我的外国朋友——香缇·夏先生

勇者

Mr. Shati Shah – A Bosom Friend of Mine in Kenya

– A Letter to My Old Pal

——致老朋友的一封信

Dear Mr. Shati Shah,

Hi!

It gives me great pleasure to receive your New-Year greeting card!

It's an absence of communication between you and me for exactly two years! The beautiful scenery of Nairobi and your kind wishes are reminiscent of my stay in Kenya as well as my days spent together with you...

亲爱的香缇·夏先生：

您好！

今天，我非常高兴地收到了您的新年贺卡！

已经整整两年没有您的消息了！看着贺卡上我所熟悉的内罗毕景色，读着您那短短几句的新年祝福，我的思绪又回到了肯尼亚，回到了内罗毕，回到了我们在一起的日子……

On your first-ever visit to China, you came to Mianyang to attend the Western China Commodity Fair 1991. When you finished your business cards that you had brought along, you asked me to reprint more for you, and you particularly told me to have your name in Chinese printed on it. When the brand-new business cards were delivered to us, with your name printed in upright, square Chinese characters, you looked at them in astonishment with your eyes wide-open, exclaiming that is my Chinese name!

在您第一次到中国，前来绵阳参加1991中国西部商品交易会时，您随身携带的英语名片快用完了，需要加印，您要求我在上面也印上汉字。当取回新印的名片，第一次看到自己的名字(Shanti Shah)被印成端端正正的楷体汉字 “香缇·夏”时，您一下睁大了双眼：这就是我的名字！

Yes, you are perfectly right, that is your name in Chinese. I put your first name into Xiang, which means "fragrance", and your family name into Xia, which means "summer". I remember I gave you this name not long after we came to know each other.

对，这就是您的名字，香缇·夏，芳香的香，夏天的夏，这是在我们认识不久后我送给您的中文名。

It was in 1989 when I was working in Nairobi – your beautiful capital city on the Equator, where I was engaged on the construction site of Le Meridien Hotel by the Uhuru Highway just opposite to your company across the street. As the construction progressed, we erected a Liebherr tower crane on the site.
那还是1989年，我在你们美丽的热带花园城市内罗毕参加四川国际公司承包的“子午线”五星级宾馆的建设施工，工地就在独立大道旁，与您的公司一街之隔。随着工程的进展，我们在工地上竖起了“利勃海尔”塔吊。

Liebherr tower crane erected and being commissioned on the construction site

在工地现场安装调试“利勃海尔”塔吊

On a sunny afternoon, while I was atop the tower crane with engineers commissioning it, I caught sight of a man in his fifties gazing at us curiously like a child. I waved at you and so did you.

一个晴朗的下午，当我与工程师们在塔顶调试时，远远地看见街对面楼房的窗口有一位五十岁左右的人像小孩一样充满好奇地望着我们这个方向，我向您挥挥手，您也向我挥了挥手。

Liebherr tower crane stands erect into the sky

“利勃海尔”塔吊高耸入云

After that, as the building was growing up floor after floor, the tower crane rose up section by section simultaneously. I would climb up the tower as required from time to time and I would normally look toward your house across the street. One day, I saw you again by the wind-ow, and immediately you waved to me, and I echoed you with my hand-waving in the air.
后来，楼层的施工不断向上，塔吊也随之节节升高。因工作需要攀上塔顶时，我总是不由自主地向你们街那边望去。有一天我又见到您在窗子边，见我在塔顶，您立即伸出手朝我挥舞，我便向您回应。

As the building was growing up floor after floor, the tower crane rose up section by section simultaneously.

楼层不断上升，塔吊也节节升高

One day, a co-worker of mine told me he had met an Asian man at a coffee bar who expressed the intention of doing business with Chinese business people, but hardly knew anything about China, nor any price information in the trade in which he was engaged. He further expressed the hope of getting to know more Chinese and establish contacts with Chinese entrepreneurs. While telling me about you, he showed me your business card and thereafter I called you as per your number. Thus we began our contact and you gladly agreed to meet me soon. Then we came to your office, and as my colleague was about to introduce me to you, you turned a surprising eye at me and swiftly opened your arms to embrace me, saying pleasantly that we had been old acquaintances already!

