2)/ Charles Chuang

Visiting Hsinchu(2)/ Charles Chuang A day before I took off Taiwan, we had had a lunch in Hsinchu with old college classmates. This was the second gathering during my almost four weeks stay. Lijen and his wife recommended this hill top restaurant which could overlook the beach and city buildings on the east. Interestingly, there was a camping site for trailers for campers. The restaurant had had a very good business and we had been treated by our successful classmate, Kunming, who had a business in China. I still took an early train ride to Hsinchu via Taipei main station. Hsin chu station was still very busy for people in and out of the city for work or else. Roger suggested me take another train to Liuchia where the high speed rail Station was. He was going to get Chunghong who was from Tainan so we could Be on the same vehicle to the restaurant where no bus could be taken. Liuchia is Chupei, a newly developed county seat. The city plan looks like any of the new city in the U.S. There were a large group of community college students from Taipei came to the station for an out of classroom tour. According to their photo equipment, I believe that they are in a professional photographer’s class. I brought out my Canon and followed the group for some photos. If I am not mistaken, the electrical engineering and computer science college of National Taiwan University is located here in this city where most of high tech firms are located. Yung Kun from South Kunsheng Temple area came so did James L. original from Daji, Taipei. Both of them had visited our Home at Huwei while I was at Leiyu Island for my military service. My family had reminded me when I came back in 1973. The lunch was very short actually. We were listening to Kunming for his new soda type drinking water, Liyou water, with a PH 2 level acetic quality. He proclaims the water can remove the senior’s face spots etc. He has applied for the patent in Hong Kong. I saw and tasted one ingredient was Luosheng flower which was red color and tasted sour. This Luosheng flower grown at Taitong makes me think of a famous long poem written by a famous prince in the three kingdoms era, Luosheng Fu. He described how beautiful the lady Fu whom he ran into at river Luo to his young servant while his young servant was taking a nap. I have run into numerous Lady Fu during my trip to Taiwan, have written many journals about this trip, yet I still cannot post a poem like Luosheng Fu. I believed that Kunming intended to treat us dinner after lunch. It was such a Hurry that we could not make it. Roger asked him to give his wife a ride to Toufen , Miali and asked his wife to serve them dinner. Then, Roger took us to Liuchia station for Chunghong to take a high speed trai back to Tainan. He parked his car at the station and we took James L. vehicle who followed us to Taipei. Carl and Lijen both had their own vehicles drove home. Yungkun’s son lives in Hsinchu would come to pick him up. In regard to transportation, these Ph.D. are very good to manage it. I like to visit Yungkun on my next trip to visit that old temple. After Chungli, Taoyuan, all townships, cities are all linked together. We passed by a big white statue of Buddha, I could not name the location. They laughed and explained that was a factory to build the statues to the rest of world.

新竹行﹝2﹞/莊峻華

新竹行﹝2﹞/莊峻華 回美國前日，在新竹有一午飯局，這是大學同學第二次聚會，立人兄嫂 推薦在郊外一小山崗上，可以俯瞰海岸，很有趣者為，餐廳旁有露營設 備，提供露營車停靠，餐廳生意斐然，在中國有事業之昆明兄招待。我 仍舊清晨出發，經過台北車站，搭火車南下新竹，新竹車站，仍舊車水 馬龍，進進出出，瑞耀兄建議我，再搭一班區間車到六家站，就是高鐵 之新竹站，與台南來之仲泓兄會合，一起上餐廳，此餐廳無巴士可達， 步行太遠。 六家就是竹北，竹北城市規劃很像美國都市，引來一班台北社區大學生 ，到處攝影研究，夷觀其年紀和像機設備，都像有攝影嗜好者，我跟著 拿出刊農像機，舉香跟拜，和一位男士聊天，他說假日難得出台北市， 到新竹欣賞風景，如果我沒記錯，台大電機學院在此，此為台灣高科技 之重鎮。 南鯤鯓之永崑兄也來，還有原大直之秩齡兄，兩位在虎尾空軍中心受訓 ，曾到寒舍，家人有交待，當年我在烈嶼戍守。餐聚時間非常短促，我 們聆聽昆明之新產品，一種酸味之飲水，可以除老人黑斑等功用，我們 也試喝樣品，他在香港申請專利，主要之原料是商業機密不可說，但次 要者配料，則公開無所謂，其中紅色和酸味，很像來自台東之洛神花， 提到洛神花，就想起曹子建之洛神賦，其中之美女宓妃，我在旅行台灣 中，遇見多少宓妃，寫下多少中英文遊記，就是譜不出一賦來。 昆明原擬再請晚餐，邀請大家到他一別墅，欣賞風景，我想就是吃飯，因 位時間匆促，無法成行，瑞耀將夫人交給昆明夫婦，送回頭份，留客晚飯 ，如此兄弟般之親切，然後送仲泓到六家站，搭高鐵南下，瑞耀將車停在 高鐵站，有尾隨之秩齡兄，載我們回台北，這些師大畢業之化學博士，交 通規劃，非常有效。立人和治貞兩兄嫂自行驅車來無慮，永崑兄好命，大 公子就住在新竹，他和仲泓畢業後，就在同一學校服務到退休，下次我回 台灣，一定規劃到南鯤鯓，拜訪永崑和那座大廟宇。 從中壢以北之北台灣，城市鄉鎮都連在一起，經過一大佛，驚訝道何處名 剎？同學笑曰乃大佛工廠也，販賣全球。入夜後之台北，更加忙碌，只是 我已經不再追求功名利祿矣，也無需為台北宿舍煩惱，明天晚上，我就回 美國。

Interview for an insurance call center job/ Charles Chuang

Interview for an insurance call center job/ Charles Chuang The night before yesterday, a manager called for my son Arthur for a position at an insurance call center about 40 miles northeast from here. I answered the call and expressed my interest. I asked him if age 66 was alright. Of course he answered yes. In this country, the employers cannot discriminate age, sex, sexuality, and race etc ; therefore, proclaim an equal opportunity employers. I did drive 40 miles to the building for interview, first I needed to fill out my application form on a computer. It was very detail and made me a little bit uncomfortable, such as had you been disobedient on the previous jobs, had you resigned under the pressure of termination etc. I rarely resigned by myself because the job had been very difficult to come by. I always stay until the termination end. This is why I felt offended. One interviewer told me the pay was $13/hour plus some commission about $300 a month. I figured it out that was a difficult job for me to take especially was no longer a young man. I like to guess what is going on in this industry. I believe that some big insurance Companies regularly purchase the others and request some customers service to retain these business, then ship the customers to some contractors such as this interviewer’s firm. Let them provide the customer service as well as new business quotations. The MBA can figure out how much to pay to the call center employees in order to make a profit. Most of the corporations in the U.S. are driven by profit. If there is no state insurance regulation, this kind of call center would be in India and Philippine. I did see one insurance company utilized its Irish technical center to do an insurance quote for an agent in the U.S. market Place. I comforted myself that this was all because my lack of professional skill when I was young at school. Luckily I made it through an insurance career in the early years. I saved and very care on spending. I also like to help my children to make it in this very competitive society.

應徵電話服務生/莊峻華

應徵電話服務生/莊峻華 有人按照州政府保險執照紀錄，打電話來找保險電話服務生，需要有保 險執照，我說66可以嗎？當然可以，美國法律不能歧視年齡，性別，性 喜愛，不能種族歧視等等，號稱是平等機會僱主，於是我就開車到40哩 外之安保小鎮應徵，先在電腦上填表，非常詳細，問到有否有過不服從？ 有否因為要避免被開除，而自動辭職？當然不自動辭職，就是不自動離職 ，申請證卷執照，需要回答清楚，我越填越火大，填完後，有兩位面試者 ，就說是一小時13元，一個月可能再有$300到$400傭金收入，所以我在 草稿紙上計算，一個月可領到$2,500，需要交社會福利金稅，每天汽油費 約$20, 開車時間約有兩三小時，惟恐不是老人身體可以負荷，於是我在回 程中決定，不接受此職位。 當然，我是舉一隅必以三隅反者，於是我猜測，這些巨大保險公司，買下 許多對手後，也沒收許多客戶，客戶有些需要服務，就交給契約公司管理 ，經過精打細算後，組成一電話服務處，到處賣廣告，提供800免費電話 ，一切都是集中管理，因為保險有州法約束，否則早就送到印度和菲律賓 矣，實際上我了解，有一大保險公司，將保費計算，弄得艱辛困難，需要 送到愛爾蘭，以電腦技術問題解決。 我安慰自己，早年未將專業技術養成，如今落魄，幸好托天之福，早幾年 從事保險業，節約儲蓄，如今能靠儲蓄養老，我也要幫忙子女，養成儲蓄

Walking on Kueiyang Street/ Charles Chuang

Walking on Kueiyang Street/ Charles Chuang It was almost at the end of my trip to Taiwan. I had had my fake teeth and had three eatery to go. One morning coming out of the immigrants’ center, suddenly I felt like to walk on Kueiyang Street where used to be my bike route to my senior high school on Hsinyi Road. I had to ride on a bike from the end of section 2 near by Dan Shuei River, passing all section 2 to the Presidental Palace, first girls senior high, to section 1 toward the end, the Vice President’s Official residence, and turned left to section 1, Hsinyi Road toward section 3. It was a very good 1 ½ hour ride. #1, section 2 was my aunt A Tsai’s three story townhouse. She moved out long time ago. She used to lease the first floor to Paramount Pictures. She was a tailor by trade. In 1945 after Japanese were defeated, she adopted two young sons from two Japanese fathers with two Taiwanese mothers. There is a historical park on the back of her old house. The city hall tried to restore a Buddhist temple built in 19 century, Nishi Honganji Taihoku. The temple restoration is yet to be completed. It had been occupied by the military garrison command since 1949. I went inside of the military museum next. There were photos of all battles since 1911 yet few are against the communists. Continue walking pass by the first girls Senior high school, mayor Ma’s anti- corruption avenue. This anti-corruption Avenue reminds Chinese, President Ma for instance, that the politicians in both Taiwan and China must come out clean. No prosecution from the courts does not mean you are clean and not corrupted. It is because that your party, your regime control the system of law. Passing through the anti-corruption avenue also need to remind Mayor Hou the scandal of flowers exhibition, again no prosecution does not mean you are clean. It only means you are in power. I entered the 228 Memorial Park, the old New Park at my time. 228 Memorial is for the memorial of 1947 massacre in Taiwan, 20,000 or more perished. I did not stay long to avoid the stress. I entered again to a museum to view the show of Manchurian lady gowns. These gowns can express the beauty of woman’s body. Exit from the park, there were still some sweet plume drink stands. Before reaching the main train station on South Chungking Road, there are still many bookstores with used books on sale. I did not look closely to them. It is a different time indeed.

