143Please respect copyright.PENANAko4mJW4NGK
阿貴帶羅排來到烤鴨舖,大夥一看到他們,立刻停下手邊工作,喜出望外的上前迎接、話嘮。143Please respect copyright.PENANALJpVBieAd7
143Please respect copyright.PENANAXSuCQ1SGtV
大半年渺無音訊的羅排,完全變了個樣!頭髮長了,還蓄了一臉落塞鬍,穿著馬靴、戴著墨鏡和鴨舌帽,一身行頭完全符合這個年代的時尚。143Please respect copyright.PENANAqHNjV8tqUS
143Please respect copyright.PENANAtkV61p55Y1
大夥藉今天羅排回來,加上店舖生意門可羅雀,和蔡蓉商量過後,決定提早打烊!趁天黑前,將羅排與小姑娘迎至平房一同晚餐;席間,他與大夥分享這半年多來,究竟都經歷了些什麼。143Please respect copyright.PENANA3PRtT82hyo
143Please respect copyright.PENANAf6lw8PX6Fo
羅排回憶,說他和娜娜走出火車站後,一路向東,幾經輾轉,好不容易才回到店仔口,還在去年治療軟達的藥舖,滯留三天。143Please respect copyright.PENANAU6DFgF2cy7
143Please respect copyright.PENANAONeKD0NxNw
藥舖的「李老闆」,為人古道熱腸,見故人歸來,還熱情地騰出閣樓,借他們暫住;直到遇見塔斯庫後,這才辭別李老闆,和娜娜一起回到部落住了下來。143Please respect copyright.PENANAdkU5sUQ8Ws
143Please respect copyright.PENANAcJ8rVdxTVZ
部落依舊熱情、友善,待他和娜娜如上賓,是管吃管住還分文不取!但住沒一個月,羅排就出現水土不服的症狀,上吐下瀉、高燒不退!部落巫醫束手無策,只好送他下山,回店仔口藥舖,再請醫師診治。143Please respect copyright.PENANA6Cn88gfI7p
143Please respect copyright.PENANA0BrPlkalef
又過了兩天,病情非但未見好轉,反而開始惡化!於是再讓人送去嘉義市區的「教會醫院」,獲得抗生素治療,這才撿回一命!143Please respect copyright.PENANAU7wRN3bwmg
143Please respect copyright.PENANAhavUAYxA5u
「我就是在教會醫院認識她的。」羅排比了比坐在他身旁的小姑娘。143Please respect copyright.PENANAyG0HhecQkP
143Please respect copyright.PENANAxcpcYmZqwo
她的漢名叫「鐘桐花」,隨的是母姓。她還有個日本名,叫「前田花子」,是一名日本警察在台的私生女。143Please respect copyright.PENANARLQg7jK2jL
143Please respect copyright.PENANAnyQaPAcUuf
因日籍生父遭遣返回日本,她只好留在台灣和生母相依為命;無奈母親年初因肺結核病逝!如今只剩她一個人,孤苦無依。143Please respect copyright.PENANAkmZ09gkV39
143Please respect copyright.PENANAZuUEc2PJhd
為了償還母親的住院費用,花子在醫院無償幫忙看照病患。又恰好兩人同是客家人,語言相通,朝夕相處之下,漸漸日久生情!143Please respect copyright.PENANA5QDTBEeYIX
143Please respect copyright.PENANAfzs7vB23Qs
羅排明白,雖說花子是無償在醫院幫忙,但終究得多一套碗筷,吃一份口糧;等他病癒要出院時,特地向醫院負責人「馬神父」(馬可西穆,51歲,義大利籍)商量,希望能帶她一起出院!143Please respect copyright.PENANAL4i1dojpAc
143Please respect copyright.PENANAHqGhii8CGZ
馬神父早年曾在大陸行醫,會說國語,是當地少數能用國語交談的人。他看羅排這人雖然油嘴滑舌、能言善道,但品行還算敦厚,且誠心誠意;在徵詢過花子意願後,這才放心把她交給羅排,讓他們一起離開醫院。143Please respect copyright.PENANA5IThmwgEax
143Please respect copyright.PENANAx74wEJLBvX