一天，我的一位同事告诉我，他在咖啡吧遇到一位印巴朋友，想与中国人做生意，但又不了解中国的情况，也不知道行情，希望与中国人交朋友，并与纺织行业的厂家建立联系。说着，他便把您的名片给了我，我马上就拨打了您的电话，您非常高兴，爽快地约我到您公司见面。我们来到您办公室，同事正要介绍，您已张开双臂迎面朝我走来，非常惊喜而又兴奋地看着我说不用介绍了，我们已是老相识了！

We felt like old friends as we shook hands with each other, and immediately we threw ourselves into a cordial conversation. You mentioned to me your business in textile products and shared your views on the existing friendly relationship between Kenya and China, and the prospects of business cooperation between industry insiders of the two countries. You told me proudly that your original family home was in Asia as your ancestors were Indian natives, despite the fact you currently reside in Kenya. We even have a very close skin colour, you said.

我们一见如故，像老朋友一样，便兴致勃勃地开始交谈了起来。您给我简要介绍了您的纺织品生意，谈起了肯尼亚与中国的友好关系和商贸合作的前景。您说您虽然生活在非洲，但祖籍却是亚洲，老家在印度，与我们同源，连肤色都差不多。

With Mr. Shanti Shah in Nairobi

与夏先生在内罗毕合影

Then, my introduction ensued. I told you about what I knew of the textile industry and the currently ongoing reform and opening-up process in China. Later after that, I found some English-version magazines and newspapers including China Reconstruction, China Daily and other periodicals about China, and brought to you. You enjoyed reading them all to your heart's content, and you even took photostatic copies of some interesting pages from them.

我给您介绍了我所知道的中国纺织品情况和近几年来中国改革开放的形势。后来，我又找来英文版《中国建设》杂志、《中国日报》和一些报刊给您，您看得津津有味，还特把感兴趣的文章复印了下来。

With Mr. Shanti Shah in Nairobi

与夏先生在内罗毕合影

One day before lunchtime, we were pouring concrete to the building at full blast on the site, a worker on duty at the mixing station reported to me in a hurry that cement was going to be finished, and no fresh cement was coming, which we had already ordered long before that. According to technical specifications, there shouldn't be any pause longer than half an hour in the course of concreting, as the strength of concrete will be impaired and defects will develop consequently even though already poured in place; it has to be whacked off in its entirety! I was so agitated that I had to make phone calls every now and then while trying to find transport. Many calls were made, but no car was available for me as all the vehicles went out for their errands. I barely knew what to do when I suddenly thought of you who could stretch out a helping hand. Then I called you immediately, and pretty soon you arrived at my place in your Mercedes Benz limousine, picking up me and driving me all the way to the cement plant at Athi River 30 kilometers away. There, fortunately, you grabbed a friend of yours explaining my urgency to him and convinced him eventually. You were beaming with smiles when the lorry carrying the cement dispatched from the plant finally.

一天中午，我们工地上正热火朝天地打着混凝土，搅拌站值班的工人突然向我报告说水泥快要用完了，而早已预订的水泥却迟迟未到场。按施工规范的要求，打混泥土中途停止时间若超过半小时，已浇注好的混凝土强度就会受影响，成为不合格品，必须全部敲掉重来。我急得又是打电话，又是找车。电话倒是打了出去，但运水泥的车什么时候能到却没一个明确的答复，而工地上的汽车都出去了。正当我不知所措时，一下想到了您，便给您打电话求救。您二话没说，开着您的奔驰轿车来到我们工地，载着我直奔30公里外的阿斯河水泥厂，找到您的朋友说明情况、融通关系，直到我催着水泥罐车出了厂门，您的脸上才绽开笑容。

Feeling a sense of relief with the lorry carrying cement ready to dispatch

水泥罐车终于要出发了，我如释重负

In December 1990, the 555-Cup World Table Tennis Competition was held in Nairobi, in which some Chinese players participated. In the final match, you got some tickets and invited me and my colleagues to go together to watch it. The match was going on in a fierce atmosphere, and you joined us in cheering for the Chinese athletes. At the final moment when Player Ma Wenge beat his opponent and won the 555-Cup, you were overjoyed with us and couldn't help dancing around. Some Chinese national flags came out of nowhere and you handed over to us, waving them high toward the Chinese team and we finally had a photo taken with them. I can still find this photo in my album, which showed your mustache raised up so high!

