《On The Same Days》橄榄树

8、 16th Tuesday 2002 July Amsterdam

　　Een dubbletje kan raar rollen!
　　(You never know what happens next)

　　Woke up under the third roof in about half of the same month, Christina still couldn't digest well what had happened. No, of course you wouldn’t believe it. She couldn’t believe it either.
　　* * *
　　When a newly married couple showed up two days after Christina moved into that apartment from the Chinese boy, actually, Christina’s two months apartment. The couple had a copy of legal renting contract effective from 10th July in their hands, clear black Dutch printed on 6 pages of white paper, signed on the last page. Christina realized what kind of a black joke god just gifted her. She even cleaned up every single tile of the apartment when she moved in.

　　She was just too blindly stupid, why hadn’t she smelled fishy by not finding much of that boy’s belongings at all? why would he carry loads junk back home for only two months vacation? It was obvious that he moved away, either back to China or somewhere else in Holland. His contract was due at the end of June, the couple told Christina, but he asked the owner for just a few extra more days to arrange the moving out, that’s why the owner signed the contract with the couple effective from the 10th July.

　　Jesus Christ, her own Countryman had set up a whole plot to trick her in, she paid him 700 euros for 5 days, she never asked for a single piece of paper for receipt, of course his mobile number no longer exists, she was not even sure if she ever asked his real name except his nick name on internet.

　　She had, still has no clue who he was, where would he be, there would be no point to make a fuss to the police, she had nothing to tell except her won stupidity, she couldn’t bring herself to that, she would be accused illegal daring to sub rent a room from a renter, she couldn’t go around shouting that she was cheated by her own Countryman either, what a bloody, bloody shame!!

　　Angst was bigger than anger, what could she do next? The very lovely couple believed her, they could have been able to throw her out at the very moment, they had the contract, Christina had nothing but a story, but they said they wouldn’t mind to move in no later than the 15th July, but they would have to start to move in their things from the 10th. Anyway, it was very nice for the two Kui Lao’s to credit her 5 nights without blackmail her for a single penny. But where could she go? In 2 days literally, she was not going to take any Kui Lao’s sympathy.

　　But she did, not only two days out of that couple’s 5 days credit, but also the roof above her head now. She had no plan to tell anyone at all, she promised herself not to, she had even decided to try the train station, see if they stay open during the night too, even not, the summer night was not really cold at all. Or at worst she might sneak back into the Kiosk in Floriade for sometime without being caught by anybody, she could copy the key by forgetting to hand it in at the end of day then bring it back the next morning.

　　The next day of the bomb she was free, last Tuesday actually. With 96 euros in her bag she made from the weekend, she geared around the city from big avenues to small streets, looking for a place to live. Amsterdam was not a real big city, she walked through the Dam, Waterloo Square, many other squares all the way to Bijlmer, where her 2 months flat was. No magic happened. She didn’t dare to go into any of those Housing Agency either, even if 96 could be enough for registration fee, no agency would find her a house cheap enough for her in two days time.

　　In another 2 days she would only be able to make another 90 euros at most, far from enough to pay the upfront rent and deposits. Under what condition would someone allowed to be registered as a refugee? Christina did ask herself but nobody to ask around to.

　　She didn’t realize that she had hunger, not until she was passing by a Chinese snack bar, her stomach protested for a whole day’s ignorance, she went in, what the hell 96 euros could do for her except feeding her stomach? Yet, she didn’t order anything priced above 5 euros, which left no many choices at all, she chose Nasi, fried rice, instead of Mie Hun.
　　It was a very small bar, quite good business. Many Kui Lao were taking away ready meals from there. They liked the price better than taste.

　　Her rice was fried ready in just a few minutes, she reached to her bag…she reached in her bag, the fact was she directly put her hand inside of her bag without opening the zip, because the zip was open, she didn’t remember when did she open it, she continued to search her wallet, she took the bag off her shoulder,placed it on the counter, buried her head into the bag,there are books, notes, maps, papers, letters and tissues, no wallet.

　　Her wallet was gone. Her 96 euros was gone. The Chinese girl watched her impatiently behind the counter, waiting for her to pay the 3.95 euros. Searched all over the little bags inside of her bag again, she found 1.50 euro coins, truly embarrassed with a burning face, Christina apologized to the girl and told that she would come back for the rice in 5 minutes after pinning some money nearby. Of course she didn’t go back. She was very far away from that bar after 5 minutes, trying to stop for some air, to think over where could she possibly left her wallet.

　　At home? No, she knew for sure she had stopped it in her bag before she put her key inside. But nowhere else could she leave a wallet, she didn’t even stop anywhere longer than 5 minutes, she just walked all the way through all the different places, crowds of people. God, crowds of people.

　　She really couldn’t locate anything, any outstanding face or detail at all which might remind her the spot. She had no clue. It could be any of those squares. There was no point to try walking the same way back, the wallet must be empty already by that time, empty with no single penny, her new tram ticket, her 7 euro negative bank pass, her HAS printing card, student card and…

　　ooh, god, she believed she did faint for a few minutes without being able to think about anything, her residence permit was also gone with the wallet. She would need that bloody thing to ask for extension, it was due 1st September, she needed to present that bloody thing in exchange for her new residence permit for another year, now the bloody thing was just gone.

　　Back to the couple’s flat, she made a phone call to foreign police, the most urgent one. Of course nobody was there, it was no working time any more; it was late.
　　Completely exhausted, but she couldn’t even sit anywhere. She had to go to the police, to register the loss, who knows thieves nowadays might be kind enough to leave the documents in and drop the wallet on street, someone might pick it up and hand it to the police.

　　She doesn’t believe in god, but for once, please don’t let the thief throw her purse in a garbage pin, it would all get ruined in that case. She thought police office should be open 24 hours a day, you simply couldn’t put a murder on hold, she was right.

　　She pressed the bell 3 times, each time more than 1 minutes long, the door of the first police office she found opened, a young black man looking at her suspiciously from holes formed by the steel barred fences well shut in front of the door, “May I help you?” he asked, with the least interest to help.
　　“Yes, Sir, please, I just lost my wallet, there were really important documents in it.” Christina found her voice shaking no less than her body.
　　“Sorry, the Lost Report section is closed now, actually our office is closed, I am afraid there is nothing I can do for you.” He shrugged, seemed like loads people came to report losing their last 96 euros and residence permits every other minute.

　　“Would you by any chance know any branch office of yours that runs 24 hours a day?” Christina had no energy to shout, she asked flatly as if she used to loss her wallet every now and again, as if that was something one could ever get used to.

　　“Yes, the one beside Dam square, they open through the night, you may go for a try.”
　　“Thanks a lot.” Christina kept her politeness to the closing door.