Visiting Professor Chang in Taipei/ Charles Chuang

Visiting Professor Chang in Taipei/ Charles Chuang I have kept correspondence with retired professor Chang for quite some time. He was in insurance field before I entered the business; however, he was an actuary major in the corporation planning level. He had taught at the universities between the U.S. and Asian nations until recent retirement. His younger sister, Wendy, was one of my biggest insured. I had waited two weeks after arriving to Taipei for the opportunity to visit him and had three conversation for three different days. His wife, Joy, works with Wendy at Nuskin and is very busy to build her business in China. Every time when visit Taipei, I always have been treated dinners at the house of the Taipei Oversea American Club. One year the lunch was in a fancy vegetarian restaurant. His circle of friends included several famous politicians, we all touched briefly during our conversation. He has decided to write a book which I believe is in his major field yet not in his regular life or philosophy toward his friends and careers. He is an intellectual and a Marathon runner and still runs ten thousand meter a day. I don’t believe that he should consider to go back to live in the U.S. and engages in the retail insurance business. I feel the business is very stressful, to me for instance, I have been burned out twice during my career as an agency owner. Also the big insurance company will not easily grand agent’s contract to the Senior and would rather to train a person freshly graduate from college. Now after Warren Buffett enters auto insurance business, he has sake the industry upside down. The Obamacare is still not quite certain and so on. I believe that he should keep what he has possessed in Taiwan and take care of the family. There is no need to build a new world in the U.S. unless enjoying the retirement. He agrees. In regard to our mutual friend, J.S. Chien who was his buddy in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was because of my poorly description that made him felt J.S. was not warm toward him. I apologized immediately. Making friends with these type of smart guys, I must be very careful. His friends are, for example, formerl President Teng Hui Lee and George Chang, former mayor of Tainan etc. In regard to my blog, He encouraged me to select some for him to read.

Take trains to circle Taiwan(2)/ Charles Chuang

Take trains to circle Taiwan(2)/ Charles Chuang The train passes a beautiful Hwatong Valley which is one of the scenery of Taiwan. In 2008, we hired a guide who took us to Yuli, Hwalien and Changping , Taitong. It was more relaxing riding a train to go through the valley with much Of a joy. There are thousands mile long of fertile lands in the valley river stones divided small piece of land. The famous Kwansan rice which is exported to from this area. I thought Kwansan was a Japanese name similar to a brand of cherry blossom in Japan that I saw at the Tidal Basin in Washington,D.C. After coming back to Houston, an old man told me there was another town called Chisan, in front of a pond or Ikegami, Shinburo, also produced rice with Excellent quality. The name both in Chinese and Japanese looked Japanese to me. These two townships are worthy to visit. I lost my temporary seat after Taitong because the train was crowded with students returning to Kaoshiung. I ran into a tall pretty American girl between two carriages. This is S. Fae Larson from Minnesota. She teaches English at Chiayi nearby Taipao area. She visited a colleague in Hwalien during that weekend. She introduced me how her work started, a church organization in the U.S. recruited the teachers and provided the airfares to Taiwan and then, another Taiwanese charity foundation arranged the room and board, some spending money for a trip liked this, etc. Basically the teachers have no stipends. Every week, Chiayi public school authority would bus in about 30-40 10 years old to the school for a week English lesson. She knows some basic Mandarin like sit down, behave etc. One week English, of course, is not enough yet it is a start of learning for the kids in English in their life. I respect this kind of work which is called Christianity which many Christians so practice it. I was busy talking to her ignoring the scenery across southern part of Taiwan. I can come back again for another ride next time. We took a high speed rail train after New Kaoshiung station. She returned to Chiayi while I continued my trip back to Taipei and completed a trains ride to circle the island in a day.

Take trains to circle Taiwan/ Charles Chuang

Take trains to circle Taiwan/ Charles Chuang I went to visit the Immigrants Center at Wanhwa again one day, the young staff discussed Taitong with me. This was one place where I still not having an opportunity to visit. He flipped his hand held i-phone and checked on the train schedule. He advised me take a train from Shuling early in the morning to Taitong directly, yet still needed to go to Taipei main station to make a transfer. It might be a question of my geographical knowledge problem I did not know why not taking the train from Taipei to Taitong. I arrived the main station and purchased a ticket for the 8 o’clock train. While I was waiting, an express train to Taroco, Hwalien arrived. I jumped on because That I knew Toroco closed to Hwalien and I could arrive there earlier to buy some gifts for my family. The train announced that passengers without the proper tickets should leave the train on next station to avoid the penalty, so I did. I chatted with another senior couple sitting on the branch on the Shunsan station platform. He introduced me Taitong and nearby Green Island, the old political prison during the martial law era. He recommended visit that island during the spring, March or April, to avoid the strong waves. At that moment another train to Hwalien came in to the station and I still liked to arrive that city early in order to purchase the gifts, so I jumped on. It was a wrong act again that that train stopped frequently during the ride and would arrive late in compare with my original purchased ticket. A fish woman told me her experience and she was very sure that I made a mistake. I chatted with her about fishing on the area between two carriages until she arrived Hsinkang, Ilan where she fished. Then, I ran into a couple of Korean seniors. Stopping at Hwalien, I did purchase some presents and a lunch box for myself, two fighter jets soaring over the train station. On my way to Taitong, I ran into a tall beautiful American English teacher, S. Fae Larson. I accompanied her to Chiayi high speed rail station and continued to Taipei that night to finish a train ride circle Taiwan. This fish woman who lives at Banchao, New Taipei City. Her husband left for the trip at Five that morning and I believed that she left at 6 am. Both of them are retired Government workers. On the previous day, she caught about 40 fishes and that was Why she came back again that day. I had had some fishing experience at Freeport, TX and I discussed fishing with her until her destination. That was a Sunday morning, there were many passengers, young and old, hiking on the hills. I asked some people who knew the area that the fishing sea front was Hsinkang, Ilan and across the hills would be Hsindien, the old highway to Ilan county which is one of the most beautiful hill country In Taiwan. There were a senior Korean couple get on to the train somewhere at Ilan stations. They Sit next to me and very nice to give me a small bag of Korean French fries. I was quite Hungry at that time. I attempted to speak Japanese to them in vain. Then I wrote Kanze On my note book and showed it to them. I said that Kimchee was very good at K-Mart Store. She asked her Korean guide what was about. She said that was a supermarket. There was a Mandarin speaking guide coming by. He defined my trip as a free style After I explained to him my itinerary. I rushed out of Hwalien station in order to purchase some presents for my family. There were two fighter jets roaring over the station with a huge supersonics. I was not quite sure there were F-16 or Mirage. I also wondered if Ma had surrendered to China, why bothered to train the air force? It is Hwalien Air Force Base where you can see the airfield from the train.

Blood test regularly/ Charles Chuang

Blood test regularly/ Charles Chuang I have almost exhausted the re-filled pills for my diabetes. I arranged to have A doctor’s visit and also did an annual inspection for Michelle’s vehicle. There were almost all senior citizens in the waiting room. The seniors have medicare; therefore, they come to visit doctors quite often to keep good health. I have come to see Dr. Broussard for 4 or 5 times since early 2013 and also under his prescription visited an eye doctor to check on my eye pressure. At Tzuchi hospital at Hsiendien, New Taipei City, I found that one of my blood pressure reading was 130 and was the same number back home which was higher than before. My wife blamed me for eating abnormally in Taiwan and of course she was right. It drops a little bit in number. It was the nurse first to check on the body temperature and blood pressure. She asked any abnormality of my body, any difference after taking the diabetes medicine and another small dose of kidney medicine. She recorded the on the computer. Then, there was this young medical school student came in to listen my chest front and back and asked any abnormality at all. She wrote it down on her note and exit the room to discuss with my doctor. In a few minutes, my doctor came in with her and listened to my chest front and back and made sure I was alright. I discussed the difference of sea bass and sheep head that puzzled him because of my vegan diet. This waiting and examining on and off took about 1 ½ hours. I believe that is the reason why seniors are living longer than before. The mechanic checked on the vehicle for the waste exhaustion and also drove out to check on the engine. I believe that an experience mechanic can tell if a vehicle is running well or not like a doctor can tell if a person is healthy.

Dining with middle school classmates/ Charles Chuang

Dining with middle school classmates/ Charles Chuang Actually this dinner was first arranged before I left Houston, yet almost the last night before I left Taiwan. It was because that I could not make up my schedule with the dentists in either in Taipei or in Tainan; therefore, I set it up the last Saturday in Taipei while I could wait for the denture at Huwei and had the dinner on my way back to Honolulu. The restaurant was on a hill top of Peitou, Taipei, not quite distinguished, yet you could overlook the plain of Kwandu and night scenery of Dansuei, New Taipei City. There were two similar activities both in 2008 and 2009 when I returned to Taiwan. My friend Cary arranged the dinner who was at the same elementary year yet in a different class. His elder brother was in my brother Yancy’s class at middle school. We have been very closed ever since he visited Houston brought me the mailing list of our elementary school mates. There were four new attendants this year, a retired senior high school teacher, Three were those who took me to visit Kingsan, Taipei, basically, we were all from that small township of Huwei. All due to this respect, the conversation at the dinner was very casual and very interestingly closed. There was an idiom which we overheard from a loud conversation from another table, the old man runs into a bushy flowers. The old man means the aged while the flowers means young women. It stirred a bit on our table as well. There was also a phrase called instantly legalized to describe the incumbents and their ways of doing business following to personal decision instead of following to the rule of law. The host , Cary, is a successful fruits importer and very generous to us. I have mentioned this restaurant to my fellow Taiwanese in Houston, Texas and yet scarcely people can make it when visiting Taipei. Yes, it is located within the city limit and very quiet like in a village.

