哥兒姊妹吉祥:
今天 (1/12) 有點兒涼, 攝氏十六度加上陰霾的天氣, 讓我很不想從被窩裡爬出來.
十一點與牙醫有約, 故鄉楊梅的卓醫師將為我裝上第一顆植牙, 是左下顎的倒數第二顆大臼齒. 以前在信裡不只一次與大家分享過的, 那是我小學高年級時的蛀牙, 經過鄰居旅日牙醫黃乾水叔的抽神經, 鑲補後, 一直用到民國61年下半年, 在金門當預備軍官時才開始出狀況, 好像是臼齒槽稍微崩壞, 退伍上班後, 又回去故鄉讓乾水叔修補了一下, 他說可能不能保用很久了?
結婚後兩三年吧? 我的那顆蛀牙終於完全土崩瓦解, 首先是鑲在齒槽的金屬合金, 不知何時脫落給吞下肚了? 又回去請乾水叔把殘留的臼齒牙根遺跡清除乾淨, 原本是想等到牙齦長回去後, 才考慮繼續做假牙的事. 奇妙的是, 缺齒很快就讓我習慣? 一拖就是幾年. 辦公室裏每兩年一次的健康檢查, 長庚醫院的牙醫都會建議我及早去補牙, 否則會有倒牙之虞. 我當然也很重視這個問題, 但是考慮到補一顆牙, 將損傷隔鄰兩顆牙的健康代價? 所以遲遲未進行.
差不多就在這個時候吧? 辦公室裡貿易資料圖書館蒐集的專業雜誌, 傳來德國已開發出植牙的新技術, 於是我更篤定, 想要等待該項技術成熟傳到台灣後, 就立刻著手補牙計畫. 可是轉眼又二十年過去了, 我早已習慣缺齒的歲月, 也感覺不到任何不方便之處?
可巧的是近四五年來, 與岳父母共同生活後, 不知不覺間就經歷分享到老人家植牙過程中的利與弊. 加上網路也傳來植牙並不是目前最好的缺齒醫療手段, 可能產生因侵入式醫療行為, 而引發的弱點. 於是我又拖慢了一段時間, 直到去年因為左上顎智齒蛀牙將脫落, 到了岳父母及大舅子等親人信賴的牙醫診所, 連妻也是卓醫師在進行植牙療程的. 於是就半推半就地坐上了卓醫師的牙醫椅.
5/28 拔除左上顎智齒
6/18 洗下顎門牙四顆
8/25 植入左下顎倒數第二顆大臼齒牙根與牙套
9/8 拆線
10/8 左上顎門牙抽神經
10/15, 10/20 觀察門牙抽完神經後狀態
11/10 鑿去門牙三分之一, 套上輔助齒, 採取齒模
11/24 裝上門牙義齒一顆 (費用NT 21,000元)
12/26 採取左下顎倒數第二顆大臼齒齒模
1/12 裝上左下顎倒數第二顆大臼齒植牙體 (費用六萬元)
幾十年來終於在浴室的鏡子裡, 看到自己擁有完整的左下顎齒列, 非常齊平的, 心想日後咀嚼食物的時候, 會感覺到更輕鬆愉快又美味吧? 可是前兩天吃東西時, 還是覺得卡卡的: 明顯的感受到是帶著牙套? 尤其食物總會躲在新牙齒的前方角落, 因為這顆大臼齒本來就很佔空間的, 體型確實比有側緊鄰的小臼齒大了一倍. 我細細地回想一下, 缺齒的幾十年裡, 那個位置好像是城牆上傾圮了一大塊, 久了以後, 舌頭都習慣地, 從倒榻了的缺口上進進出出, 很容易地就把左下顎咀嚼中的食物, 收拾得服服貼貼. 所以沒有食物碎片足以短暫藏身之角落. 進食的時候, 乾淨俐落, 動作順暢極了.
如今不同: 破損經年的大片城牆既經重新打樁夯土整砌補實後, 那顆大臼齒舔起來的感覺, 也真的像是一堵大新牆. 只是舌尖無法同步更新舊日從城牆缺口進出自如的記憶, 也尚未學會如何翻過新城牆, 把躲在牆角下的食物碎屑, 索俐地蒐集起來, 有效地送上新臼齒去研磨的技巧. 相信這趟嶄新的學習之旅, 是需要幾個禮拜的吧?
