English 中文网 漫画网 爱新闻iNews 翻译论坛
中国网站品牌栏目(频道)
当前位置: Language Tips> 译通四海> Columnist 专栏作家> Patrick Whiteley

Why my moral dilemma is extremely fishy

[ 2009-06-22 13:00]     字号 [] [] []  
免费订阅30天China Daily双语新闻手机报:移动用户编辑短信CD至106580009009

Why my moral dilemma is extremely fishyThe moving-home experience in China is just like anywhere else, one big hassle. Before the truck arrived and five Sichuan migrant workers stomped through my apartment, a rigorous stock-take was needed. What do you keep and what do you throw away?

I gazed at the cardboard boxes, filled with all sorts of useless little things and realized how much junk I'd gathered.

One day that marvelous, must-have, antique-looking mahjong set is treasure, the next it's another piece of trash, which was never used, despite all the best intentions.

When I first moved to China everything was interesting. It's a bit like getting drunk as a teenager. It is quite a thrill at first, but soon the buzz flattens out.

The kitschy "cultural revolution (1966-76)" posters, the framed picture of the qipao-wearing Shanghai lady gracefully holding a cigarette, the 1932 hand-drawn map of old Beijing and the spear-wielding statue of Guan Yu (that crazy-looking bearded general from the Three Kingdoms classic) had all lost their novel appeal.

Why my moral dilemma is extremely fishy

And what about my gold fish and my monster 4,000-yuan fish tank?

This was by far my biggest moral dilemma.

To be or not to be, that was the question.

Getting rid of material things is an easy throwing in-the-bin exercise, but these living, breathing little friends, who had flapped around so many mornings, with hungry mouths open, calling for breakfast, were my good mates.

We've been through a lot together and they shared in my joys and suffering during every home Chinese lesson. They've heard so much Putonghua, and probably speak better than me.

I couldn't just get rid of them? Or could I? It was such a hassle to move that damn tank and questions rose in my mind like the bubbles in my fish tank.

Do fish have souls? I kill cockroaches and mosquitoes so why are fish different? Is it because I can see their eyes? So does that mean only creatures with eyes have souls? Am I a bad person for even thinking of doing this?

I ate fish in a restaurant, and somebody killed them, so when I ordered the dish I played a part in dooming those fish. What makes my pets different?

But how do I do the deed? Drain the tank, then watch them flap to death? Flush them down the toilet? At least they'll have some kind of chance. The power of life or death was in my hands.

One thing was certain. I was thinking way too much thanks to industrial-quantities of coffee, the precursor to all my box-filling and junk-sorting operations.

And of course everybody needs a blazing soundtrack to speed along the moving process and I had chosen U2's classic album Joshua Tree.

As I contemplated their fate, With or Without You began to play.

"I can't live, with or without you," screamed Bono, and I realized my madness. How could I have contemplated such a heartless action? I was just being downright lazy.

Maybe it's because I'm Pisces, but the fish just had to come to my new home.

As for the other stuff, it was a case of I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For.

E-mail: patwhiteley@yahoo.com

相关阅读:

I enjoy being single

Who is spinning the propaganda?

Seven years itch

Don't blame China for the eco woes

 

 
中国日报网英语点津版权说明:凡注明来源为“中国日报网英语点津:XXX(署名)”的原创作品,除与中国日报网签署英语点津内容授权协议的网站外,其他任何网站或单位未经允许不得非法盗链、转载和使用,违者必究。如需使用,请与010-84883631联系;凡本网注明“来源:XXX(非英语点津)”的作品,均转载自其它媒体,目的在于传播更多信息,其他媒体如需转载,请与稿件来源方联系,如产生任何问题与本网无关;本网所发布的歌曲、电影片段,版权归原作者所有,仅供学习与研究,如果侵权,请提供版权证明,以便尽快删除。
 

关注和订阅

人气排行

翻译服务

中国日报网翻译工作室

我们提供:媒体、文化、财经法律等专业领域的中英互译服务
电话:010-84883468
邮件:translate@chinadaily.com.cn