與初中同學聚餐/莊峻華

與初中同學聚餐/莊峻華 此餐聚最早安排，幾乎是最後舉行，原因是我在休市安排之牙診計劃， 並非週全，我一直拿不定主意，一直到最後在台北永和，租到一房間， 行程始固定，原在虎尾等候假牙製造，故安排在離台前之週六夜，在 北投一小山麓飯店飯局，此飯店其貌不揚，但可以俯瞰關渡平原，淡 水夜色，2008, 2009，和2013年，我們連續在此舉行。我們初中同學， 主要是阿彬兄安排，我們是小學不同班，但他兄長與峻嚴初中同班，因 此非常親切，他曾來休市出差，帶來小學同窗會組織。 這次有四位新參加者，一位是初中同學，三位是小學關係，但基本上都 是虎尾小同鄉，有位台北捷運主辦工程師，兩位貿易商，一位退休高中 老師，有三位是帶我到金山行之朋友，還有其家人，因為關係特殊，話 題非常親切。 我們聽到鄰桌大聲談話，有句年老上花叢，結果也在我們桌上，徘徊許久 ，另外一句是就地合法，描述許多台灣之人治面，這些初中同學，經濟力 雄厚，尤其是招待主人，是位水果進口商，非長慷慨大方。 我在休市，提到如此不俗餐館，卻鮮有造訪成功者，這次下山，細觀街道 ，果然仍舊在台北市內，居然有此鄉村幽雅環境。

散步貴陽街/莊峻華

散步貴陽街/莊峻華 離台日近，我已經領到假牙，一日我從萬華移民中心出來，心血來潮，步行 往總統府方向，我高中時候，曾騎自行車，穿過貴陽街二段到一段，到信義 路，從一段騎到三段，高中書未讀好，更是嚥氣，中間經過許多歷史建築物 ，例如祖師廟，在康定路；阿彩姨家，在二段一號，與中華商場交界，總統 府附近，最高法院，台灣銀行，北一女中，貴陽街一段一號，是陳誠官邸； 信義路就到東門，經過國際學舍。 阿彩姨早就搬出貴陽街，貴陽市是中國貴州省會，中國人到台灣後，將原日 本街名改成中國城市名，以玆懷念。阿彩姨為先母之養姊，有兩位養子，均 是日本人遺子，約是台灣母親，日人被遣送回國，無法帶回，此為悲劇，阿 彩姨為裁縫專業，將房產賣出後，搬到士林，大姊萬里有此印象。她家背後 ，現在開闢成一公園，尚未完工，是日本古西本願寺，有大鐘和住持木寓， 中國人來後，為警備總部使用。我到國軍史蹟紀念館參觀，北伐抗日相片較 多，剿匪則渺，繼續走過總統府，北一女中，和馬英九市長之反貪腐大道， 給中國人很大之警惕，不被國民黨法院偵辦者，並非清廉，要隨時提醒中國 政權，無論在台灣，在中國法治之重要。 穿過反貪腐大道，當然也要提醒郝市長，花博未起訴，是國民黨有本領，並 非清廉，就到達228紀念公園，過去之新公園，有一228紀念館，展覽許多 當年冤死者相片，生平簡歷，我不敢久留，惟恐身體壓抑過重，步行到原土 地銀行舊址，今為博物館，看了許多中國旗袍，很能展出女士美麗曲線，隨 後走出公園，在衡陽路口，看到酸梅湯攤，一杯約是一元美金，我到附近喝 鹹豆漿和燒餅油條。我又往北走，在重慶南路上，不知不覺走到台北車站。 重慶南路，仍舊有許多書店，書店風漬書，也比較乾淨，順便一提，每天我 搭巴士到萬華移民中心，都經過植物園，牯嶺街已經沒有舊書攤，大概也無 沙茶牛肉火鍋。走下地下商場，買上兩斤古早味牛奶糖果條，結果家人無有 問津者，台灣真好玩，許多往日回憶。

拜望張教授/莊峻華

拜望張教授/莊峻華 回台前與台北之張教授有連絡，他是我們保險業之前輩，屬於總公司規 劃部，精算專業，一直在大學傳授學業，他之胞妹秋玟姊，是我之大客 戶，我一直等到回台兩週後，始得登門拜望，我連續拜訪三次，有很愉 快之談話。他之夫人，雅芬姊，和秋玟服務於如新公司，在中國開闢市 場，不亦忙樂乎？每次回台均讓邱玟破費，在美僑俱樂部吃飯，有次甚 至到一著名素菜館，非常感謝。 張教授朋友圈中，有幾位是台灣風雲人物，我們都一一討論，他說要寫 書，我想是寫其專業，而非交遊圈，他是位非常聰明有智慧者，是一馬 拉松選手，每天仍舊長跑一萬米，我在休市常收到他轉寄，養身論壇。 我不覺得他適合回美國，從事保險零售業，我覺得此業之壓力甚大，我 都有幾次中斷不繼，而且美國大保險公司，不輕易給與契約，給年邁者， 現在大富豪，華倫‧巴費者，一進車險業，全國震動，而且歐巴瑪健保， 尚且是一未知數，他在台灣有一定之地盤，照顧自己和家人，較為可靠， 難得教授同意。 他和我們簡公勇，在辛辛那提相識，有美憶，我表達欠佳，讓他誤會簡公 對他回憶不深，我連忙道歉，與這些台灣才子相交往，有點高攀，必需戰 戰兢兢，這些人來往者，都是李登輝，張燦洪金等一代知名人物。他對我 之自賞文集，非常鼓勵，要我選寄給他。 我看到許多比我年紀大者，仍舊工作，非常敬佩其敬業精神，於是我再毛 遂自薦，剛才有一公司代表，打電話來找元兒，擋車險直銷代理，我就說 我要去，張教授一直當教授當到最近始退休，我在保險業外，晃蕩13年， 真感羞愧，無地自容。

坐火車繞台灣﹝2﹞/莊峻華

坐火車繞台灣﹝2﹞/莊峻華 花蓮到台東，經過美麗之花東縱谷，台灣之美景之一，2008年我們租車， 遊到長濱，這次在火車上觀賞，較為輕鬆愉快，縱谷沃田千里，阡陌井然 ，誠屬近代桃花源，田間有溪石堆砌，較馳名之關山米，外銷日本，我以 為關山為日名，有馳名之關山櫻，艷麗出名，回休市後，又有知者提到池 上米，池上又似日語，是否為當年日本計劃移民台灣東部遺留？今日查谷 歌，關山和池上，均為台東鄉鎮名，均有火車站，均以稻米馳名，均値得 拜訪之台灣小鎮。 車到台東站，許多學生旅客，我們均被趕出座位，我在兩車廂中，遇見一 位高大美麗之美國小姐，她就是來自明尼蘇達州，雙城附近之，賴曉菲小 姐，在加異鄉下教英文，已經是第三年，她利用假日到花蓮，拜望一位在 花蓮教英文之同事，她解釋其工作，非常高尚有趣，是基督徒之奉獻，我 們佛家之菩薩乘。每週一，嘉義附近之公立小學，巴士載來約30-40位10 歲大小學生，到她之學校來學英語，上課一週，賴小姐稍懂幾句北京語，例 如坐下，聽話等，鄉村小孩一生中之第一次英語訓練，當然不夠，但確是啟 蒙。她們是免費教學，美國教會組織，在美國負責招兵買馬，提供來回機票 ；台灣有醫相對之慈善機構，財團法人，提供老師在台之食宿和零用，好比 這次到花蓮之車票等，美國確實有這種，深負理想之教徒，我實在是非常感 動，我一生都不知在忙些甚麼？ 因為忙與她交談，未曾欣賞南迴鐵路之美，我想下次尚有機會返台，尚有機 會坐火車繞台灣。賴小姐準備改搭高鐵到嘉義，我原想到嘉義後回虎尾，但 嘉義站到達時間，已是晚上七點，惟恐無巴士回虎尾，於是我補票到台北， 下車時才晚上八點。