　　1.5 euros was more than enough to bring Christina to Dam square with Metro and Tram, she was in that 24 hours running police office half an hour later, 9 pm.

　　The very nice looking reception lady was listening to a young black woman accusing her husband mis-handled her.
　　“Was he drunk?”
　　“Sometimes, but it happens too when he drinks nothing.”
　　“Why didn’t you report us earlier?”
　　“I didn’t dare, if he find out…”
　　“Then why now?’
　　Christina suddenly wanted to runaway, if she could find a WC to throw up. She stayed and listened, for fear of being chased for sudden suspicious escape.
　　The poor black woman had to tell in detail what was happened, and show the nice lady the red and blues (as her skin is originally black, it could hardly be black and blues) under her blouse, meanwhile defending all questions like why hadn’t she tell her friends, why hadn’t she file for divorce, why hadn’t she …

　　It was finally Christina’s turn, the nice looking lady questioned Christina with a professional smile, no word of “May I help you” or whatsoever.
　　“I lost my wallet,” Christina realized she didn’t have any evil husband, only an evil countryman.
　　“Is there anything important in it?”
　　“Everything important was in it, my student card, bank pass, residence permit.”
　　“You lost it, or was it stolen?” ok, game started.
　　“I believe it was stolen. I didn’t open my bag, but it was open when I realized the wallet was gone.” Christina wanted to answer her adequately without being further questioning like hell.
　　“When did you found out it was stolen?”
　　“An hour ago in a Chinese snack bar near Bijlmer,”
　　“Any idea when and where did the theft happen?”
　　“Not exactly, I have been to quite a few places today,”
　　“Do you remember when did you last see your bag still closed?”
　　“When I left home… No, by Waterloo square when I felt thirsty but decided not to buy the drink, it was still closed at that time,” Christina admired the specialty of this nice lady, she drove you think like hell, about those things that you thought you already forgot.

　　“Where did you go after that?”
　　“uh, Weesper Square, Gelderland Square and a few more I don’t really remember the names.”
　　“So one thing for sure is that your wallet wasn’t lost at Dam Square or Waterloo Square,” the nice lady started to conclude.
　　“No, it shouldn’t.” Christina wanted to get the questioning over with.
　　The nice lady took out a piece of yellow paper, circled around a telephone number and handed it over to Christina, “You may call this number during office hours, it the Lost and Found desk, they may have your wallet if anyone hands it in. To report the loss you have go to any of our branches near Weesper or Gerderland as you may made the loss over there. Good luck.”
　　“Just a second, I do not actually need to report any other loss except the residence card, would you mind just write me a note indicating its loss, so that I would go to foreign police for a replacement of that card.” Christina was tired to be kicked like a ball among these branches.
　　“It is good for you if you report by them, as they might be the first who informed in case your wallet is found, besides, it is the principle to report loss where it happened. I am afraid there is nothing else I can do for you, good luck.” The nice lady smiles at Christina very nicely. “Oh, yeah, you may phone them to make an appointment first. I will give a few phone numbers.” She was trying to be really helpful.

　　She kept working in her Kiosk with hear dreamy smile the next two days as if it was someone else’s two months home was bombed into pieces, and some else’s wallet was stolen, people treated her as any of the pure normal part time workers there, asking what enjoyable thing did she do for her weekends and how was her study going, was she enjoying her new big 2 months flat, she answered exactly as a pure normal part time worker would, that she had read Harry Porter in the weekend and her study was going just fine, the flat was still standing there with every tile on. They even laughed at her good humor, how would they know no single tile would be free for Christina’s foot any more after one or two days. And she still had to make phone calls to the police for an appointment.
　　She called outside of the Kiosk when she had to clean the plastic plates and cups into the garbage pins. The man behind the first number said no problem, when would she able to come, Christina said she was working in Haarlem, she would be there soonest tomorrow if they weren’t running 24 hours, they weren’t, and he suggested that she’d better go to a branch in Haarlem instead of coming all the way to Amsterdam. Christina fainted again,when she was able to think again, the phone was already hung up.
　　With extreme calm, Christina called the second number on that piece of yellow paper, asked their address first, it was Rai area, then Christina insisted that she lost her wallet in the Rai, and she would come tomorrow to report, it was finally settled. She was too stupid to not tell that very nice Dam reception lady that she knew for sure her wallet was lost at the Dam.

　　Very thankful to her mobile, the only thing she was able to overdraft till the end of the month.

　　Then Anna called at that evening, asking if things were still going, if Christina called her parents lately, if life still treated her well, if there was something to share…Christina couldn’t hold it anymore, she cried over the phone, she decided to tell how life had treat her in the past 3 days, but her voice was too shaky to make clear sense, her mobile signal was weak at the moment, maybe tears wrecked its function, then the line broke, Christina held her tower and cried out loud with closed eyes as if she was unwillingly re-born as a new baby refusing to look at the dark world.

　　Till the door bell rang, the couple promised her 5 days, she just took one day up, now they were already coming to break their promises, Christina searched for something for her eyes, only found an eyeshade from KLM, she opened the door, it was Anna. She cried all over again.

　　* * *
　　Now she was under the roof of Anna’s summerhouse, most families here had one somewhere up the coast or in a farming area. This one was a simple wooden house, not far from the sea. Anna spent her weekends here in summer time. The thin wooden wall was not enough for the cold see wind in winter. Christina might stay till when she could find a place, either in September or, otherwise it might be too cold to stay here after that, “but be relax, we all have a roof above our head, you are always welcome to share, just never keep yourself loaded up with all the explosives away from us, that is really dangerous to your internal organs you know.” Anna was still able to make her laugh after all that.

　　The problem was it took her now more than 2 hours to go to the Floirade Park, more than 2 hours back here. She was not sure how long would she be able to put up with this kind of schedule. Some 15 hours a day.

　　But today she was free, well, kind of, she had said yes to the Mountain monster, she needed to go and find out his firm somewhere near Utrecht to sign the placement contract, she wasn’t particularly happy about the news as she expected, she also needed to check her e-mails in case Ling thinks she was truly dead, she had to put 100 in that negative bank account in case they wouldn’t give her a new bank pass, oh yeah, she survived another inquire of the Rai police branch, much easier and quicker than all the previous times, she knew how to talk with police now.
　　She had to go to foreign police as well, to fill in a form declaring the loss of that residence card, fill in another form to ask for a replacement of this old card in order to present it on 1st September for the new card, though they would never be able to issue her the replacement card within 2 months time, nor would she ever get her new card on 1st sep anyway. So it would be just all right.
　　Anna refused her any intention of payment, saying she was not renting a house to her, it was just empty and she was happy that Christina would take care of it for her. Christina cried on those words again, also a lie, but a million miles away from that of her own Countryman. She decided to buy some kitchen- wares or plants when she collected some more money.