1990年12月，555杯世界乒乓球赛在内罗毕举行，有中国运动员参加。决赛那天，您找了几张门票，约我和其他几位同事前去观战。决赛扣人心弦，您与我们一起为中国运动员呐喊助威，当马文革最终打败对手，赢得555杯时，您高兴得手舞足蹈，不知从哪搞来一面中国国旗，与我们一道挥舞着挤到中国运动员面前跟他们合影。我的影集里至今都还保存这张照片，您的八字胡翘得那样高！

At the end of September 1991 when the construction of the building proceeded to the roof, my assignment was over and I would leave Kenya for China. I told you about my forthcoming departure and you couldn't hold back your wistfulness, but minutes later, you said it would be better for me, citing my lengthy stay as two and a half years exactly, far away from my homeland and family, but amid dust and noise working day and night on steel bars and concrete, even without taking a rest on Sundays or holidays; reunion with my family and a good rest were much needed. You broke the news that you had booked air tickets for your long-planned visit to China, and you would come to my home province on this visit.

1991年9月底，随着大楼的封顶，我的任务完成，我将离开肯尼亚回国。当我告诉您后，您显出依依不舍的神情，黯然神伤，而后转念一想又说：还是回去好，你们远离故土、远离亲人，在这里施工都是第三个年头了，这些年来我看着你们工作、生活、吃住都在工地，天天跟钢筋、混凝土打交道，整天在噪音和灰尘中度过，连星期天、节假日都不休息，应该回去与家人团聚，应该好好休息一下了。您还告诉我说，已经订好机票，将到中国访问，到我的家乡四川来。

Merely four weeks after my return to China, you followed to arrive in Chengdu with your cousin Jambo by a long flight. I then took you to attend the Western China Commodity Exhibition 1991 in Mianyang, where you were warmly received by your host, visited a local textile plant and had negotiations with its managers, and further you were greatly impressed by the varieties of commodities and the electronic lantern show therein.

就在我回国不到一个月，您与表弟江波就飞到成都。我带着你们参加了1991中国西部交易会，绵阳的东道主热情接待了你们，带领你们参观了纺织厂，与厂家进行会谈；您还对我们市场上丰富的商品和绵阳的电子灯会赞不绝口。

Mr. Shanti Shah and his cousin were warmly received in Mianyang

夏先生与表弟在绵阳受到东道主的热情接待

Mr. Shanti Shah and his cousin on visit to a local textile plant in Mianyang

夏先生与表弟参观绵阳纺织厂

After you were back to Kenya, we maintained our contacts via mail and facsimile. In January 1995, however, I received a letter from your daughter Atuna, who informed me that you fell ill due to heart attack and you were escorted back to your hometown in Mumbai, India, where you were hospitalized. I was so worried that I immediately sent a letter and fax messages to you, but received no response in the end, thus leaving a gap of communication for a period of two years!

您回去后，我们一直保持着信件和传真往来，但1995年1月，我突然收到您女儿阿图娜的来信，告诉我说您两次心脏病发作，已被送回印度孟买老家，住进了医院。我万分焦急，又是发传真又是写信，但却如石沉大海，一去就是两年。

My concern and worry for you went viral and my mind was pre-occupied by my sentiments for you. Dressed in the suite that you presented to me prior to my departure, I felt as if you were sitting by my side. My thoughts flew all the way to you, who were as warm and ardent to life and your friends as the heat of summer, and as fragrant to Sichuan and to China as a bouquet of roses, rightly like the Chinese name that I gave to you. The sentiments churned incessantly within myself and flew beyond....

我不免心绪翻腾，深深的思念占据了我的头脑；穿着您送给我的西服，睹物思人，就像你在我身边。我回想我们在一起的时候，您对生活、对朋友、对四川、对中国就像我给您取的中文名字那样，像夏天般的火热，像玫瑰一样芳香，这一切引起了我对您的无限牵挂……

And now, today I'm happy to learn that, having been hospitalized and recuperated in India for more than one year, you are back in Kenya in a better shape with your family. I can't hold back my excitement while murmuring to myself: I keep my fingers crossed for you, Mr. Shah, my dear friend on that faraway continent!

今天，我终于高兴地得知，在印度老家住院治疗、修养一年多后，您已出院回到了肯尼亚，与家人在一起，感觉良好。我抑制不住内心的激动，在心里默默说到：远方的朋友，亲爱的香缇·夏，我双手合十，为您祈祷！

I wish you and your family happy and good health, and everything fine in the New Year!

Sincerely yours,

Chen Yong

From Deyang, Sichuan, China

January 10, 1997

祝您和您家人新年愉快、身体健康、万事如意！

您真诚的朋友：陈 勇

1997年1月10日于中国四川德阳

（此文曾参加1997年《四川日报》“我的外国朋友”征文活动）

作者简介：英语翻译、外贸经理、中国九三学社社员；曾任中国援外专家组翻译、德阳市人大代表、市政协委员。因国际经济技术合作多次出访非洲，与东非诸国人民结下了深厚的友谊。