不禁讓我想起父親七十幾歲, 第一次套上半口假牙吃東西時的景況, 只見爸爸小心翼翼地咀嚼後, 又一遍一遍地翻轉著舌尖, 嘴裡的食物碎屑仍三三兩兩地趴在齒列上, 很不聽話? 因為動作不順暢, 嘴唇會不經意地發出啪搭趴搭的聲響, 讓父親不好意思地自我解嘲說: [這口假牙真不好使啊!]
後來八十多歲的岳父, 上下兩片的義齒, 更是讓老人家在進食的過程中, 相當地不自在. 我曾經考慮過要設計一種專門為牙口不便的人, 方便使用的袖珍杵臼, 可以優雅地邊把食物磨細, 邊聊天後, 輕鬆愉悅地用湯匙把食糜送進嘴裡, 充分品嚐滋味後, 愉快地嚥下?
如今相差兩輪的兩位長者, 都已經先後抵達天國, 哪裡想必沒有蛀牙的問題? 吃東西也一定是每一口都是香甜味美的啦! 倒是重新裝備完成滿口 [伶牙俐齒] 的區區在下, 應該更認真地善待自己的嘴裡雄獅, 讓他們充分發揮功能, 護衛未來的健康歲月.
後記:
這封簡單的信, 本想 1/12 當天就可以發送給哥兒姊妹們的, 可是那天裝完義齒, 與外甥泉江夫婦及孫兒全展共進午餐後, 回到書房打開電腦, 就不經意地讓 Jennifer Rush 的歌聲給迷著了, 讓我從 YouTube 上抄下來與大夥兒分享:
Jennifer Rush - Power Of Love (1984)
The whispers in the morning of lovers sleeping tight
Are rolling by like thunder now
As I look in your eyes
I hold on to your body
And feel each move you make
Your voice is warm and tender
A love that I could not forsake
*Cause I'm your lady and you are my man
Whenever you reach for me
I'll do all that I can
Lost is how I'm feeling, lying in your arms
When the world outside is too much to take
Then all ends when I'm with you
Even though there maybe times it seems I'm far away
But never wonder where I am
Cause I am always by your side
We're heading for something,
somewhere I've never been
Sometimes I am frightened
But I'm ready to learn about the power of love
The sound of your heart beating made it clear suddenly
The feeling that I can't go on is light-years away
Are rolling by like thunder now
As I look in your eyes
I hold on to your body
And feel each move you make
Your voice is warm and tender
A love that I could not forsake
*Cause I'm your lady and you are my man
Whenever you reach for me
I'll do all that I can
Lost is how I'm feeling, lying in your arms
When the world outside is too much to take
Then all ends when I'm with you
Even though there maybe times it seems I'm far away
But never wonder where I am
Cause I am always by your side
We're heading for something,
somewhere I've never been
Sometimes I am frightened
But I'm ready to learn about the power of love
The sound of your heart beating made it clear suddenly
The feeling that I can't go on is light-years away
那晚, 我想繼續寫信的, 可是電腦又跳出一篇梁實秋大師的女兒文薔女士回憶父親的感人文章, 讓我看到凌晨李點才上床.