　　She went to Amsterdam first, printed out the routes by public transportation to Happy Concern, checked mails, her painter friend Maria greeted her as usual, which meant Anna did keep the secret of her own folks’ disgrace. Ling kept attending family dinners during Christina’s no family disasters. A few exam results hung out of the exam committee office already, not bad so far, she scored 9 for Jenny’s re-sit instead of her own normal sit of 8 in Strategic Overview, the case result of Philips share was not there yet.

　　Christina headed to the foreign police after school. Probably the business place in town, where loads blacks, yellows, browns and a few whites eagerly flocked out every service window holding a waiting number to get evaluated under different terms and conditions, bargaining with Eng-Dutch, Arab- Dutch, Turk- Dutch, Chine-Dutch and any other kind of Dutch that might exist. Babies in different colors with curly hair or straight hair were crying in their similar baby-Dutch the whole time as if they knew their parents were inhumanly stuck there with ill treatment.

　　Why there were so many people willing to be price tagged here in another country by foreign folks and standards? What was she doing among these people here? Christina did hate to come over to this place, one could never easily get out once you come in, you got different numbers to wait outside different windows, each had a flock of a few dozen, if you gave up your patience once, you might end up waiting two days outside of every window here to get that missing point sort out again. She wouldn’t dare. She waited till she filled in those forms at different windows and handed in the copy of loss report at another.

　　Out on streets, she tried to breath. She had to admit it was not easy for those policemen or women in that building, breathing mixed up dioxide day after day.

　　Half an hour too early for the appointment with Happy Concern, Christina strolled around the little town. 5 minutes after passing by a post bank had Christina remembered her negative account, strolled back, she went in depositing a 100 euros under some suspicious eyes, she showed them a copy of the lost report too, asking for a new pass, they suggested she’d better not depositing her 100 euros since she wouldn’t able to get it out before she get the pass, she thanked them a lot, then insisted the deposit. She couldn’t risk for a refusal of a new pass for her negative account.

　　Without finding a reception desk in Happy Concern, Christina walked up to the second floor, a few offices, no signs of who was behind which door, she knocked one open, a few staffs each sitting behind their own computer, a very tall young boy showed her the door to that monster.
　　Checked her watch once again, it was exactly 3 pm, she knocked softly before open the door, Mr. Monster sat behind a big tidy sandalwood radian desk, side facing Christina without turning, busying typing on his laptop with two forefingers, “Sit down, storm, I am ready in one minute.”
　　“If you wouldn’t mind to use the other fingers, you may only need one more second.” Christina wanted to bite her own tongue again, why did she always talk without thinking?
　　“Well, I am saving them for more important matters other than typing.” He laughed cunningly. Christina ignored any double meaning behind it.
　　“That is the smartest excuse I may recommend to my best friend.” She was thinking about Anna who typed with 4 fingers.
　　“Chinese?”
　　“No, a Dutch sculptor,” without knowing why, Christina explained, “A senior lady.”
　　“Which means being a Dutch is not always a disadvantage.”
　　Christina started to wonder if he was half- wits, or extremely clever, she never said one bad word about Dutch, definitely not one.

　　She settled herself on, to be exactly in the seat in front of the desk, and then Christina realized even more what difference could seat arrangements make. She sat on a green sofa, nice material indeed, but so soft that she fell in like a child drowning, she had to rearrange herself with chin almost sticking upward, both arms carried on the ridiculously high armrest, while he had a dark turning leather seat; he looked tall, naturally in control there. Christina wondered if he had put this extra soft green sofa in front of his desk on purpose to disarm visitor’s confidence.

　　“Nee He Yi Pei kafei, Miss respectable storm?” he closed his laptop, turned to Christina, offered her coffee in a kind of Chinese, even understandable.
　　“Thee, alsjeblieft, als je die ook hebt.” Christina asked tea in Dutch.
　　“Of course I have plenty different flavor teas, by the way I just want to practice my Chinese with a native speaker, no meaning for a language contest.”
　　“So do I. I have given up language contests with any Dutch aged above 3, seems everyone has an Israel grandpa or a Palestinian grandma, a Dutch father or a German mother. May I have Strawberry tea? Thanks.”
　　Christina glanced around the office while he was away, a big globe stood on the left side of the window sill, a picture of 3 children in a Winnie the Pooh photo frame, a pair of Mickey Mouse book stands next to it with some dick bricks of Management, a filing cabinet at the other side of the room, a big Snow white cartoon figure standing at a corner, some gifts stand on the shelf behind the desk, some Chinese ties, those red ones with jade characters saying good luck or quick wealth, and different materials of snuff bottles, enameled ones with the four beauties, curved ones with Buddha figures.
　　A very difficult office combination of things that shouldn’t belong to each other, but it didn’t feel too childish, not very serious either. Something fell on Christina’s hair, a dry leave from a tall green plant behind Christina, some kind of a tree, a few more dry leaves falling on the carpet.

　　Christina bended to pick them up; placed them back in the pot near their roots.
　　“Garbage pin is under my desk,” he was back with his black coffee and her strawberry tea.
　　“Thanks, I believe they’d feel happier at home.”

　　“Don’t tell me you are stemmed from a tree.”
　　“Don’t you think green blood would look less drastic in injuries?”
　　“Shall we skip the feelings of the dry leaves, did you read the contract?”

　　“Any points worth discussion?”
　　“Just one, how much are you planning to cost me?”
　　Christina has never given such kind of a chance. All kinds of jobs she has ever done were paid fixed salary. “How much do you think you can afford?” She wanted to buy herself sometime to come up with a proper amount, she heard fellow students the placement allowances vary from 0 to 500 with most fall into the first half of the range.

　　“Let’s make an agreement here. We promise each other that we will not answer a question with een vraag.” He was half serious. (een vraag is equivalent of a question in Dutch)

　　“Ok, I am making 600-700 euros by working part time for a waitressing firm Happy Food, but honestly I am not sure if your firm…”

　　“Lets start from 600 then, but full time, 5 days a week, remember you will not only serve here, but also learn.” Short and efficient, Christina was rather satisfied with the amount, her part time by Floriade means 6 days a week, a 5 working days office job must be a piece of cake. “But why? Aren’t all the firms using student labor to reduce costs? You will get many with half the payment.” She heard herself talking again without thinking.

　　“Thanks for being honest, but you need it, do you? You can’t go work in that park anymore if you work for me full time. Besides, what you pay is what you get.”
　　God, Christina couldn’t believe there was also such kind of a humanitarian capitalist.
　　Both signed the contract, Christina took his hands for a professional and gratitude shake, then returned it very quickly, seemed he transformed all his weight to his hands, too heavy.