羅排和花子回到部落後,又待了一個多月。山上什麼都好,就是無聊了點;沒什麼休閒娛樂,加上語言不通,想幹些什麼,都得找娜娜翻譯。143Please respect copyright.PENANAbKnX6slYAv
143Please respect copyright.PENANArbXns1fRdB
等娜娜和塔斯庫完婚後,羅排便決定帶花子下山。辭行時,老頭目還大方的給他們好些山產,讓他帶下山去交易,換取一些盤纏!143Please respect copyright.PENANAp0buqYx6mR
143Please respect copyright.PENANAz4xhwgOWno
說到這裡,羅排從行囊裡抽出一把番刀。他說:「這也是頭目送的,留給我們防身用!」143Please respect copyright.PENANAj5WYTw7WTc
143Please respect copyright.PENANAVS5OUfzgy8
羅排回到藥鋪,向李老闆承租了閣樓,兩人就在店仔口住了下來。這段時日,每回娜娜隨塔斯庫下山做買賣,都會順道過來探望他們。143Please respect copyright.PENANAnxRQMaNjW1
143Please respect copyright.PENANAZP5NAHPo1r
「從剛才到現在,都沒聽她說過一句話。」查理有些難以啟齒,但還是忍不住多問一句:「她是不是聾啞人士?」143Please respect copyright.PENANAeSAKdfYtwH
143Please respect copyright.PENANAiYEPmnjWR2
羅排聽完,哈哈大笑!回道:「你們別誤會,那是因為她只聽得懂客語和日語!」143Please respect copyright.PENANATPDmGaha2F
143Please respect copyright.PENANADLXuJBtil1
正因為有語言這層障礙,才讓花子在醫院幫忙時,總顯得有些格格不入!這也是馬神父同意讓羅排帶走花子的原因之一。143Please respect copyright.PENANAsLpJEivclF
143Please respect copyright.PENANAVY6C193cf5
「娜娜呢?」俊泰很好奇娜娜婚後過得如何。143Please respect copyright.PENANA9yvwTU8xao
143Please respect copyright.PENANAzCOsIPbd1p
「幸福的咧!」羅排欣悅地說:「如果我推算的沒錯,差不多今年底、明年初吧,他們的小Baby就會出生了!」143Please respect copyright.PENANA52oWJefFS3
143Please respect copyright.PENANAdWFUskfpDw
這時,查理突然嘆了口氣;他似乎對娜娜結婚生子的事感到有些顧慮,因為他擔心的「祖父悖論」最終還是發生了!但事到如今,也只能靜觀其變。143Please respect copyright.PENANAUxieUmXomu
143Please respect copyright.PENANAnrI1n31ifx
「那......旁邊這個小妹妹呢?」浩克略帶邪念地問:「你打算怎麼辦?」143Please respect copyright.PENANAv1ap4c0OpY
143Please respect copyright.PENANA2fGQdP7z79
「她才十五歲,我能有什麼打算。」羅排用一種略帶憐憫的眼神,看了花子一眼。然後說:「我把她當妹妹看,萬一......我們真回不去了,就乾脆和她一起相依為命吧!」143Please respect copyright.PENANAy8TiOOsdGN
143Please respect copyright.PENANAd1IEctdhSl
浩克:「那萬一......我們回去了咧?你要帶她一起走嗎?」經他這麼一問,羅排反倒沉默了,陷入沉思,良久無語。143Please respect copyright.PENANAQiotxVwEmP
143Please respect copyright.PENANA9dDM246kWy
「算了算了,以後的事以後再說吧。」小治岔開話題,接著問:「對了,你那匹馬是怎麼回事?」143Please respect copyright.PENANAveqL9fm2FG
143Please respect copyright.PENANAx3Md1ExC9j
「『吊莢咧』(客家粗話),說到這個就來氣,都是讓人給拗的!」羅排憤憤不平的說。143Please respect copyright.PENANAyuNQoN8vHR
143Please respect copyright.PENANAspOK90I0cu