坐火車繞台灣/莊峻華

坐火車繞台灣/莊峻華 有天我又和萬華移民中心，這位青年職員，談論到台東，他又在電腦電 話中翻閱台鐵時刻表，建議我到樹林，搭一班自強號，但還是先到台北 車站換車，我不清楚，從台北和從樹林有何不同？此為地理問題，我到 台北車站，只能搭八點這班，但很奇怪，有一班太魯閣號，先往花蓮， 於是我就先上，車上有廣播，無此班車票者，需在松山下車，否則罰款， 因為我不願被罰，所以在松山站下，在月台遇到一對年老夫婦，有媳婦 來送行，於是我恭喜其好命，兩老人和我同車，於是介紹我一些綠島和 蘭嶼知識，應該在春天，風平浪靜時前往，剛好有一班花蓮自強號入站， 我好聰明，我先上車，然後在花蓮車站買禮物，等候原列車上台東，結 果是錯誤，原列車花蓮站前不停，或只停一兩站，早在途中超過此列車。 這是一位釣魚婦之經驗，我在車上下車處，和她談釣魚，談到宜蘭新港； 然後又遇到一對韓國老夫婦，送他們到大魯閣站下車；在花蓮下車，兩 架F-16戰機凌空而去；花蓮上車往台東，車上遇到美國賴曉菲小姐，她 在嘉義鄉下教英文，於是我送她到高鐵嘉義太保站，然後我再補票回台 北，如此是一日內，坐火車繞台灣一圈。 這位釣魚婦，家住板橋，早上五點，其夫婿已經出發釣魚，她約是遲一 小時，兩人均是公務員退休，一日前，她釣到40尾，小冰箱裝滿，今日 再來，夫婦酷喜海邊釣魚，我稍有幾次釣魚經驗，於是和她站車聊天，當 日是週末，許多台北老老少少，搭火車到台北宜蘭爬山，後來我在休市請 教一未來訪客戶，老台北人曰，釣魚處為新港，爬過之山，就是新店到宜 蘭公路上，都是台北盆地最美之處。 過新港後，有一團韓國旅客來，其中有一對老夫婦，非常客氣，贈送我一 小包炸馬鈴薯，剛好我腹肌，我想與彼等日語交談不果，然後漢字，我寫 下韓亞龍，然後說泡菜好，她問後座之女導遊，女導遊為韓國人，冒出一 句英語說是超級市場，不久要到站，中文導遊來，兩夫婦和他談論我，我 想此團有兩位導遊，提供服務，我表示感謝她們之炸薯，導遊聞畢我之說 明，定義為自由行。 花蓮下車後，等候下班往台東車，有約半小時，於是我衝出火車站，熟悉 走到麻糬店，買下六包麻糬，再購買一便當，空軍戰機，不知是幻象，還 是F-16，低空飛去，造成莫大聲震，雖言馬氏對中國稱臣，但空軍仍舊出 操，這是有名之花蓮基地，火車上可以看到機場。

定期驗血/莊峻華

定期驗血/莊峻華 回台前準備之糖尿病葯丸，已近告罄，安排看醫生驗血，外面冰冷天氣， 我想順便年度檢查琳兒座車，排氣安全證明，已經過期。我提前到達診 所，多半是老人，老人身體開始有毛病，有老人健保，沒事就看醫生， 去年，我看這醫生五、六次，看了三、四次眼科醫生，都是檢查眼睛和 驗血，在新店慈濟量血壓，高者130，算是偏高，回家後也是同數目，賢 妻開始釘曰，在外亂吃東西，果然，今日已經降落。 先是護士，電腦筆記一些健康問題，有何不適，服藥有否異樣？體重有否 變化，量體溫後量血壓，天冷穿上幾層一物，體重增加十磅。隨後，有位 學校實習生來，她也詢問相同問題，同時筆記，聽聽呼吸聲音，最後醫生 帶著學生來，也是聽呼吸，然後給我抽血許可表，到診所門口實驗室，如 此等等看看，一共一個半小時，老人有健保，定其身體檢查，難怪壽命延 長。 回程途中，將車送到麥克丹尼爾新店，新店就在新居附近，年輕老闆安東 尼不在，首席夥計，立刻檢查，我在想年度車檢，雖言排氣檢，但技工也 將車開出，聽聽車音，加車速順利否？應該稍有概念，對老客戶，可以忠 告，像定期檢查身體一般。

Visiting Sanxia(2)/ Charles Chuang

Visiting Sanxia(2)/ Charles Chuang I like to continue to search my ancestors and I believe that I should be a native Taiwanese, an Austroindonesian Ping Pu Race. Yet my great grandmother was a woman with a pair of binding feet. Binding feet was a Chinese custom. According to my eldest sister, Mary’s explanation, our great grandmother was from an acceptable family occasionally encouraged my mother to consider my father was out of a stone not from such a discussed family. My mother did not feel well with me and used to consider me the same way, from a stone not from her, all because that I was not disciplined and disobedient. Mary indicated that my paternal grand father died when my father was 5 years old, in 1915. My grandmother should be only 28. After 4 years, in 1920, there was her second son with a surname Hong. We knew That she re-married. This uncle Hong was eventually the head of her family until 1987 when he died. My younger brother, Jien Feng, went to the public sponsored funeral service and brought back his photo and ash to Huwei for the symbolic of coming home. Actually, there was another brother, Ming Kuei, with a third surname. We don’t know whether he is alive or not. He might be deceased without informing Jien Feng. Such miserable families, such suffering for our ancestors, yet there is one and only one branch of families coming out of the struggle. With the heavenly luck, the ancestors’s protection, we are free of such suffering, we should look around to see if any of us is miserable now among us? All person have a mind which cannot bear to see the suffering of others. This is what I admire the most. Mary visited Sanxia when she was a child; Hui-Mei and Yancy accompanied our mother to visit our grandmother and two uncles in the 60’s; Jien Feng visited twice, one at the college and one was in 1987when uncle Ming Lin died. They all had the first hand experience. Even though I am not a worthy son, I did attempt twice to show my sincerity. I show no bitterness for my humble origin. From ancient time, heroes have come from poor families and that is why Confucius said he was from a humble beginning ;therefore, he acquired his ability to many things. We must be appreciated to this. It bothers me very much that we cannot resolve the two houses which our mother left. I don’t like to see the waste even though I intend to renounce my right to inherit. After viewing the struggle of our ancestors, witness someone is still struggling among our siblings, I cannot see any waste of it even though the properties do not exceed the inherit tax limit. We are all getting old, let get it done in our life time. First, we should appoint one of us, Jien Feng is the best choice. With our authorization letter to authorize him apply the transfer the properties from the deceased to our 7 siblings. This is the law in Taiwan. Secondly, after the properties under the children’s name. The estate must pay back the loan, expanses such as tax, funeral expanse etc. We can further discuss the statement right of the two pieces of letters. Some of you have possessed multi universities graduate degrees which make us admire. Please utilize your talent and let us resolve this matter now.

Visiting Sanxia/ Charles Chuang

Visiting Sanxia/ Charles Chuang A staff member on the third floor of Wanhwa New Immigrants Center Encouraged me visit Sanxia, New Taipei City. It was his father’s hometown so was my father’s. Two days before I left Taiwan in 1975, I did take a bus from Hsindien to Sanxia attempt to visit my grandmother whom I had never met in vain. I did reach to Jing Hsien Clinic and introduce myself to a lady whom we greeted as Aunt, the physician’s wife, Mrs. Lin. Her younger brother was a friend closed to my dad at his childhood. She was very surprised and could not arrange it without a prior notice. I understood the awkwardness that my grand mother was under poverty level. Two days later, my dad went up to see me off without notice to me and unfortunately I entered the airplane so anxiously . He left the airport gloomily, returned to Sanxia to see his mother, and took a non seat train south to Yunglin, Changhwa, where he lost his retirement fund on a bearing factory. Upon arriving at Huwei, he had a stroke and fell down on a street and never stood up again. He was 65 ½. He did have a very stressful day. I heard that Sanxia has developed tremendously because the newly established National Taipei University. After walking through the spacious campus, I returned to the old town on foot. I asked as many times as I needed to find the old clinic. Of course both were deceased and finally I did find it right across the street from the township hall. The clinic building has been converted to a restaurant. The lady owner chatted with me how she paid the rent to Mrs. Tsui, one of the owners children. When I heard that Mr. Tsui was a retired army officer, I remembered him and connected some dots together. More than 50 years ago, he went to visit an air force training center at Huwei. I was the boy who took him on a bicycle ride to the back gate of the base. He remembered the trip to Huwei and yet not recalled any of the bicycle trip and the purpose of that trip. He is 86 and still very heathy by look. He was very puzzled that I knew him so much such as his rank, occupation, and a book which he wrote, 30 years red peril in China, etc. He called his wife to verify my dad’s name and confirmed. She told me my grandmother’s old residences should be within the old town area called Pachang Li just across the river. This river should be connected to Hsindien where I taught a middle school between 1974-1975. My dad mentioned to me that he used to take a ferry from Sanxia to Hsindien. I treated a nice grilled pork sausage to a hungry community dog who was playing his turn over in front of a senior couple without any success. The lady vendor cut the hot sausage into pieces in order to be cool and easier for him to consume. The staff at the township registry could only show me some of the information after she verify my passport to identify my direct line of relation from my grandmother. After a long hour’s reading by her, I ordered a copy of my grandmother’s registry record. I had had at least four of her old residence addresses. I went to visit every one of them and took some pictures for my memory. I can track the old record up to my great grandmother’s time when Japanese set up the registry. It is in Japanese. She could not tell if there was a language that our ancestors were under a definition of civilized aborigines. I has been my belief that my ancestors are Austroindonesians, a kind of Polynesians, instead of Han Chinese. If my ancestors were Han Chinese, a ruling race, my ancestors could not be so poor without any opportunity to make a struggle to change. I knew that my father did make a dramatic change after additional 5 years occupational school education in his youth under Japanese’s rule. My grandmother was born in 1887, 1983 deceased. She had married three times during her life with three sons each had a different surname, that mean I had two uncles with the same grandmother yet different grandfathers. All of them were illiterate and their jobs were temporary farmer, not a tenant farmer which right was protected under current Chinese rules. I called my eldest sister, Mary, that night to see if I should continue my search. She Advised me not and exchange some of her knowledge about our ancestors. Why I Want to know? I feel that I should and must know myself. Without knowing myself , I would not appreciate this life which was given to me by my parents. I don’t need to tell my children just like my dad who had not mentioned to me. My children do not need to know if they are not willing to know, if they are not ready to know. Last year my daughter did invite us to visit Taiwan and I asked her the reason why? She said that she would like to see my hometown and how I was brought up. My siblings must clearly understand our ancestor’ struggling in their life time, do not talk big and brag about generosity of donation to charity while one of us is still struggling.

