个寂静的早上 A Tranquil Morning
It was the second day of year 2012. Anne-Marie got up early in the morning finding the ground just freshly wet.It might rain last night, she thought.It atually was misting a bit outside. It was hard to believe that January was here but there was no even a peck of snow in this city. Usually, January and February are the coldest months of the year. “It didn’t seem to be ice-cold outside so no need to bundle up before going out” she figured. Minus 2, the thermometer placed in the kitchen window outside read. As Anne-Marie opened the front door for some fresh air she found that the whole neighbourhood looked like in stasis, with no wind howling, no bird chirping, no insect buzzing, and with no one driving. It was completely tranquil and still.
Her neighbour’s Christmas lights were still glistening in the thin mist as if they didn’t believe that Christmas and the New Year holidays were over and they refused to be put away. Despite of the withered leaves and grasses sitting in the front yard, the humid air almost made Anne-Marie feel like spring was here. As a matter of fact, winter just started a few days ago in Canada. As she closed the door Anne-Marie missed the mild weather during the summer months in this city and the joy of driving in the desiccated and stifling temperatures on the inland highways.
Everything got so serene as if the wind had died forever, insects would never wake up and birds would never chirp again. Still being dozy, Anne-Marie decided to make herself a pot of coffee. Before long, the freshly brewed coffee exudes aroma that she enjoyed. To her, a cup of coffee in the morning meant an inexhaustible source of energy and a harbinger of success for the day. It was not exaggerating to a night owl like Anne-Marie who likes staying up late at nights.
From her kitchen window, gazing out at the front yard of her neighbour Anne-Marie saw her neighbour’s blue lights on the 4 Christmas trees still glistening, as if they were unwillingly to admit that holidays were over and as if they refused to be packed away. The digital clock on the microwave oven read 8:00am which hinted her that the New Year holidays in China were still being celebrated. Realizing that the time in China is 12 hours ahead of where she is, she figured this moment was the evening in the eastern hemisphere. She conjured up the image that a pall of darkness has just fell in many big many cities in China, streets were packed with joyful people celebrating New Year, and the busy traffic, the blend of modern and trendy skyscrapers, oriental and western shops with festive decorations, all in all were exuding a festiveval and infectious atmosphere.
Sitting on the lazyboy in the living room,having her coffee and flipping a trashy magazine, Ann-Marie indulged herself in the lala land, but all of a sudden, Anne-Marie heard it go Bang! Bang! 2 sounds tore through the room broke the quietude. That was her son, David, a terrible 2-year old getting up and kicking at the door, signaling his mom to let him out of the bedroom. Since the door knob was baby- proof the little fellow could not open the door from inside. Anne-Marie smiled and realized that it was time to pull her mind back from her fantasy land to the reality. In a hurry, she took a little sip of her coffee before she rushed to get her son. Another bright new day was starting.