第二天 (1/13) 是貿協戰友阿屈姊, 說好要宴請從洛城返鄉投票的祖萱與穗生夫婦歡敘的日子. 於是台北安和路與敦化南路上, 三十多年前日漸模糊的記憶, 把幾個老哥兒姊妹的輕聲話語, 濃稠懷思, 從甜蜜的重逢給攪和成難捨的半日浮生又要別離. 回到家一下子又掉進了五十年前, 兩個青澀大學生的猛浪情懷裡, 整夜都爬不出來…
Simon & Garfunkel - The Sound of Silence (1966)
Hello darkness, my old friend
I've come to talk with you again
Because a vision softly creeping
Left its seeds while I was sleeping
And the vision that was planted in my brain
Still remains
Within the sound of silence
In restless dreams I walked alone
Narrow streets of cobblestone
'Neath the halo of a street lamp
I turned my collar to the cold and damp
When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light
That split the night
And touched the sound of silence
And in the naked light I saw
Ten thousand people, maybe more
People talking without speaking
People hearing without listening
People writing songs that voices never share
And no one dared
Disturb the sound of silence
"Fools", said I, "You do not know
Silence like a cancer grows
Hear my words that I might teach you
Take my arms that I might reach you"
But my words, like silent raindrops fell
And echoed In the wells of silence
And the people bowed and prayed
To the neon god they made
And the sign flashed out its warning
In the words that it was forming
And the sign said, "The words of the prophets are written
on the subway walls And tenement halls"
And whispered in the sounds of silence
Hello darkness, my old friend
I've come to talk with you again
Because a vision softly creeping
Left its seeds while I was sleeping
And the vision that was planted in my brain
Still remains
Within the sound of silence
In restless dreams I walked alone
Narrow streets of cobblestone
'Neath the halo of a street lamp
I turned my collar to the cold and damp
When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light
That split the night
And touched the sound of silence
And in the naked light I saw
Ten thousand people, maybe more
People talking without speaking
People hearing without listening
People writing songs that voices never share
And no one dared
Disturb the sound of silence
"Fools", said I, "You do not know
Silence like a cancer grows
Hear my words that I might teach you
Take my arms that I might reach you"
But my words, like silent raindrops fell
And echoed In the wells of silence
And the people bowed and prayed
To the neon god they made
And the sign flashed out its warning
In the words that it was forming
And the sign said, "The words of the prophets are written
on the subway walls And tenement halls"
And whispered in the sounds of silence
匆匆又過了一天 (1/14), 打開電腦卻無端想起半世紀前, 楊梅中學後山的景象來? 管他的歸心似箭? 疾步趕往中壢火車站, 騎上莒光號列車, 一路就從故鄉後火車站的梅溪, 邊走邊拍手機照地爬上了貴山巔來. 循著九十四歲黃厚源恩師的楊梅地理誌, 又撫著小學劉永發級任導師, 發動地方青年志工團, 重整公園立下的大石碑, 心填滿溫馨情意, 微汗輕足地不像岳母家, 討一頓豐盛的晚餐. 可是返回中壢書房, 又貪婪地飄進了南美大地的老鷹之歌旋律裡, 自然是又爬不出一池泥淖:
Simon &
Garfunkel : El Condor Pasa (1970)
I'd rather be a sparrow than a snail.
Yes I would,
If I could,
I surely would.
I'd rather be a hammer than a nail.
Yes I would,
If I only could,
I surely would.
CHORUS
Away, I'd rather sail away
Like a swan that's here and gone
A man gets tied up to the ground
He gives the world
Its saddest sound,
Its saddest sound.
I'd rather be a forest than a street.
Yes I would.
If I could,
I surely woud.
I'd rather feel the earth beneath my feet,
Yes I would.
If I only could,
I surely would.
Yes I would,
If I could,
I surely would.
I'd rather be a hammer than a nail.
Yes I would,
If I only could,
I surely would.
CHORUS
Away, I'd rather sail away
Like a swan that's here and gone
A man gets tied up to the ground
He gives the world
Its saddest sound,
Its saddest sound.
I'd rather be a forest than a street.
Yes I would.
If I could,
I surely woud.
I'd rather feel the earth beneath my feet,
Yes I would.
If I only could,
I surely would.
昨天
(1/15) 是楊梅初中陳聯憲同學的告別式, 班頭鴻德與月光, 白光, 燈熾, 慶俊還有聯照, 都來上香, 並轉達了遠在波士頓紹光的悼念. 自然又不是適合寫信的心情, 於是再度打開陳士駿天才老弟的創新, 流出一串串熟悉的 [靡靡之音], 哈哈! 好一段舉世嬉皮流感的美好頹唐歲月啊!
San Francisco
- Scott McKenzie 1967
今天是大選的日子, 六點不到就一反常態地起床, 弄一頓豐盛的早餐. 電視裡 Discovery 頻道正播著驚天動地的土石流, 從西雅圖的大火山爆發, 到日本的大走山…我不忍地思想起, 今天即將演出的台灣又一次政治大翻轉? 推開落地陽台窗, 街燈透著溫暖光暈, 二十樓下一片晨曦的寧靜, 就拍下與哥兒姊妹們分享吧.
敬頌 健康快樂
嗣洋上 1/16/105 10:44 am 中壢書窗