三峽行﹝2﹞/莊峻華

三峽行﹝2﹞/莊峻華 我想繼續追查我之祖先，我相信我們是平埔族人，但是先曾祖母卻是纏 足者，纏足為漢人習俗也，按萬里姊言，先曾祖母為優秀人家，常鼓勵 先母，勿為先父出身為苦楚，就當其為石頭闢出世者，我自幼年頑冥不 堪，先母常以此名句訓我，我非其所生子，而為石頭闢出者也。萬里為 長女，懂事稍多，據稱先父五歲託孤，就是先祖父在先父五歲時就過世， 所以應該是1915年，先祖母始28歲，四年後，1920年洪姓同祖母異祖 父繼叔父出生，當年先父應該是九歲，就是先祖母改嫁，有不同戶長， 這位洪姓叔父，一直到當戶長到1987年，過世時，峻峰到三峽，奉其骨 灰到民主路住家，當為祖先祭祀。先祖母顯然再嫁，先父尚有一同母異父 小弟明貴，尚未聞過世，抑或已過世而不為人知，如此辛酸家世，為先母 譏為三兄弟三異姓，我們託天之福，列祖之餘蔭，免於如此苦難，自應深 自親省，是否我們此代七位兄弟姊妹中，是否有人淪落？此為惻隱之心， 為我所敬佩者也。 萬里幼年去過三峽，見過先祖母；惠美和峻嚴在台北讀書時，隨先母到三 峽探望過先祖母和兩位繼叔父；峻峰在大學時，在繼叔父明鄰公往生時， 先後到三峽，盡後代之責，我是不肖，然尚有心意，不為出身卑賤而苦， 自古英雄出寒門，子曰吾少也賤，故多能鄙事。吾家三代一百年中，僅有 一門脫出困境，能不珍惜乎？ 先母往生後，所留未處理房產，於我困擾至巨，我雖言放棄繼承權，但夷 觀先人掙扎，後又有落魄人者，極不願見浪費，雖言房產金額不超過繼承 稅罰款額，我們兄弟姊妹均已年邁，尚存時日不多，應提早解決，我的看 法是先授權一人，寫好授權狀，將產權由先母名下，轉移給其七位子女， 此為台灣之法令。 第二步，產權在未亡子女名 下後，房屋借貸還清後，萬里，峻嚴和我都聲 言放棄，或交給峻峰處理，有先母來美國後之切結書等，均應在此刻處理， 諸位兄弟姊妹，都是接受過甚優學校教育，比起先人有天地之別，不應有 困難解決此事，遺產繼承，家家均有一本難念經，無甚羞於啟齒者也。

三峽行/莊峻華

三峽行/莊峻華 萬華新移民中心三樓職員，鼓勵我拜訪三峽，三峽是他父親之故鄉，三峽 亦是先父之故鄉，1975年離台前日，我曾從新店搭乘巴士到三峽，擬探望 素未謀面之祖母不果，我是到了三峽老街，進賢醫院，自我介紹給林先生 娘，先父之義姊，我們稱呼阿姑，阿姑曰如此倉促，無法準備，無法安排 ，我了解其意，然後我就告別，幾天後先父前來台北送行，我因急於登機 ，不曉得其行，父親黯然離去，回三峽探望祖母，當日站車南下員林，又 回去其投資倒閉之車軸鋼珠工廠，回虎尾中風倒在街頭，一病不起，先父有 十分壓抑之一日，享年65半。 早風聞三峽開發，因有國立台北大學之遷移，走畢寬敞校園，步行回三峽老 街，沿途問路，找到診所舊址，已經改成一餐館，女老闆告知，房租交給老 醫生女兒，詢其年紀？約七十許，在安溪國中附近，有一電器行，先生姓崔 ，家人出入者，皆為崔姓，我頓時憶得此人，當年曾來虎尾，探望一位親戚 ，在虎尾空軍新兵訓練中心，我帶領他騎車，從營房後門進入，見到新兵和 其連長，這位崔姓老人，想畢是當年在政工幹校服務之少校教官，當年有本 著作，中國紅禍三十年。崔老，高齡86，尚憶得到過虎尾，但已無印象騎車 一事，但確認有該著作，打電話給在龍潭工地之夫人，驗明先父正身，於是 我就告辭，崔太太電話上告知，先祖母舊居處，應該是過河處老街，八張里。 此河應通新店溪，我在新店教書時，先父曾提起其幼年搭船，從三角湧到新店。 我從餐館問路到崔府，經過祖師廟，經過跨河橋，請一隻黑狗香腸，女販將 香腸切塊，以便稍冷狗食。我到地政事務所，查看祖籍，只能查直系親屬，女 職員一直詢問，我想查甚麼？她在一張白紙上，劃出簡單之祖譜，找到曾祖母 這一代，是日本戶籍謄本，我請她查是否有熟番紀錄，她回答看不懂日文；於 是我全神貫注在先祖母，她是1887年出生，1983年過世。年輕女職員也很好 奇，幫我查看多時，我詢問先祖父職業，她說是雇農，而非礦工；識字否？ 均為不，我申請一張先祖母戶籍謄本，上有四處遷移住所，兩處是三峽里，分 別是三峽路和仁愛路；兩處是八張里，分別是民權路和民族路，我都按住址 探訪，拍照留念。 回永和住所，我和虎尾萬里姊電話，交換資料，我想翌日在永和戶政事務所再 查，據三峽職員曰，戶籍已經是全國連線，無需到當地查，我為甚麼要查？這 是有許多一生之遺憾，不能體會先人艱困，把握著難得人生機會，人生之際遇 ，當然，我無虛灌輸給我之子女，不憤不啟，不悱不發，但我們這一代，則必 需清楚，必須珍惜機會，不能志大言大，忘記先人掙扎困境，講些冠冕堂皇之 言論。

Two eating engagement s with elementary classmates (2)/ Charles Chuang

Two eating engagement s with elementary classmates (2)/ Charles Chuang At the dinner with Huiwen, I heard that Yimei from Los Angeles was in Taipei And I like very much to see her. The class head said if I would come to lunch with them on Friday then I could see her. Actually she was not there. I went to shopping with these ladies after the lunch. I believed that was on East Nanking Road many high rise buildings. They stopped at a familiar leather shoes shop. One lady relator with us from Houston purchased a pair of red leather shoes for US$17. They encouraged me to purchase some items on sale. I bought two pairs of leather sandal which I thought I could put into use at Waikiki on my way back to Houston. June Mer, the class head, asked me be silent in order for her to negotiate some more. Another classmate, Pingju, was against it because the price was reasonable low. I would like to purchase a leather belt without any success, then we arrived at an old rice liquor factory, Hwasan factory, which was famous for the red rice liquor in the old day. I was fond of the site tour, therefore, I parted with those ladies. This site has become an art center where many famous artists own their stores on site. There was a festival going on that afternoon full of visitors. It has been listed as a historical site under the governmental protection. I would like to show some lists of food price in Taipei for your reference: A full plate of delicious food at a restaurant with coffee afterward costs US$10, vegetarian plate $7. I ate at a street food stand for a bowl of noodle US$2, salty bean coud soup less than US$1; US$4 for a plate of food at a cafeteria. A big queva fruit is 70 cents.

Two eating engagement s with elementary classmates/ Charles Chuang

Two eating engagement s with elementary classmates/ Charles Chuang Huiwen, an old classmate, invited me for a dinner before he took off for Los Angeles residence. The restaurant which was chosen by our current class head, June Mer, located nearby Taiwan Normal University on East Hoping Road. He is a very successful business owner who manages medical equipment. He also mentioned that he had wine making product as well. There are many Second generation of Chinese immigrants in our elementary school, we do have different political opinions toward the future of Taiwan and yet I find that more and more people are more tolerance toward each other nowadays. I don’t talk about politics, of course this is not right. I liked to talk about managing the nation, about making the whole word more peaceful when I was at young age. Now, I think about learning the nature of things, utilizing my knowledge, morality, regulating my own family etc. It is not Taiwan independent but be watchful over myself when alone. I was surprisingly quiet at the dinner. I forgot to apology to him one thing which had been in my mind. At fifth grade, his mother arranged our 4th grade teacher, Mr. Chen, to tutor him arithmetic. Mr. Chen came from north Chiangsu Province while Huiwen’s parents were from Nanking, Chiangsu. He spoke a very heavy accent in Mandarin which I could not follow on the first day of my transferring from Puli, Nantou on the fall semester of the fourth grade. I was punished by spanking by Mr. Chen on the first day. It was all due to that I could not follow him. Later Mr. Chen became very nice to me and always encouraged me to work hard. I would accompany him to Mr. Chen’s apartment for the lessons. Mr. Chen liked to teach fifth and sixth grades level one day and he worked hard on that. Our arithmetic teacher was Mr. Huang who was well learned, and our class master was Mr. Shui. One day I was not behaving well and made my mother mad. I was severely punished By my father when he came back home. I was crying so loudly because of the painful Hitting which draw the neighbors’ attention. I was thrown to a small isolated storage Building. Then, Huiwen came to ask for me to the class and I refused to go because I did not want anyone to see my bleeding face. I didn’t know if the lessons continued Or not. Mr. Chen got throat cancer thereafter and deceased. I didn’t even have an opportunity to apology. We were at a different classroom when we were at the junior high. I went to study in Taipei for my senior high school while his father was promoted to the general manager Of Peikong sugar factory and they moved away from our home town. In 2009 when I Was back to Taiwan, we did have a brief exchange inside a restroom of the restaurant. I knew that he made a fortune in his business. Some of our old classmates followed him to purchase houses at Danshui, New Taipei City and made profit out of them. I hope that one day I can tell him how sorry I am and repay his generosity.