　　He started to prepare her with internal staff information, like who is doing what. He had 9 staffs under him, among which 2 student trainees. Christina wondered how much he paid the two trainees. He showed her around the few offices and show room, back to his office, out of blue, he said, “You smells very good today.”

　　Christina quickly brought her hands under her chin to prevent her jaw falling to carpet like those dry leaves, “ Are you saying I smelled very bad last time?” she did used some perfume, but was it anything proper for a business conversation?
　　No single man ever said something so…so abnormal and brutal to her, not even the only two boys that ever interested in her, David, a schoolmate from the HAS, a typical son of those corrupted rich officials from Shenyang who insanely squandered all their black money 10 times faster then when he was in China by repeating the first study year over and over again, he said Christina felt like a big sister though he was 2 years older. Another one was a driver of XY Corp, the Car Parts company Christina worked for who had insanely wasted all his few pennies on long distance calls to her till she changed her number.

　　“Is it so hard to take a compliment as a compliment?” a Chinese was a Chinese after all, he concluded.
　　“You just broke your own promise within half an hour, by answering a question with a Vraag.” Christina reminded him.

　　“Hahaha, I will send you to kill my Chinese partner, a Taiwanese to be exactly, would you mind me spending just 1 minute to write him an e-mail?”
　　“I thought my mission is to save him, take your time, my afternoon today is yours.” Christina knew for sure now this manger didn’t have manner at all. But he was going to be her manager anyway.

　　“You whole life will be mine,” without looking at her, he typed and joked.
　　Christina couldn’t believe her ears again, no, never think too much, this was just a kind of ill humor or … of course just a kind of humor, but it was just their second interview, no, don’t be so Chinese, of course Dutch were all crazy, they talked nonsense, remember nonsense you’d survive, Christina told herself, “Even in exchange of yours, my life expects to last longer, no sound deal.”

　　On the way back to Anna’s summerhouse, Christina dropped out at Amsterdam train station for some grocery in the Chinese supermarkets on Zeedijk. Picked up a copy of free Chinese Newspaper available beside the reception desk of NamKai, actually Cantonese newspaper, it is edited by some Chinese Cultural Organizations in The Hague, promoting mostly Cantonese restaurants, hairdressers, travel agencies and airlines.

　　Christina is only interested in the mini-ads column where those Chinese business looking for Chinese speaking personnel’s, what frustrated her is that 9.9 out of 10 businesses require the candidate speaking Cantonese instead of Mandarin, if only she knew she would have learned it when she was in China. That’s why Christina never went out with Jenny often except on those festival occasions she couldn’t refuse.
　　Christina felt awkward sitting among a group of Cantonese who spoke no Mandarin, not much English, some kind of Dutch, while she spoke no Cantonese, too much English and some other kind of Dutch, total communication disaster. She still had to laugh about the first day she was in Amsterdam, Anna led her to the Chinese shop for some country chat, and it turned out that Anna had to interpret from Dutch to English between Christina and the shop assistant.

　　She glanced the mini-ads in the train, lots of waitresses, waiters, shop assistants, secretary and tour guides required, Dutch, Cantonese, English speaking, don’t misunderstand, it was and, not or, any other European languages would be appreciated. The world was definitely developing really fast, at least in this little country. You had to be a language guru first to be able to serve people. Christina skipped all ads with Cantonese requirement. Amazingly, there were still 3 ads left,

　　“White, male, mid-age, looking for slim female under 30 for marriage,
　　Predestined Affinity Agency, Tel [phone]”

　　“In house babysitter needed, Mandarin speaking female preferred. Tel [phone]”

　　“Chinese man, looking for Dutch citizenship women for Legal marriage, payment negotiable, Tel [phone]”

　　What a clever phrase, Legal marriage, all Dutch lawyers would be pleased, but do you have any idea what did it really means? Christina did, Jenny told her. It meant a non-Dutch signs a contract with a Dutch, promise to divorce after 3 years when the non-Dutch become a Dutch too, by paying a certain amount of money in compensation for holding the Dutch 3 years on paper. That was a very legal marriage. Christina had thought Jenny was just joking, now she believed everything could be true in this world, all those novels and movies were all true.
　　A great pity she doesn’t have a golden citizenship, otherwise she’d buy herself a house simply by doing nothing more than marrying on paper every other 3 years. She might have to babysitting a golden citizen bud instead. Babysitter, she had never really consider it an option, she thought about house cleaning, but house cleaning would never take 6 days a week, besides, In house, meant she would have a roof from the job, what if mom would call to ask what kind of part time job was she doing, no, mom never asked that much, what if some friends here saw her babysitting, no, she had not that many friends here to run into at every corner of the street, it should be safe then, secretive, but was she really able to baby-sits at all?

　　She had never spend a whole day together with any of her nephews or nieces, no mention night…Christina kept fighting with herself about the pros and cons of babysitting when she was home. If only she’d have a home one day. She called the ads. A Cantonese speaking man told Christina in a kind of Mandarin that he put the ads for his friends. He might give Christina’s number to his friends when they’re back from Shanghai.

　　Lisa called to confirm the date for the Floriade park tour. Christina explained where she was without mentioning the part of being cheated by a countryman. She knew Lisa never sees much good in her tourist groups from China. It would be better not to crash her confidence in overseas Chinese too.

　　川的译文：

　　2002年七月16日，周二，阿姆斯特丹

　　世事难料

　　才半个月，睡的屋檐已经换了三个，Christina人醒过来了，对发生过的一切却仍然不能全盘接受。没门，当然没人相信这种事儿，她也不例外。

　　Christina搬家才两天，一对刚结婚的夫妇出现在那个中国男孩的公寓里，事实上，是Christina租了两个月的公寓，他们手里有一份七月10号生效的合法租赁合同副件，黑色的荷兰文清晰地印在白纸上，最后一页签了字。Christina意识到上帝跟她开了个什么样的黑色玩笑。亏她搬进来的时候还把每一片瓷砖都擦了一遍。

　　她的愚蠢在于视而不见，发现那个男孩儿根本没有多少财产她怎么没嗅出可疑之处，回家度两个月假而已为什么要带上成堆的非必需品？很明显，他搬走了，也许回了中国，也许去了荷兰别的地方。那对夫妇告诉她，他的租房合同到六月底终止，可是他请求房东宽限几天好搬家，这就是为什么房东跟他们签的合同从七月10号开始生效。

　　基督上帝耶稣，她的同胞设了陷阱诱她上钩，她住五天付给他700欧。她从没跟他要过收据，连张纸片都没有，他的手机当然已经消号，她甚至都不确定她是否曾经问过他的真实姓名，只知道他在网上的昵称。

