108. 我們的奧克蘭湖

小康

今天，我的小文 “ 我們的奧克蘭湖 ”在《世界日報》刊出，“半人番”是我的筆名。

我們的奧克蘭湖

幾年前，紐約疫情嚴峻，城市停擺，市民居家隔離。不久後，疫情趨緩，我們迫不及待地走出家門，前往離家不遠的奧克蘭湖（Oakland Lake）。

奧克蘭湖是一座有一萬五千年歷史的冰川壺穴湖，由泉水匯聚而成，是紐約市五個行政區內為數不多的天然湖泊之一。這個湖曾是約翰．希克斯（John Hicks）莊園的一部分，一九三四年，湖泊的所有權轉讓給紐約市公園管理局，多年來，市政府不斷投入巨資，修復湖岸線，植樹數千株。

湖中魚兒悠游，藍鰓魚、黑鯽魚和大嘴鱸魚在這裡生生不息；一對疣鼻天鵝和許多鴨子常駐湖邊，成了永久居民；每年春秋兩季，迎來送往一批又一批的候鳥。湖畔綠樹成蔭，湖面睡蓮點點，這座歷史悠久的湖泊以其完美的和諧生態，成為愛護地球的最佳見證。

奧克蘭湖為喧鬧都市提供一片寧靜的綠洲，隨著人們紛紛摘下口罩，許多人又重回湖邊活動。我認識了不少來自世界各地的朋友，也學會了不同的問候語，見面笑臉相迎，彼此互道早安。見到韓國婦女時，我邊點頭邊說「安寧哈塞喲」；對希臘老人則揮手說「亞薩。」模里西斯婦人的一聲「早晨」，台灣大哥的「敖早」，聽起來特別親切。紐約是一個移民之城，在湖畔漫步時，各式鄉音不絕於耳。

奧克蘭湖平日並沒有專人管理，環境衛生全靠民眾自覺維護。清晨，我常常看見兩個韓國大媽一邊散步聊天，一邊用長夾子夾起紙屑和空瓶；一名白人老先生時常出現在湖東端的溢流堰旁，手執長勾，不斷地撈出水草浮萍，讓湖水順暢地流入地下管道。

然而步道旁的排水石溝卻不盡如人意，石溝沿著步道內側的斜坡而砌，樹葉飄落，沙土堆積，每逢雨後污水外溢。每當經過這幾處路段時，年輕人一躍而過，我們只好小心地踮起腳尖，生怕濕了鞋褲。我的好朋友席拉和黛妍總是不厭其煩地用樹枝撥弄石溝下水口，但效果微乎其微，我自告奮勇地說：「必須用工具清理才行。」

多年前，我們家的前後院交由園丁打理，庭院機械工具早已送人，但在工具房裡，我還是找出了三支耙子和一把鐵鍬。隔天一早，當席拉和黛妍接過我從車上卸下的工具時，高興極了。

趁著清晨人少，我們馬上開工，他們使用的是葉耙，先將溝中的落葉扒出，聚攏成堆，再推到湖邊綠植旁邊；我一會兒使用鋼耙子鬆土，一會兒抄起鐵鍬，清除淤泥。那一天，我們清潔了三段石溝，終於聽到了流水聲。

從此，當我們三人在湖畔動耙子、掄鐵鍬時，頻頻引起關注，陌生人路過，好奇地詢問：「你們是志工嗎？」我們三人相視一笑，席拉淡定地回答：「我們只是在履行公民義務。」

晨練的朋友停步，伸手要幫忙：「你們辛苦了，讓我們來吧！」我們謝絕他們的好意說道：「這是我們的奧克蘭湖。」雖然我們三人的年齡加起來已有二百二十五歲，但我們是這裡的主人，盡心盡力參與公益。

這是我們的奧克蘭湖，越來越多的人關心愛護它：通往山頂的百級台階上，經常看到羅伯特在清扫；湖畔東邊，總有不同的人在默默地疏通溢流堰口，讓潺潺流水暢通無阻，讓環湖步道整潔如新。秋水共長天，奧克蘭湖絢麗斑斕，靜謐如畫，歡迎來到紐約，歡迎來到我們的奧克蘭湖。

2024年11月14日

感谢专业摄影师Tracy 为我们留影

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“我们的奥克兰湖”英文版

Our Oakland Lake

A few years ago, during the height of the pandemic in New York, the city fell silent, and we were all confined to our homes. Life felt heavy and uncertain. But as the situation improved, we couldn't wait to step outside and breathe again. One of our first destinations was Oakland Lake, just a short distance from home.