兩小學同學飯局﹝2﹞/莊峻華

兩小學同學飯局﹝2﹞/莊峻華 我在惠文兄飯局中，聞一位女同學從洛杉磯回台探親，於是我想電話 找她，班長說星期五來吃午飯，就可以碰上面，結果沒碰上，飯後我 就隨同這些小姐逛街，大約是南京東路，許多高樓大廈，她們習慣在 一熟識皮衣具店，有位休市回去之女士，購買一雙紅色皮鞋，約$17， 於是我跟著買兩雙涼鞋，也是五百元新台幣一雙，是特價，君默要我 不吭氣，她要再設法殺價，蘋如姊不要了，已經很便宜。 我想買皮帶不果，於是走到菸酒公賣局之，樺山酒廠，我想聽導遊， 就和女士們道別。此酒廠舊區，已經是一藝文中心，許多知名人物， 在此有店面營業，樺山酒廠，過去出產紅露酒出名，煙囪仍在，台 北市政府，將此廠區列為歷史古蹟。 我將食物價格提供，讓讀者參考，餐廳一盤午餐，包括咖啡等飲料 ，約十美金，素食盤稍便宜，不到七元美金，如果像我在路邊羅漢 腳用餐，一碗素當歸麵兩元美金，鹹豆漿不到一元美金，吃一頓台 菜自助餐約是四元美金，一大粒番石榴是七角美金。

兩小學同學飯局/莊峻華

兩小學同學飯局/莊峻華 惠文兄邀請我，在和平東路師大附近晚餐，餐館是經過班長君默姊挑選， 我想讓他破費矣，他是位極其成功之事業者，經營醫療器材，飯局上順 便提到生產釀酒設備，我很感謝他的好意，我們小學班上，有很多中國 移民第二代，政治立場，與我相異，但我發現他們已經較能容忍異議， 我也不再提起政治，當然這是不對，過去都是治國平天下，現在都是格物 致知，和修身齊家，慎獨而非台獨。 我想提一件往事，向他道歉，我一直耿耿於懷，但飯局中，我又出奇之 緘默，那一年，約是小學五，惠文母親，請四年級級任陳先生，給惠文 家教算術，陳先生是江蘇北方人，有濃厚之口音，四下我從埔里轉學來 ，第一天在教室就挨揍，我不是那麼壞，而是聽不懂他之普通話，後來 陳老師很喜歡我，鼓勵我認真讀書，惠文從小就很帥，所以其母親安排 我陪他去上課，如此上了幾次，多半是作些參考書習題，陳老師很希望 能帶五、六年級班，所以自己也很上進，當年我們算術是教務主任教， 他在四年級教我們常識，黃老師非常有學問，我有專文懷念，是中國南 京人，我們導師水先生，是中國安徽人。 一 日我在家惹先母生氣，先父回家後，重重修理我一頓，我因疼痛，大 聲哭嚎，引起鄰居注目，先父揍畢後，將我關在後院材間，材間就是一 小屋堆積用，是泥土地，算是骯髒，我發現臉部有傷口流血，惠文來， 要我一起上家教課，我在材間哭泣，不敢外出，讓陳老師見到狼狽狀， 從此我們就中斷家教，陳先生患喉癌，進出醫院，我連道歉機會都不曾有。 初中我們不同班，高中我到台北，惠文父親榮升北港廠長，一直到2009 年同學歡迎我返台餐會，只在廁所交談一兩句，只知他事業發達，許多 人跟他在淡水置產，均獲利潤，此行他剛好準備回洛杉磯住宅，剛好我 有倖叨擾他一頓豐盛晚餐，希望我有機會回報。

Coffee nearby Shuanlien Subway Station/ Charles Chuang

Coffee nearby Shuanlien Subway Station/ Charles Chuang One day early afternoon, I had had an appointment with a girl used to have a seat next to me in the elementary school 52 years ago. We set up a place for coffee nearby her office at Shuanlien subway station. Ching Hsueh, means the color silky snow, is elegant. Several years ago, there was an e-mail photo from Taiwan showing a charming lady next to another beauty whom I knew. I verified her with the friend who sent it to me. She asked me curiously why I requested to see her? I answered that because of her beauty and charming. I also like to meet her husband to get an advise how to keep a flower like wife pretty for so long. She agreed to meet me yet not for lunch because of her routine schedule to have lunch with her husband. She works at her husband firm which imports bearing products from Japan and her husband speaks fluent Japanese; therefore. I greet her Yuki san as well. She attempted to locate a local name brand coffee shop without any success, Then we settled with a Starbuck Coffee. She drank orange juice and gave me a note that another classmate would like me to call him immediately before he left the country. That is Huiwen, another distinguished classmate who has been very successful in business. He liked to have a dinner with me and some other classmates. It was because that I did not install a mobile phone in Taiwan; consequently, no one can contact me only rely that I call someone and I was very sorry about it. Visiting her brought back so much good memory of my childhood. At the 6th grade, our class master teacher arranged 4 students on a row and appointed Yuki san as his teaching assistant to help him to review homework. She was that assistant of the master. She was very quiet and irresistible pretty. I was one of the three boys under her care. She must be from a very good family with a very good manners since childhood. Our class was a co-ed, fifty fifty both in sex, local and Chinese immigrants. The teachers were all Chinese immigrants except a music teacher who could play piano and no Chinese could replace him. She was catch by her husband while at a hiking activity at college. I say catch Is an expression of something in marriage between husband and wife, for Instance, an ugly man catches a pretty woman for wife; a rich girl catches a medical student for husband etc., like catch with a chicken net. Her husband has a very successful business hired 9 staff in the company. She has a son and a daughter who are both grown up. If I am not mistaken, her son marries a medical doctor. She also plays clay court tennis at a senior high school where I attended. I tried to imagine the location of the courts, whether in the front or the back of the school. I understand that it is very costly to play tennis in Taipei. After visiting her, I have finished one of my wishes. The next one wish will be the boy sitting next to me on the right. Due to his family background, he did not continue his middle school education. He lives in Taichung.

捷運雙連站咖啡/ 莊峻華

捷運雙連站咖啡/ 莊峻華 有日下午，我和一位小學隔桌女孩，相約在其辦公室附近，捷運雙連站 見面，錦雪是位高雅秀麗型女孩，幾年前，台灣傳來一張相片，有一年 輕女士，我電話請教好友，結果是她，超過52年，仍舊非常迷人，她 好奇問我，為何見她？我說因為她甚美麗，也希望拜會其好夫婿，給她 幸福之婚姻和家庭，呵護花朵般女孩永駐容貌，於是她同意見我，但無 法飯局，因為她一直與夫婿午餐，她在夫婿日本車軸進口公司當簿記， 夫婿精通日文，所以我開始稱呼她雪樣。 雪樣想在車站附近，尋找一家咖啡廳不果，結果選擇星巴克，她喝橙汁， 一見面她就交給我一張紙條，要我馬上電話給惠文兄，另一位傑出同學， 惠文希望在離台前，與我飯局，我在台灣無手機，連絡我很不方便。和 雪樣見面，回憶起多少往事。那一年，導師安排坐位，她協助導師輔導 橫排其他三位男生，我是其中之一，她自小非常文靜，顯然出身於一好 家庭，我們班上男女各半，而且台灣人和中國移民也各半，學校老師只 有一位是台灣人，音樂老師劉永盛，因為他能彈琴，一時無法取代，音 樂課無法清唱，必需有風琴伴奏。 她在大學登山健行中，就被其夫婿罩住，台灣話曰拿雞籠罩住，男女均 能如此形容，例如醫科學生在學中，被富家人罩住當乘龍快婿，此為我 家專有名詞，許多友人均能體會，她夫婿有一成功之生意，聘用九位職 員，有一男一女，均已成家立業，如我未記錯，長子是外交學博士，媳 婦是位專科醫生，我因為其美貌所迷惑，頓失記憶。 她也在附中紅土球場打網球，我正在想球場何在？但也無所助益，紅土 球場在台北，像打高爾夫球一般昂貴，我還是再忍耐兩週，回威基基公 園，回休市社區網球場。見了雪樣好似完成心中一庄心願，下一位是緊 鄰隔壁楊木泉兄，小學畢業後，佳境不容許繼續升學，同學錄中，有他 台中市住址。

Visiting Toufen, Miaoli/ Charles Chuang

Visiting Toufen, Miaoli/ Charles Chuang I have had two lunches in Hsinchu with college classmates which have been organized by Roger Huang. In between these two, he accepted my request to visit him at his farm house at Toufen, Miaoli. This is a newer farm house different from the one which I visited in the summer of 1970. The old farm house is a square shape in perimeter while this newer one is a 3,000+ square feet 3 story building with a stone wall surround it. That year, I met with his grandfather who could speak Amoy language and his father who could speak Hakka only. He took me passing an old hill road where I saw a huge snake that year. It was a hog breeding farm of Taiwan Sugar Company. There is a certain limit for a permit to build a new farm house in a farm. That night Mrs. Huang was preparing my dinner and he brought in two green onions from the garden outside. I was very convenient. I was very impressed of Toufen when I first visited 43 years ago. That summer, we planned to peep through a store front of a girl whom one of our classmate admired. We were not successful and yet we did ran into a pretty high school girl. He remembered the first girl who was one year younger than us at the department of Social education while had no idea of the second one. I must remove that one from my mind from now on. He was a Ph.D. in Chemistry from Tokyo University and had been in Japan for 21 years. His talk carried with some weight, especially when he said at our previous lunch about school study and search for something became a burden to the society. I was very curious, thought of it for a week, and asked to see him to explain it to me again. Under his permission, I took a train from Tounan north to Hsinchu and he picked me up after a speech in Kaoshiung south of Taiwan. I haven’t been so busy lately. My question was because that his description was correctly. A famous Chinese proverb Said, a man had studied 10 years in front of a cold window and nobody noticed until one day his success made it known all over the nation. The cold window is school study while success is degree, such as bachelor, master, and Ph.D. etc. The degrees would make you famous to the nation and you could return home in glory. This will make yourself, your spouse stressful, and even a burden to the society. This is a subject of a philosophy forum which I ask him more in details. My Buddhist monk teacher, Thich Nhat Hanh, concludes that we must live on a meaningful life. The only life which we search for. He is an intellectual person who always carry something to read, of course, now is i-phone. When the national Bureau of weights and measures sent him to Houston during 1980’s, stayed with us and always in the room prepared for the lessons. My little boy put the coins into the video machine damaged two in the roll. If we had the proper tools, he might fix them because you never knew these Ph.D. in chemistry could do with the instruments. He pointed it out that after Japan severed the diplomatic relationship with Taiwan. Both Taiwan and Japan had ignored the trading activities. Taiwan was forced to build the relationship with Europe and the U.S. Two nations Lost the previous close relationship. Now China is the largest trading partner with and both nations have realized how important to rebuild closer relationship. Japanese take notice of the dynamic economic activity of Taiwanese sole proprietorship. They believe that is the most active in the world. I suggested him teach Japanese free at a community center and he didn’t think that was proper. Actually we scarcely have this kind of Japanese expert in Taiwan. He is currently manage a Friendship Force International and lecturing everywhere in Taiwan. There was a pretty township councilwoman coming to visit this old scholar. It Was very interesting to listen the local politician to explain her effort to improve the quality of life in the township. Regional political system is very vital to the national system of rule and law. Taiwan is making huge progress nowadays. After this we have another lunch and a ride back to Taipei through a series of Cities and townships from Chungli to Taipei.