　　关于他是谁，他要去哪儿，她以前没有，现在也没有一丝线索。去警察那儿大惊小怪一番毫无意义，除了她自己的愚蠢，她说不出任何实质内容；胆敢从租房者那儿租二手房，会被起诉违法，她不能自己把自己陷进去；她也不愿意四处宣扬自己被同胞骗了，那会是多么多么大的耻辱！！

　　比愤怒来得更紧急的是焦虑，她下一步该怎么办？那对可爱的夫妻相信她，他们被可以一进门就把她扔出去的，反正他们手上有合同，Christina除了一个故事什么也没有，可是他们说不介意，15号以前能搬进来就成，不过从10号开始他们得往里搬东西。不管怎样，这两个鬼佬心太善了，不但没敲诈她一分钱，还给了她5天宽裕。可她能去哪儿呢？严格来讲，只剩两天了，她没打算接受任何鬼佬的同情。

　　可是她接受了，不光是那对夫妻给的5天里的两天，而且还有现在她头顶的这个避风所。她本打算不告诉任何人，她向自己起誓不告诉别人，她甚至决定试试住火车站，看看他们晚上开不开门，如果不开，夏天晚上呆在户外也不太冷。或者，最不济她可以避开耳目潜回Floriade的售货亭里去呆会儿，收工时可以假装忘记交回钥匙拿去另配一把，第二天再交回去。

　　惊闻噩耗的第二天她休息，其实就是上个周二。她包里装着周末赚来的96个欧，绕着城里的大街小巷马不停蹄。Amsterdam算不得大城市，她穿过大教堂广场，Waterloo广场，还有许多别的广场，一路回了Bijlmer，她的两个月公寓所在地。没有奇迹发生。她不敢进那些房屋中介，哪怕96欧足够付登记费，也不会有中介在两天内帮她找到便宜得能租得起的房子。

　　再过2天，她最多能再多赚90欧，远远不够付头期房租和押金。什么情况下允许一个人注册成为难民？Christina的确问过自己这个问题，周围是没有人可问了。

　　直到路过一家中餐排挡，她才意识到自己饿了，一整天了，她无视自己的胃，现在胃抗议了。她走进店里，96欧除了填饱她的胃还能做什么？不过，高于5欧的东西她都没点，这样一来没有多少可供选择，她点了份儿Nasi，炒饭，没舍得点炒粉。

　　这家排档不大，生意不错。许多鬼佬正拎着外卖离开，比起口味来，他们更喜欢这儿的价钱。

　　几分钟米饭就炒好了，她把手伸向背包。。。把手伸进背包，实际上，她没拉拉链直接把手伸进了背包，因为拉链开着，可她不记得自己什么时候拉开过，继续找钱包，她把背包从肩上拿下来搁到柜台上，头埋进了包里，书，笔记本，地图，草纸，信件和纸巾都在，没有钱包。

　　她的钱包丢了，她的96欧丢了。柜台后的中国女孩儿不耐烦地看着她，等着她付款：3.95欧。Christina又把包包里的小袋袋翻了一遍，找出1毛五分钱。她的脸火烧火燎的，实在羞愧难当，跟那个女孩儿道了歉，告诉她自己去附近提钱，5分钟内回来拿炒饭。自然，她没回去。5分钟以后，她已经离那家排档老远了，停下来试图让自己吸口气清醒一下，想一想自己有可能把钱包落在了哪儿。

　　家里？不能，她记得很清楚，把钥匙搁到包里以前，钱包已经搁进去了。可是她不可能把钱包放到别的地方，她甚至没有在一个地方停留过5分钟以上，就那么一路经过不同的场所，拥挤的人群往家走。上帝，拥挤的人群。

　　她真的说不准什么，也根本说不清有什么特殊的面孔或者细节能帮自己回想起丢钱的地点。她没有线索。可能是那些广场中的任何一个。顺着原路再走回去也没有用处，到那时钱包早就被掏空了，不剩一个子儿，她新买的电车卡，她的负债7欧的银行卡，她在Has的打印卡，学生证和。。。。都没了

　　噢，上帝呀，她肯定晕了几分钟，头脑一片空白，她的暂住证也跟钱包一起丢了。她需要那个倒霉的证件去办延期，九月一号就到期了，要得到新的再住一年的暂住证她就得交回原先那个倒霉的旧证，现在那个倒霉东西却丢了。

　　回到那对夫妻的寓所，她先打电话到境外警察局，这事儿最紧急。当然找不到人，太晚了，早过了下班时间。

　　Christina 身心疲惫，可是人却坐不住。她得去趟警察局，就去挂失好了，谁知道呢，也许现在的贼好心，把证件留在钱包里扔在街上，那样的话也许有人捡到了，交到警察局。

　　她不相信上帝，可是就这一次，请不要让贼把她的钱包扔进垃圾箱，那样钱包里的东西会损坏。她认为警察局应该24小时开门，总不能把杀人犯搁着不管吧，她想对了。

　　第一个警局，她按了三次门铃，每次超过一分钟，才有人开门。门前挡着钢栅栏，一个黑人透过栅栏缝怀疑地看着她，“什么事儿？”他问，想要帮忙的愿望微乎其微。

　　“先生，请帮帮忙，我刚丢了钱包，里面有一些很重要的文件。”Christina听到自己的声音抖得跟身体一样厉害。

　　“对不起，失物招领处下班了，其实我们都下班了，我恐怕什么忙也帮不上，”他耸耸肩，看他的表情，好像每隔几分钟就有一堆人来报告他们丢了最后的96欧元和暂住证似的。

　　“那么你知不知道哪家分局24小时开门？”Christina没力气喊叫，她平静地问，好像她习惯了时不时就丢一个钱包，好像丢钱包就是人人都得习惯的那么件小事儿。

　　“知道，教堂广场旁边的那家，他们通宵开门，你可以去试试。”

　　“多谢了，”面对关上的门，Christina保持了自己的礼节。

　　1.5欧，足够让Christina乘地铁和电车去教堂广场，于是半个小时后，晚上9点，她来到了那家24小时开门的警所。

　　一位长相甜美的女接待员正在听一位年轻的黑人妇女控诉她的丈夫虐待她。

　　“他酗酒吗？”

　　“有时候，可是他不喝酒的时候也打人。”

　　“你怎么不早来报案？”

　　“我不敢，要是让他发现了……”

　　“那么现在怎么敢来了？”

　　Christian突然想跑开，看能不能找个洗手间吐一场。不过又害怕突然逃逸会引起怀疑被抓捕，只能呆下去，接着听。

　　那个可怜的黑人妇女不得不把发生的一切详情都重述一遍，给那个好心的女士展示藏在衬衣下身上的红一块儿紫一块儿的伤痕，（因为她的皮肤本来是黑色，很难说伤痕是青一块儿紫一块儿的），与此同时，还得辩白为什么没有告诉自己的朋友，为什么没有申请离婚，为什么不…… 诸如此类的问题。