為了生計,羅排偕花子四處幫人打零工,從體力活到紅白事,他們全都做過!有回經人介紹,去到一處農場幫人看照牲口、採收蔬果,於是倆人在那裡住了近一個月;而這匹馬,就是在農場那裡獲得的。143Please respect copyright.PENANAmj4UgdFlqR
143Please respect copyright.PENANAwAXYNJkSqh
羅排:「馬是農場老闆一位已故友人寄養的,聽說是從日軍那跑出來的軍馬!」143Please respect copyright.PENANAOHWLZbCfzy
143Please respect copyright.PENANAj3yQ9PMGlN
此馬的性情剛烈,難以馴服;但不知為何,牠卻很聽花子的話,百依百順。農場老闆覺得這匹馬在農場反正沒什麼用,乾脆牽過來交給他們,還被折抵了一部分酬勞!143Please respect copyright.PENANAIpfTtmdqv3
143Please respect copyright.PENANAP9TYyNxZv1
有了馬之後,羅排與花子就可以去到更遠的地方打工;北至濁水溪,南至台南市,就像打工渡假一樣,半工半遊,很長一段時日都沒回到店仔口住。143Please respect copyright.PENANAyWxoQGNtDZ
143Please respect copyright.PENANA1A2KVA8ft3
「你們知道騎馬最大的好處是什麼嘛 ?」羅排問。143Please respect copyright.PENANAM2WjRal1iY
143Please respect copyright.PENANAuk2uURfevG
大夥瞎猜半天,最後羅排解答:「就是不用加油!」143Please respect copyright.PENANAcve1OWeHBH
143Please respect copyright.PENANAyLu8wVYMRB
羅排幽完自己一默後,在場所有人皆會心一笑;一旁的花子卻像憨鴨聽雷,一頭霧水。不過她還是面帶笑意,靦腆地陪大家一起傻笑。143Please respect copyright.PENANAo2sVc2T9Ep
143Please respect copyright.PENANAxqT5ifz7QF
七月底,羅排結束最近一期的工作,剛回到店仔口,竟在藥舖遇到老瓦!143Please respect copyright.PENANA9zGukAMEjq
143Please respect copyright.PENANApd5mZwZdvN
老瓦憑著從小玲那套來的情報,循線找到了這裡;他一連守了好幾天,才總算堵到了羅排!143Please respect copyright.PENANALWULTvwTmN
143Please respect copyright.PENANAJNQDxBtJDt
後來羅排帶著老瓦,隨娜娜、塔斯庫一起上山,來到部落。143Please respect copyright.PENANAyqGdWkVayW
143Please respect copyright.PENANAec1ZVlQ9W1
首次來到部落的老瓦,對這隱匿在深山老林的高山族,感到無比好奇!他不但尋遍部落周圍一帶的地形地勢,還認真體驗部落的生活日常;從食衣住行、武器裝備,到經濟型態、社會結構,方方面面都考察了遍!143Please respect copyright.PENANAX4r9vobMua
143Please respect copyright.PENANAn8FFMalj4j
羅排:「要不是早知道他有特務背景,否則,不知道的人還以為他是做學術研究的!」143Please respect copyright.PENANAT4eWIuF8cz
143Please respect copyright.PENANAJ9VKVOEPbD
後來羅排又陪老瓦在部落待了半個月,還從他那裡得知小治一行人與弘爺、小玲的近況。143Please respect copyright.PENANAT2snyidpxy
143Please respect copyright.PENANAdgfiyy2eCt
下山後,羅排決定退租藥舖閣樓,收拾細軟,帶著花子、牽著馬,一路北上,來找小治他們。143Please respect copyright.PENANASte6dsa4a7
143Please respect copyright.PENANAiFplZhlEEi
當晚,羅排歸來這事也透過無線電,告訴了弘爺。143Please respect copyright.PENANACCijVDP6zK
143Please respect copyright.PENANAsepRhnaIWC
無線電那頭,還能聽到他興奮地說:「太好了,過兩天剛好有假,到時再去板橋找你們!」
ns 172.70.127.147da2