頭份行/莊峻華

頭份行/莊峻華 這次回台，參加兩次新竹聚餐，都是剛從東京退休回台之瑞耀兄主辦， 其間他應我之要求，拜訪其頭份老家之農舍，此為新農舍，與我在1970 年暑假拜訪之舊農舍不同，舊農舍是四合院，有位弟弟仍在居住，當年 我拜見過其講福洛語之祖父，和只能講客語之父親，我在一山路看到一 巨大錦蛇，差點讓其機車輾過，他再帶我經過，是原台糖之繁殖場，新 農舍只許可在農地週圍興建，有一定比率數目許可，瑞耀之農舍有十年 新，約三千多平方呎三樓，美輪美奐，晚上煮我之素水餃烏動麵，他到 屋外拔兩根蔥，非常方便。 我在43年前拜訪頭份，留下一深刻印象，當年我們想去看，一位同學心 中所愛慕者不遇，結果看到一位漂亮之高中女生，他記得這位社教系美 女，但不知我所云第二位，從此我就將此小姐，從我美憶中刪除。他是 東京帝大化學博士，前後在日本居留21年，講話很有重量，其中一席談 ，有關讀書追求，讓我想了一週，決定請他再說明一次，於是就在他許可 接見下，登門拜訪，我從斗南搭車到新竹，他從高雄講演後，搭高鐵到竹 北，開車到新竹車站接我，我很久不曾如此忙碌過。 我的問題是因為，他敘述得非常對，十年寒窗無人問，一舉成名天下知， 寒窗就是讀書，學士，碩士，和博士等，所期帶者為一舉成名，要令天下 知，要衣錦榮歸，無形中對自己，對配偶，對家庭等，造成壓力，變成社 會一種負擔，這是哲學論壇，我請他詳述，此與我緣覺大師父，釋一行老 和尚之結論，人生要過一有意義之生活，所求者為此而已。 他是位智者，而且手不釋卷，80年代為度量衡派來休市講習，在我們家房 間內，仍舊在讀資料，準備講習課程，小男孩將銅板丟到電影機，使機器 故障，如有工具，他可能有辦法修復，這些化學博士，能修儀器。他指出 台日斷交後，日本忽略對台之貿易，結果台灣被迫開發歐洲和美國，日本 損失好大之機會，現在台灣最大貿易國是中國，台日兩國都體會重建緊密 關係之重要性，日本人非常驚訝台灣之個體戶經濟力，是世界之最。我以 為他應該在頭份社區活動中心，無料教導日文，他說是大材小用，確實台 灣鮮有如此人才，他目前經營一財團法人，南北到處應邀演講。 有位年輕美麗之鄉民代表來串門，贈送新月曆，然後談起地方建設，非常 有趣，此代表深知此老進士返鄉難得，前來說明她的努力，地方自治在民 主法治中，扮演重要角色，台灣正在突飛猛進中，後來我們又有一次飯局 ，一次北上車行，經過中壢以北之城市比鄰。

Return to my hometown Huwei/ Charles Chuang

Return to my hometown Huwei/ Charles Chuang After several trips in and out of Taiwan, I took the high speed rail back to Huwei , my hometown. In Taipei main station, the rail, high speed rail, and metro subway are all located in the same building very convenient for the passengers to get in and out of each service. First, I took the high speed rail to Taipao, Chiayi station, then took a connection bus to the back entrance of Chiayi rail station to get on a train north to Touliu, Yunlin, after that walked through a tunnel to the back to take a bus to Huwei about 7 miles away. From the stop at the Formosa University, I walked to my eldest sister Mary’s home, next to my brother Chung Fong’s home. The arrangement has been that I eat at sister’s house while sleep at my brother’s because that I can use the computer and she is a better cook. At Touliu bus, a young lady sit next to me with a mask covering her mouth. I asked her to remove her mask in order for me to see her pretty face. She did and told me that she was from Vietnam taking care of a senior in Tainan. She also gave me her name in Chinese, Tuan Shi Jing. She is 30 years old with two young children. She came to visit her younger sister also working as a senior servant at Paochung, Yunlin another township nearby Huwei. Tuan’s sister is 19 years old. I offered her my son to marry her sister, and she anxiously showed her photos on her i-phone. Since she worked so hard on the previous day, she could barely keep up the conversation with me. When the bus passed Huwei, she got worried because it didn’t go through Paochung. She got off with me at the next stop and walked away in confusion. I borrowed a bike to ride to the bus station to make sure she was right. She should get off there and take another bus to her destination. I called her on the next day and she remembered me and yet said that she needed to sleep. I never mentioned the match maker stuff again. There is a neighbor of my sister belonged to a Buddhist benevolent association. She always comes to visit us when I arrive. I brought her a famous autobiography of #6 Master Monk of Zen Buddhism, Hui-Nun. His legendary work on the golden diamond sutra. It was a free copy on a street alley nearby my rental house. I read it again and was ready for her questions. Two retired teachers also came to visit with my brother-in-law and touched with Buddhism, one of them called back to invite me to visit his monk teacher for sutra discussion. Mary and her husband are bothered by the continuously request of donation from the association which is the biggest benefactor in Taiwan. I twisted a piece of that sutra based on Buddha’s teaching. So called donation, actually is not donation, that is named donation. Buddha actually describes repeatedly on the book such as So called Bodhi-sattva, actually is not Bodhi-sattva, that is named Bodhi-sattva. In plan Language: if you donate yet not willingly, it is not a donation while you are Willingly to donate and yet cannot afford it is still considered as a donation. This is named donation. Buddhism is a philosophy of your life and the most important practice is to help the needed by donation. There are two clay courts at Huwei Senior High. One day it was cloudy and Rainy and the courts were wet. I turned back home on a bike and made a wrong turn on the North Linsheng Road. I came to old Mr. Wang’s residence , his wife told me he passed away in 2010 after the local elections which he Served as the chairman of the campaign for both mayor and county magistrate. I used his shower room after a morning tennis in 2009 stay. The day I left Huwei, my brother-in-law took me to visit a former colleague At Huwei Senior High who was also one of my student during my service In 1973-1974. He was a police officer before coming to work for the manager of the general affairs at the school. He used to be a body guard for two governors, one became the president of the Nation. The conversation is short yet very interesting.

回虎尾/莊峻華

回虎尾/莊峻華 四處旅行，告一段落，我就搭高鐵回虎尾，台北車站，台鐵，捷運，和高 鐵均在一起，旅行者進出方便，我先搭高鐵到太保嘉義站，再換接駁車到 嘉義後車站，搭車到斗六，走過地下室到斗六台西客運，搭車到虎尾科技 大，然後步行到大姐萬里府，峻峰家就在隔壁，安排是睡在峻峰家二樓，在 姊姊家吃飯，弟弟家有電腦可寫信回家，可以查股市，可以聽日本歌。 在斗六站，有位小姐戴口罩，坐在我隔壁，我勉強將背包放在兩腿上，小姐 年輕美麗，原來是位越傭，在台南照顧一位老人，昨日連續工作很久，北上 探望在褒忠工作之妹妹，我請她取下口罩，讓我看她美麗之臉孔，小姐30歲 有兩幼兒，妹妹19歲未婚，於是我說要娶其妹為媳婦，她在電話上，展示其 妹相片，我稱呼她為團小姐，車過虎尾站，她未下車，我問司機，司機曰此 車到北港，不經過褒忠，小姐緊張，跟我在虎科大下車，然後不理睬我這老 頭，她左右觀看，走回虎尾總站方向，我連忙到姊姊家，借一腳踏車到車站 ，肯定她沒有問題，翌日，我給她電話，她說要睡覺，我就未再提娶親一事。 姊姊家隔壁，有位慈濟之大師姊，與我有緣，每次回虎尾，都來聊天，我就 和她談論佛法，她就贈送我幾本勸世為善之書，許多如此作品，甚至台積電 之董事長，也有幾張謫要，這次我送她一本六祖壇經，這是在永和路上領到 之一本功德贈書，我在仁愛公園音樂表演處，再溫習過一遍，上週回虎尾三 小時，未曾攜帶。姊夫家有兩位同事退休，來家裡聊天，有一位紀老師，研 究佛學，聽我講金剛經，回家後有電話來曰，其師父邀請我到精舍，我想是 我僭越矣。大師姊是萬里之小學同學，難得從埔里一別後，在虎尾又當鄰居 ，慈濟募款積極，萬里不勝其煩，於是我傳一謬論曰，所言捐獻者，即無捐 獻，故名捐獻，然後我開始解釋佛陀邏輯，所言菩薩者，即無菩薩，故名菩 薩之道理，佛學是人生之哲學，最重要者為佈施，為菩薩乘。 虎中有紅土網球場，一日陰雨，無人前來，我騎腳踏車回家，在林森北路右 轉北上到埓內里，王換修伯府，換修伯已往生，我在09年住虎尾，常來其 府上，換修伯母似乎仍憶得此事，換修伯是民進黨之虎尾大老，自廖大林時 代，就開始參與，是縣長和鎮長當年競選虎尾總部主委。 離開虎尾當日，去拜訪一位舊日學生，他在虎中當過庶務主任，警察出身， 當過兩任省主席隨扈，在社會上認識許多人物，談話短促，但十分有趣。