　　终于轮到了Christina，那位长相甜美的女士给了Christina一个职业化的问讯式的微笑，没说“什么事儿”之类的废话。

　　“我丢了钱包，”Christina意识到自己没遇到什么恶魔丈夫，不过有个恶魔同胞。

　　“里面有重要的东西吗？”

　　“所有重要的东西都在里面，我的学生证，银行卡，暂住证。”

　　“你弄丢了，还是被人偷了？”好吧，游戏开始了。

　　“我想是被偷了。我没开包，可是等我察觉钱包丢了的时候包是开着的。”Christina不想被盘根末节地问个没完没了，尽可能说的详尽。

　　“你什么时候发现钱包被偷的？”

　　“一个小时以前，在Bijlmer附近的一家中国排档。”

　　“有没有印象什么时候在哪儿被偷的？”

　　“没有明确的印象，我今天去过好多地方。”

　　“你还记得最后看见背包拉链好好的是什么时候？”

　　“我从家里出来时…… 不，经过Waterloo广场时，我觉得口渴，不过决定不买东西喝，那时包还是拉上的，”Christina佩服这位女士的专业技能，她有本事让你拐弯抹角地思考，想起那些你以为已经忘记了的细节。

　　“那之后你去了哪儿？”

　　“呃，Weesper广场，Gelderland广场，还有几个我记不太清楚名字了。”

　　“这么说，可以肯定你的钱包不是在教堂广场或是Waterloo广场丢的，”和蔼的女士开始作总结。

　　“对，应该不是，”Christina想快快结束问讯。

　　和蔼的女士取出一张黄色的纸张，圈出一个电话号码，递给Christina，“工作时间请打这个电话，失物招领处，如果有人拣到你的钱包交过去，他们会保管的。挂失的话，你得去Weesper或是Gerderland广场附近的分局，因为你可能是在那附近丢的钱包。祝你好运。”

　　“再说一句，实际上除了暂住证以外我不需要报失其他的物品，可不可以请你帮我写一张字条证明暂住证丢失，那么我就可以去外管局换个新证。”Christina实在厌烦了被这些分局象踢球一样踢来踢去。

　　“跟他们报失对你有利，万一有人发现了你的钱包，可能第一个就跟他们报告，而且，在哪儿丢东西就在哪儿挂失是我们的原则。我恐怕没什么能帮您了，祝你好运。”和蔼的女士对Christina和蔼地微笑。“哦，对了，你可以先给他们打电话预约。我再告诉你几个号码。”她是真的在想尽办法帮Christina。

　　接下来两天她照旧在售货亭里卖货，脸上的笑容如同在做梦，就好像是不相干的人租来两个月的公寓被现实炸成了碎片，是不相干的人丢了钱包似的。人们对待她跟对待任何一个正常的打工者一样，问她周末享受哪些乐事，她的学业怎么样了，她在新租的公寓里过得怎么样，她的回答也跟任何一位正常的打工者一样，她周末读了哈利波特，她的学业进行地很顺利，新租的公寓也好好地立在原地，连个砖皮都没掉过。大家甚至被她的幽默感逗得大笑，他们怎么可能想得到再过一两天，公寓里将没有Christina的立足之地。与此同时她还得打电话跟警察预约报失。

　　她趁着清理塑料杯碟扔到垃圾箱的功夫，在售货亭外打电话给警局。第一个号码是位男士，说没问题，她什么时候能来局里，Christina 说自己在Haarlem工作，如果他们不是24小时开门的话，她明天立马就过去，他说他们不是24小时工作，他建议她最好去Haarlem的分局，不必大老远跑到阿姆斯特丹。Christina再次晕头，等她反应过来，电话已经挂了。

　　Christina十分镇定地拨了黄纸条上的第二个电话，先问了他们的地址，在Rai区，然后她坚持说钱包就掉在了Rai区，她明天就去报失，此事终于解决了。真是太蠢了，她怎么不告诉那位和蔼的女接待员自己确定是在教堂广场丢的钱包呢。

　　真是多亏还有手机，她就剩这一件东西可以透支到月底了。

　　那天傍晚Anna打电话来，问Christina是否一切正常，最近有没有给父母打电话，生活是不是还在厚待她，有没有事情可以分享。。。。 Christina再也忍不住了，她在电话里痛哭失声，她想要告诉Anna过去三天里生活如何对待的她，可是她的声音颤抖得不成调了，她的手机信号又恰好很弱，可能让泪水淹得功能失调，然后线就断了。Christina攥着毛巾闭着眼睛放声大哭，跟个不愿重生却新生的宝宝一样，拒绝睁眼看这个黑暗的世界。

　　她哭到门铃响起，那对夫妻答应给她5天，她刚刚用了一天，现在他们就来收回承诺了，Christina 想找点儿东西遮遮眼睛，只找到从Klm买的一副眼罩。她开了门，是Anna，她再次放声大哭。

　　她现在睡在Anna的夏屋屋檐下，这儿多数家庭都有座夏屋，靠海边或是在农场区。Anna的是座简单的木屋，离海不远。夏季Anna在这儿度周末，冬季里单薄的木墙挡不住寒冷的海风。找到合适的地方以前，Christina可以呆在这儿，到九月或者。。。虽说九月以后在这儿就太冷了，“不过别担心，我们头上都有屋顶，随时欢迎你来分享，可是别再把你自己和这些爆炸新闻绑在一起躲开我们，要知道这对你的内脏可不太安全。”发生了这么多事儿，Anna依然有本事惹她笑。

　　现在的问题是从这儿去Floirade要花2个多小时，回这儿也2个多小时。对于这种安排，她不确定自己能忍受多久。每天5个多小时呢。

　　不过今天她休息，不对，是某种意义上的休息。她已经接受了山区怪物的工作，要去找到他那位于Utrecht附近某个地方的公司好签实习合同，对于被录用的消息她并没有像预料中那么欢欣鼓舞。她还要去查查电子邮箱，以免玲以为她真的挂了；她还得给负债的银行账户存100欧，免得他们不给她新的银行卡，哦对了，她对付过了Rai警察分局的又一轮问讯，比前面的那几次容易，也快了好多 ，现在她知道该怎么跟警察对话了。

　　她还得去一趟境外警察句（外管局），填一张表格，声明暂住证已丢失，再填另一张表格，请求签发旧证的暂代证，以便9月1号拿它去顶旧证换新证，不过2个月内他们根本不可能签出暂代证，而无论如何9月1号她也拿不到新证。这么看来一切还算顺利。

　　所有尝试付钱给Anna的意图都被打了回来，Anna说自己不是在租房子给Christina住，恰好房子空着，她很高兴Tina可以帮她看房子。听了这话Christina又哭了，又一个谎言，可是跟自己的同胞的谎言天差地别。她决定等自己再攒多点儿钱就去买些厨房用品或是植物来答谢。

