曼哈顿的“太后帮”
文|朱宜
要看纽约最美丽的女子，绝对不是白天去游客云集的第五大道，也不是午夜去目迷五色香风习习的Meatpacking夜店区。而是应该找一个傍晚，坐在大都会歌剧院的喷泉前。
临近8点，歌剧快要开场，这时你会看见无数优雅的老太太挽着好似同样从20世纪50年代美国电影里走出来的老先生，缓缓经过你身边，步入剧场。他们梳着金色、银色或者纯白色的发髻，妆容精致，唇色浓艳，项链夺目，大小刚好遮住颈纹；丝绸礼服贴身中有分寸，外套如果不是皮草，就一定是极低调的款式，手袋的质地是搭配好大衣和礼服的，玻璃丝袜，弧度正好的中跟鞋。行走时从腰板到脖子，是一条毫不自我妥协的直线，散发出的气场不是任何年轻姑娘能够比拟的。
一直以来，我们把周围人分成四种：男人，女人，小孩，老人。仿佛后两种是没有性别的。仿佛女人过了某个年龄后再花心思打扮，不仅无用功，还有些可悲———再折腾你还能美过20岁的姑娘？可是这种逻辑背后，是一种深深的自我贬低。你我仅此一副皮囊呀，它跟随我们一生。
第一次看到纽约的这些老太太，我感动得几乎落泪。那不仅是好品味，不仅是多花一点时间，而是一种经年累月的尊严。原来外婆的形象，不只是烧红烧肉；奶奶的形象，不只是接孙子放学。每个老妇都曾是如花少女，每个老头都曾是翩翩少年，区别是，有些人忘记了，有些人害怕想起，但有些人从来没有放弃。哪怕日复一日，这个世界收回了所有含情脉脉的眼神，这些人注视镜中自己的目光从未冷却。
许多人以为纽约就是一派纸醉金迷的花花世界。其实纽约大部分的年轻人，比世界上许多城市的年轻人都要清苦。因为都是一个人离乡背井来闯世界，要同时打几份工才能支付学生贷款和极高的房租。但纽约的老人却是活的最滋润的一个群体。大都会歌剧院、百老汇音乐剧、纽约爱乐交响团，前排几百美金的座位被清一色的银发包了。估计他们那些混不下去的同龄人，早在几十年间先后离开纽约了，所以最后在此地养老的，多是功成名就的老江湖。米其林高级餐厅和Bergdorf Goodman、Saks 5th Ave 等老牌高级百货里，放眼望去全是这样的老人以及一些……唔？……一些来自亚洲的年轻人。
是的，没有比这一代的亚洲年轻人在国外过得更宽裕的了。亚洲的父母们用一生积蓄供孩子出国，自己在家省吃俭用，一想到孩子在千山万水之外见识一个自己从未见过的世界，就由衷生出一种“这辈子值了”的自豪感，同时，一心等待接孙子放学的那一天的到来。那到了我们这一代人呢？我们这些被捧在心尖儿上长大的小妞小爷们，老了以后还会把钱存下来都给孩子，并冲他们嚷着“快结婚啊妈妈要抱孙子生了妈妈帮你带”吗？还是留出一笔养老院的住院费之后，剩下的该吃的吃，该喝的喝，穿的漂漂亮亮出门见穿的同样漂漂亮亮的朋友，像太后太上皇一样心安理得地坐上最好的席位。反正到那时，活着的人里头没有比我们更有资格感叹一句“人生苦短”。
Her Majesty of Manhattan
By Zhu Yi
New York belles rarely show up on Fifth Avenue, which is swarmed with tourists during the daytime. Nor do the Meatpacking club area, racy and sexy at night. It should be in the twilight, around 8 o’clock, while you are sitting along the fountain of the Metropolitan Opera House, clusters of elegant ladies led by the 50’s style gentlemen slowly walk by you and stagger into the theater. Then the show begins.
They wear their hair in gold, silver or lily white buns. They make up their face with exquisite cosmetics, color their lips gorgeously. Sagging is perfectly covered by shimmering necklaces and figures are tailored properly by satin gowns. The garment is either fur or in modest luxury. The texture of purse always fit that of a decent garment and fabulous attire. Their legs are served by smooth silk stockings and accurately bent kitten heels. Their backbones do not bend while walking. Proud and intransigent, they overshadow all the teenager girls with their unique charms.
It has been a tradition that we classify people into four categories: man, woman, child and the old. No gender identity is attributed to the latter two. If a woman over a certain age indulges herself in dressing up, she is, to some extent, pathetic and unaccomplished. She can hardly create a better face than that of a 20-year-old girl. However, the traditional thinking reflects a rooted self-depreciation. You got only one pair of skins and it’s your lifetime mate.
The New York ladies brought tears into my eyes when I witnessed their glamor for the first time. I was not only touched by their tastes, but also the self-esteem polished for years. The image of grandma is not limited to a plate of red-cooked pork or a granny meeting her grandson after school. Every old lady was a rosebud and every aged gentleman was handsome guys in past years. What differentiate them is that some lost the memory and ran away from those glamorous ages while some never give up their beauty. Day after day, even though people’s passion to them fades away, their self-admiring enthusiasm never decay.
It is said that New York is a luxury and tempted city. As a matter of fact, the majority of New York young people live a much more plain life than those in other cities. Many of them are away from home and fighting for a living. They do more than one job to pay loans and rental. But senior New Yorkers live in clover. They are frequent audiences of the Metropolitan Opera House, Broadway Musicals and New York Philharmonic. Those several yards front seats are usually taken by silver haired citizen. Some of their friends had already left New York in early ages. The rest survived and achieved success. With fame and recognition, they are living in a joyful retired life. Michelin restaurants, Bergdorf Goodman and Saks 5th Ave are all serving those stylish grandmas and grandpas, also some Asian young guys.
For the young Asian generation living in the United States, they are in the best time ever. Their Asian parents spend lifetime savings sending them abroad. As long as those parents realize their kids are in a world they never got a chance to see, a sense of proud shall rise in their mind. It is worth of that, parents would say. At the same time, they are expecting the day when they can meet their grandson after school. So what’s the ending of our generation? We are born with silver spoon, spoiled by the whole family. Are we going to save for descendants and preach at them “go get married and get a son, so I can get a grandson, Mom will help to take care of your son”? Or are we save enough money for pension and medical expense then eat, drink and go social with decent dress, taking the best seat for a show just like a retired queen or emperor? Anyway, we will be full authorized at that time to say, “Life is too short.”