Visiting a friend at Mutza, Taipei/ Charles Chuang

Visiting a friend at Mutza, Taipei/ Charles Chuang After coming back from Kinmen, I cleaned up and took off again to visit the old friend which I located during the trip to Leiyu Island. During our phone conversation, I know that this adopted daughter of mine is married and resides at Taoyuan with two young children. Her father showed me one photo book filled with the family pictures very handsome couple. She looks very different from her baby era 40 some years ago in different charming. Yet her elder sister still has a trace of similarity from the time before, very pretty and slander. There is a brother between these two sisters. He lives at Yuanlin, Changhua down to the central south of Taiwan. We were waiting for the eldest daughter came off work and took us to a Cafeteria, Kuochung described his journey toward success in Taiwan. At The beginning, he worked as a construction worker, then became a taxi Driver while his wife worked at an electronic factory until retirement, He is in his 70’s and his wife is in her 60’s.When she saw me, she pulled out two of my bachelor’s photos and a piece of English note which I left for their baby daughter in memory. She offered me to take back for my souvenir. I was so touched and did not know what to do. The next morning I called him and he said it was very routine nothing special about. In the past 40 years, I had written letters to the village to ask the village head for help to have their address and phone numbers in vain. He knew my effort and also mentioned that he did go to a nearby middle school where I taught in 1974for my U.S. address. We missed each other. Now I have found this family and can close this chapter of my life. I must thank his wonderful dinner.

木柵行/莊峻華

木柵行/莊峻華 從金門回來，連忙整裝出發，到木柵拜會烈嶼行，尋找出之老友國忠 兄家庭，我們在電話中，稍微提到這位義女，已經是42歲，而且已 經結婚生子，住在桃園，夫婿是專校同學，富裕人家，國忠兄嫂出示 許多美力相簿，我真是為這位女孩高興，相片中之她，和當年嬰兒面 像不一樣，有不同之美麗，倒是其大姊，這次見到面，面容有跡可尋 ，清秀美麗，兩女間尚有一子，住在員林，也已經結婚生子，兩夫婦 現有六位孫輩，三男三女，最理想不過。 等候長女下班，領我們上餐廳時，國忠解說這40年在台北，赤手空拳 打出天下，先從泥水工，這是1974年開始，到學開計程車，認真做生 意，買下兩層房屋，當然其中國忠嫂也工作，在電子工廠，工作到最近 退休。她一見我，就拿出兩張學士照，一張戴眼鏡，一張無眼鏡，是我 當年留下紀念，阿嫂將兩張硬版貼牢，另外一張彩色信紙，有我書寫英 文留念幾段，有中文字給小芳，阿嫂要我帶回去，我一時不知所措，這 段真情，隔日我再電話請安，提起此事，國忠不以為有所特別。 我在過去幾十年，曾經幾次寫信到后頭村長府，要求村長幫忙，尋找國 忠家人連絡處，一直沒有效果，他也提到這事，也清楚這事，又提到曾 到新店文山國中，尋找我在美國住址，都沒有結果，如今我是找到了這 家庭，了卻我一庄心願，也感激國忠兄，招待一頓豐盛晚餐。

Visiting Leiyu Island, Kinmen(4)/ Charles Chuang

Visiting Leiyu Island, Kinmen(4)/ Charles Chuang After dinner, we, four men, went to the old restaurant at the village to have another tea party. Four were Chung Lung, the son, youngest brother-in-law and myself. The old restaurant was the first door which I was referred to and knocked on when I arrived at the village. Because all residents at the village named Fang and they were all relatives. The owner did see that I walked around the village late in the morning. He explained that how his father managed this restaurant. I was not a consumer that I admitted; however, I did have once or twice come to this restaurant with an officer, a captain in charge of the political affairs, to eat here. Let me explain. At big yellow fish season, the vendor would ride a bike to the village to solicit business. He only carried two large yellow fishes on the front handle. It was NT$20, equivalent to 50 cent for one. He, the captain, bought one and sent to the old restaurant immediately. At night after dinner, we would come to the restaurant to enjoy that fish. The restaurant would clean and cook it for him free as long as he gave second half of the fish to him. The owner was excellent on cooking that fish with many kinds of vegetable slice. The fish became a cuisine which could not be forgotten. It was as soft as a bean curd and yet unbelievable tasty. We had a kitchen at the battalion with many such fish presents from the civilian patients after they left the hospital and our big kitchen just could not match such skill. I mentioned this 41 years old story, the owner remembered how he helped his father to manage the restaurant until the army pulled out from the village. At the dinner, one guest was very good at drinking and also a relative, he invited the youngest brother-in-law for some additional bottom up. This poor young man whispered to the man’s ear for a pardon because he could no longer drink. The son came to rescue his sister’s husband and he was drunk as well, then suddenly there was a pretty woman across the table expressed that she would drink some for the two poor men. She is the only council member elected for the county seat from Leiyou Island. She might be the wife of a local man on the table or the owner of the old restaurant. She was very elegant. She explained to my question of how many council members elected to the county. She admissted one only because Kinmen took advantage of Leiyu for more cut of the budget. By observing her conversation, I believed that she was well learned politician with a good heart to serve. Her talk was in Amoy language, like Taiwanese, without any of the Mandarin, very fluent and no problem to express herself that I admired very much. A phone call came, we left for the birthday cake. At night, #3 daughter was concerned the drunk gentlemen and asked me to take an eye on the falling of them. She also arranged the transportation for me to get back to the harbor, to take the ferry, to take a taxi with her to the airport. It was very efficient. She lives at Chunghe nearby Yunghe where my rental flat was; therefore I could help her to carry one additional luggage and with my ticket she could buy a pack of cigarette free of tax for her smoker husband. The taxi driver was also their friend from Leiyu and took us to visit Hui, the younger daughter of the village head that I mentioned. She went out for routine business. A pretty senior lady recognized her, now I called her Yuki san because she learned some Japanese due to her husband was a chef at a Japanese restaurant. Yuki san is a tailor specializes in waiting dress. I listened to the conversation of these two ladies and was wondering how could I miss such beauty at a icy fruit shop back to the early 70’s. My friend’s wife in Taipei mentioned that the lady might be someone’s second wife at that time. Yuki san took me to a vege restaurant inside a chunghe market. The owner was also from Kinmen. She asked Yuki if she owned her house and she said yes. The immigrants from Kinmen came to Taiwan for a new life made me think of us to the United States. I admire them. This visiting to Leiyu has brought me so much memory.

Visiting Leiyu Island, Kinmen(3)/ Charles Chuang

Visiting Leiyu Island, Kinmen(3)/ Charles Chuang I stayed about 24 hours at Kinmen Island and spent most of the time at Houtou village where my old battalion barracks were 41 years ago. I lived at the barracks which had been abandoned for quite some, while the village had been furbished like new, yet sparsely populated. Army left so were the young generation of the village, only the elders and some stayed. Taiwan Power and Taiwan Telephone invested some at Kinmen expected that three little openings between Taiwan and China would bring some new business such as the tourists’ overnight stay at Kinmen. They didn’t expect that the real grand openings between these two rival nations would come so soon that you could fly directly from Taipei to Peiking bypass Shamen and vice versa. I still like to describe my mind for this 24 hours stay, I went to a birthday dinner; stayed overnight; attended another party at an old and closed restaurant listening to a pretty councilwoman from Leiyu in Kinmen county. The next morning went through a much effective way back to Taipei. Originally Leiyu was an offshore island of Shamen, one of the early five ports opened for trading in China in 1844. It had been peaceful from the ancient time until the cold war. I guess the development of the island related to that treaty in 1844. Many resident immigrated to the southeast Asia. His father-in-law didn’t inherit any of the real estate. The family have stayed at a house belonged to his deceased elder brother. Most of his siblings are in Brunei , an oil rich kingdom in Malaysia. As a matter of fact, our battalion compound occupied his property and still not returned to him even abandoned. I believe that the government still considers Kinmen as an emergency war area in case the war between these two nations broke out. The old man’s family cannot build a new house or addition because the owner has no interest. His son whom I met, invited his parents to live at Mei Lung, Pingtong County without any success. The parents would rather stay at the island. I was arranged to sit on a table with a group of retired teachers from Leiyu Junior High. They were the former colleague of his son. Most of them have retired in Taiwan because the local enrollment has decreased to 80for the whole school. I dreamed to teach at this school while I was in the army, yet the battalion commander objected. There was a dean of study, Mr. Chuang, who was helping me at that time. I asked him during the dinner and was informed that he was ill and retired in Taiwan. Two of us were vegetarian diet and we were lucky that the chef liked to prepare such plates. I didn’t see the large yellow fish which I had some taste at the old time. I only saw the small size oyster still on the table. This kind of oyster is very unique and delicious different from the large size both in Taiwan And the U.S. Of course the dinner was abundant and delicious only because I was so excited and ignored the cuisines. The guests were good at drinking the sorghum liquor. Chung Lung’s wife, the eldest daughter of the family named Chiu, was very pretty at that Time. She would come to the hospital to deliver laundry. Many officers hired her to do the laundry and ironing. She did also take care of the youngsters. The father did the wash work. He used to write letters to Brunei for people with a small amount of fee. Because of the elder siblings took care of the youngers, they built a very special relationship among themselves. Chung Lung was an army nurse and took care of Chiu’s aunt at our hospital and won her heart eventually. He was the winner among many who admired her, one of them was my former classmate at senior high from Leiyu Island. Their marriage was difficult at the beginning, as he described to me, then improved after he was accepted as an employee at Taiwan Telephone and Telegraph. He is still working with the company. He advised me that every time he was angry with Chiu, he would ride a motor cycle to the Countryside until he was in peace.