　　她先去了阿姆斯特丹，打印出了去‘幸福集团’的公交线路，又查收了邮件，她的画家朋友Maria如常问候她，这说明Anna保守了她的同胞的不名誉的秘密。而在Christina经历一系列非家庭惨剧时，玲却不间断地照料着自家人的三餐。考试委员会办公室挂出了几门功课的成绩，目前来看还不错，给Jenny替考的统计学概况得了个9，她给自己考的正常水平也不过8而已，Philips公司股票分析的作业成绩还没出来。

　　出了学校，Christina往外管局去。也许因为属市里的繁华地段，成群的黑人，黄种人，棕色人种和几个白人集结在各个服务窗口前，手持叫号牌，焦急地等着见面评审，评审标准和条款五花八门，他们努力讨价还价，操着英式荷兰语，阿拉伯式荷兰语，土耳其式荷兰语，中式荷兰语，还有其他各种有可能组合出来的荷兰语。各种肤色的宝宝，头发或卷或直，一刻不停地用千篇一律的宝宝式荷兰语哭个不停，好像他们知道自己的父母遇到了不公正待遇，受到了非人的打击。

　　为什么有这么多人希望在异国被异国的人按异国的标准来估价呢？自己在这些人中间做什么？Christina真是很不喜欢来这个地方，一旦进来很难出去，拿着不同的号码等在一个个不同的窗口外，每个窗口前都排着成打成群的人，如果失去耐心放弃一次，结果可能要多花两天把每个窗口重新轮过才能补回错过的点。她可不敢，于是一直等，直到填完了不同窗口的各种表格，终于在最后一个窗□□上了挂失报告。

　　来到街上，她使劲吸了几口气。不得不佩服在这大楼里工作的男女警察，真不容易，天天呼吸这种污浊的二氧化物。

　　跟‘幸福集团’的约还差半小时，Christina沿小镇慢慢溜达。路过一家邮政银行，Christina走过去5分钟才想起来自己的负债帐户，又溜达回来，进去存100欧，招徕一片质疑的目光，她给他们也看了看挂失报告副件，请求另发新卡，他们建议她最好不要存100欧，因为拿到新卡以前取不出来钱，她万分感谢这些人，可是坚持存了钱。她不能让帐户负债，万一因此不发新卡可不得了。

　　到了‘幸福集团’没找到接待处，Christina走上二楼，几间办公室，没有标牌说明谁在哪间屋，她敲开了一扇门，几个职员坐在各自的电脑旁，一个长得高高的男孩子给她指了那个怪物在哪间屋。

　　她又看了看表，正好3点，先轻轻敲了敲门才进去，怪物先生坐在大大的整洁的弧形檀香木书桌后，侧面冲着Christina也不转身，两个食指忙着在手提电脑上敲击，“请坐，暴雪，我再有一分钟就好。”

　　“如果你不介意用其他手指，那么只要一秒钟就好了。”Christina想咬掉自己的舌头，自己怎么又一次说话不经大脑？

　　“唔，我留着他们有比打字更重要的事。”他笑得狡猾，Christina 略去这话可能包含的背后意义。

　　“这个借口够机敏，我可以跟我的好朋友推荐一下。”她想着Anna，用4个手指打字。

　　“中国人？”
　　“不，一位荷兰雕塑师，”不知道为什么，Christina解释了一句，“一位资深女士。”

　　“这说明做一个荷兰人也不是没好处的。”

　　Christina不禁猜想他是不是半仙，或者异常聪明，她可从来没说过有关荷兰的一句坏话，确确实实一句没有。

　　Christina在桌前的位子上，确切说，位子里坐下，然后更加深切地认识到坐的位置不同能产生多大的效应。她坐在绿色的沙发上，材质真是挺好，可是太软了，坐进去如同溺水的孩童，她不得不向前抻着下巴颏好重新调整坐姿，两胳膊架到高得毫无道理的扶把上，反观他，坐一把黑色皮转椅，看上去高高在上，自然而然取得掌控权。Christina真想知道他是不是特意弄了把软软的绿色沙发搁在桌子前，好把来客的信心彻底消灭。

　　“伲喝一賠咖啡，尊敬的雪静小姐？”他关上手提，转向Christina，用一种怪怪的中文问她要不要咖啡，倒是能听懂。

　　“Thee, als je blieft, als je die ook hebt. （茶，如果方便的话，如果您这儿有的话）” Christina 用荷兰语说，她想喝茶。

　　“我当然有足够多的各种口味的茶，顺便说一下，我不过是想跟一位中国本土人练习一下口语，不是想做语言测试。”

　　“我也是。我已经放弃了跟任何3岁以上的荷兰人做语言测试，好像每个人都有以色列祖父，或是巴勒斯坦祖母，荷兰父亲或是德国母亲。我可不可以来杯草莓口味的茶？谢谢。”

　　趁他走开，Christina四下打量办公室，一架大地球仪立在窗台左边，三个孩子的合影装在温尼熊的相框里，旁边一对米老鼠书架里竖着砖块大小的管理学词典，房间另一边有个文件柜，角落里站着一个大大的卡通版白雪公主，桌子后面的架子上有些礼物，有中国结，红色的绳结镶嵌着玉制方块字，好运发财一类的祝福，
　　还有各种材质的鼻烟壶，珐琅釉的四大美人，极富线条美的佛像。

　　这个办公室组合不简单，彼此都没关联，可是既不让人觉得孩子气，又不会太严肃。有东西掉在Christina头发上，是她身后的绿色植物的落叶，大约是种树，还有几片落到了地毯上。

　　Christina弯腰捡起树叶，放到盆里的树根旁。

　　“垃圾筐在我桌子底下，”他回来了，端着自己的黑咖啡和她的草莓茶。

　　“谢谢，我相信他们更高兴回家。”

　　“可别告诉我你是树里长出来的。”

　　“你不觉得受伤流绿色血液看上去不那么刺激人？”

　　“我们跳过落叶的感受这个话题吧，你读过合同了？”

　　“有哪些要讨论的吗？”

　　“就一个，你打算花我多少钱？”

　　从来没人给过Christina这种机会。她做过的各种工作都是固定工资。“你觉得自己愿意提供多少呢？”她想给自己争取点儿时间，好给个合适的价码，听同学们说实习津贴从0到500不等，大多数在这个范围的前半截。

　　“我们订个规矩。我们彼此承诺不再用一问题回答另一个een vraag。”他半是认真地说。（荷兰语een vraag相当于一个问题的意思）

　　“好吧，我现在业余时间给一家公司‘幸福食品’打工挣600到700欧，可是老实说我不太确定你们公司 。。。”