Oakland Lake is a hidden gem with a history stretching back 15,000 years. This natural glacial kettle pond, fed by clear springs, is one of the rare natural lakes in New York City’s five boroughs. Once part of the John Hicks Estate, the lake became part of the city's park system in 1934. Over the decades, the city has worked tirelessly to restore its beauty, strengthening its shoreline and planting thousands of trees to give it life.

The lake is alive with nature’s wonders. Fish like bluegills, black crappies, and largemouth bass swim beneath its surface. A graceful pair of mute swans and flocks of ducks have made it their home, while migratory birds stop by every spring and autumn, adding a sense of rhythm to the lake’s life. Its shores are lined with shade-giving trees, and water lilies gently float on its surface. Visiting Oakland Lake felt like reconnecting with the world, a reminder of how precious and resilient nature—and life itself—can be.

Oakland Lake is a quiet oasis in the heart of New York’s bustling city, offering a slice of peace to anyone who visits. As the city slowly came back to life and masks were set aside, the lake welcomed people once more. It wasn’t just a place to enjoy nature—it became a meeting point for strangers who felt like friends. Walking along the lake, I met people from all over the world and picked up greetings in their native languages. To the Korean women, I’d smile and say, “Annyeonghaseyo.” To an elderly Greek gentleman, I’d wave and say, “Yassas.” A Mauritian woman’s gentle “Zao Sen” and a Taiwanese man’s hearty “Ah Zao” always warmed my heart. The lake, much like New York itself, is alive with the voices of many cultures, weaving together a beautiful, multicultural melody.

There’s no staff to take care of the lake daily—it’s the visitors who look after it, each in their own way. On quiet mornings, I often see two cheerful Korean ladies strolling side by side, chatting and laughing as they use long grabbers to pick up litter. Near the eastern end of the lake, an older white gentleman works tirelessly at the overflow weir. With a long hook in hand, he pulls out waterweeds and debris to keep the water flowing smoothly. These small, heartfelt gestures remind me that the lake is more than a natural retreat; it’s a place where kindness and community thrive, making it a true treasure in our urban landscape.

However, the drainage ditches along the trails often gave us trouble. Built along the sloping inner edge of the path, they were prone to filling with fallen leaves and silt, and after every rain, dirty water would overflow onto the walkway. Young people would leap across without a second thought, but for us older folks, it was a different story. We’d have to tiptoe gingerly, trying not to soak our shoes and pants. My dear friends Sheela and Diane tirelessly use sticks to clear the blocked drains, patiently working to get the water flowing again. Though their efforts were valiant, the results were barely noticeable. One day, I couldn’t hold back any longer and said, “We need proper tools to do this right.”

It had been years since our family handed over the care of our garden to a professional gardener, and most of our yard tools had been given away. Still, I rummaged through the shed and managed to find three old rakes and a sturdy shovel. Early the next morning, when Sheela and Diane took the tools I unloaded from my car, their faces lit up with joy.

Taking advantage of the quiet early morning hours, we got straight to work. Sheila and Diane used leaf rakes to clear out the fallen leaves from the ditches, gathering them into piles before pushing them to the greenery by the lakeside. Meanwhile, I alternated between loosening the soil with a steel rake and digging out silt with a sturdy shovel. That day, we managed to clean three sections of the stone ditches, and at last, we heard the satisfying sound of water flowing freely again.

From then on, whenever the three of us were by the lake wielding our rakes and shovels, curious visitors would stop and ask, “Are you volunteers?” We’d exchange a smile, and Sheela always reply with calm confidence, “We’re just doing our civic duty.”

Friends out for their morning exercise would pause to offer a hand, saying, “You’ve worked hard—let us help!” But we’d politely decline, replying, “This is our Oakland Lake.” Though our combined ages total 225 years, we see ourselves as the lake’s stewards, gladly doing our part to care for this special place.

This is our Oakland Lake, and more and more people have joined in to love and protect it. On the hundred-step staircase leading to the hilltop, you’ll often see Robert sweeping away debris. By the eastern shore, different people take turns clearing the overflow weir, ensuring the gentle flow of water and keeping the paths around the lake pristine. With its vibrant autumn reflections and serene beauty, Oakland Lake feels like a living painting.

Welcome to New York, and welcome to our Oakland Lake—a place where beauty, care, and community come together.