　　“那我们就暂定600，可是要全职，每周五天，要记得你在这儿不光打工，还能学习，”简短直接，Christina对这个价格相当满意，她在Floriade业余打工实际每周6天，这样一来每周五个工作日的办公室工作真是轻松愉快。“可是为什么？不是所有的公司都在雇用学生来减少支出吗？比这少一半的钱你都能找到不少人手。”她听见自己的话不经思考脱口而出。

　　“谢谢你如此诚实，可是你需要这些钱，不是吗？如果你在我这儿全天工作，就不能再去那个公园工作了。而且，付出才有收获。”

　　上帝，Christina不敢相信还有如此人道的资本家。

　　两个人签了合同，Christina同他握了下手，职业化十足略带感激，然后快速把手抽了回来，好像他把自己全身重量都压到了手上，好重呀。

　　他开始帮她熟悉内部员工信息，比如谁做什么之类。他下面有九个员工，其中两个是实习学生。Christina很好奇他给那两个多少工资。他领她看了几件办公室和展室，回到他的办公室，出人意料的，他说，“你今天闻起来不错。”

　　Christina赶紧用手托住下巴以防跟那些落叶一样掉到地毯上。“你是说我上次闻起来很糟糕？”她是洒了些香水，可是在商业对话中这个话题合适吗？

　　没有一个单身男士曾经对她说过这么 。。。。这么不寻常而无礼的话，连那两个曾经对她感兴趣的男生也没说过。David，Has的同校生，典型的沈阳来的官僚子女，家里腐败来大量金钱，他在这儿一遍又一遍地重复上一年级，以高出在国内10倍的速度疯狂地挥霍那些来路不明的钱财。他说Christina感觉像个大姐姐，尽管他比Ti她还大两岁。另一个是xy公司的司机，就是Christina曾经工作过的汽车配件公司，他发疯一样把自己那点儿钱用在给她打长途电话上，她不得已换了电话号。

　　“把赞美纯粹当成赞美来接受这么难吗？”中国人就是中国人，他做了结论。

　　“你刚刚破坏了自己的承诺，才半个小时，又用一个问题回答另一个问题。”Christina提醒他。

　　“哈哈哈，我要把你送去干掉我的中国伙伴，确切说是个台湾人，你介不介意我花一分钟给他写个邮件？”

　　“我想我的任务是去拯救他。不着急你慢慢写，我今天下午的时间归你。”Christina现在可以肯定这位经理根本没什么风度。可是不管怎样，他就要成为自己的经理了。

　　“你这一辈子都会归我的，”他没看她，边打字边开玩笑。

　　Christina又一次觉得听力出了毛病，不行，不要想得过多，这只是一种恶劣的玩笑罢了，或者。。。当然只是某种玩笑，可是这才是他们第二次见面，不，别这么中国，荷兰人自然都挺不上道，他们就爱讲废话，记住，废话，你可别当真，Christina暗自告诫自己，“那得拿你的一辈子来换，估计我的人生要长些，不划算。”

　　回Anna的夏屋的路上，Christina在阿姆斯特丹火车站稍作停留，去Zeedijk的中国超市买一些日用杂货。在Namkai的前台旁边有中文报纸可供免费取阅，她拿了一份，其实是广东人的报纸，由Hague的某个中国文化团体编辑发行，大多数内容是帮广东饭馆，理发厅，旅行社和航空公司促销。

　　Christina只对做中国生意的找寻讲汉语人才的一小栏感兴趣，不过令人沮丧，10个有9.9个要求应聘者会讲广东话，而不是普通话，如果早知道，在国内她就学了。这也是为什么除了无法拒绝的节日场合外，Christina从来不跟Jenny外出。

　　跟一群不讲普通话的广东人坐在一起，Christina觉得很尴尬，他们不太说英语，说一点儿某种口音的荷兰语，而她跟广东人讲话时大部分用英语，也用一些带自己口音的荷兰语，整体来说就像沟通灾祸。至今想起来阿姆斯特丹的第一天她就忍不住要笑，Anna领Christina去中国商铺聊一聊，结果Anna不得不把店员的话从荷兰语翻成英语讲给她听。

　　在火车上她浏览着小幅启事，很多关于男女服务员，店员，秘书和导游的招聘，要求会说荷语，粤语，英语，别误解，并且，注意不是或者，任何一种欧洲语言都备受青睐。这个世界确实正在迅速发展，至少这个小国家是这样的。要想服务他人，自己首先得成为语言大师。Christina掠过所有要求会讲粤语的启事，竟然还剩下3个，让人惊讶，

　　“白人，男性，中年，寻30岁以下之苗条女士成婚，今生前缘婚介所，电话[phone]”

　　“居家幼儿保姆，讲普通话之女士优先。电话 [phone]”

　　“中国男士，寻荷籍女士建立合法婚姻，酬金可议。电话 [phone]”

　　多么聪明的措辞，合法婚姻，全体荷兰律师听了都会很高兴，可是知不知道它的真正意义是什么？Christian知道，Jenny告诉过她。就是说，一个非荷籍人士同一位荷籍人士签约，约定3年后非荷籍取得荷籍双方就离婚，为此非荷籍付给荷籍一定数量的薪酬以补偿这三年的纸头禁锢。这是非常合法的婚姻。Christina曾经以为Jenny在开玩笑，现在她相信这世上一切皆有可能，所有的小说和电影都来自真实生活。

　　多么遗憾，她没有荷籍金卡，否则她什么都不干，就给自己买栋房子，每三年就来次纸面婚姻。也许她更愿意照顾一下金卡荷籍小花朵，作保姆，她以前没认真考虑把它作为一种选择，她想过做家政，可是家政用不着一周工作6天，还有一点，居家，那意味着通过工作她能得到挡风遮雨的地方，如果妈妈打电话来问她正在做什么兼职工作怎么办，不，妈妈从来不问那么多，如果这儿的朋友看见她作保姆怎么办，不，她在这儿没有多少朋友，还到不了转个弯就撞上的地步，这么说来很安全，很隐秘，可是她真的懂得怎么做保姆吗？

　　她从来没跟自己的哪个侄子侄女一起呆过一整天，更不用说过夜了。。。直到回了家，Christina还在跟自己较劲，作保姆好还是不好。假使她有个家，一天也好。她拨了启事上留的电话。一个广东口音的男子操着怪怪的普通话告诉Christina，他帮朋友做的广告，等他朋友从上海回来，他就把他们的电话告诉她。

　　Lisa打电话来，确定了去Floriade公园游玩的日期。Christina跟她讲明了自己现在住在哪儿，可是没提被同胞骗了的那一段。她知道Lisa在中国来的旅游团里看不到多少优点，自己最好不要再打击她对海外华人的信心。