我的英文名字是Margaret，是我孩子他爸給我起的。我在我工作過的各公司里一直都用這個名字。有一次同事好奇問我：你的真正的中文名字是什麼？我說是Minglu. 她問Ming 是什麼意思，Lu 又是什麼意思。我就給她做了批講發揮。她聽了很興奮。第二天，她居然自作主張，在我的正式名牌底下加了一個自製的名牌，上面寫着我中文名字的拼音。
我倒沒怎麼在意，反正是同事之間互相逗樂。不料來了位人事處小姐，她走過來聊天，剛好就看到了那個名牌。她問了兩句，沒多說什麼，我心裡卻暗暗感到不妙。 果然兩個禮拜後，NETWORK部門的爾里克過來對我說：恭喜你呀，你的NETWORK郵箱的名字改過來了，改成了你真正的名字了。
我說什麼？改我的名字？怎麼不事先問問我的意見？爾里克面有難色。
很快，小老闆也開始改稱我Minglu。 我隨即便給部門全體同事和老闆寫了如下電郵： My dear leaders and fellow co-workers, My buddy Erick came and informed me that my name on the email has been changed from Margaret to Minglu (My Chinese origin one). I think it all started with a little accident that I overlooked. However I appreciate the good effort and just want to let you guys know that to me you’re all free to continue to call me Margaret. That has been my American symbol and there have been so many unforgettable stories in it. One of them is that, my husband actually gave me that name and says “You are a weak and vulnerable sensitive person so let me give you a powerful strong name that goes after the British Prime minister Mrs. Thatcher. (哇,撒切爾!)” And there I go I have had that name since…. But if you guys quit calling me Margaret, then nobody will and if so, please wish me to continue to be strong. : ) Thank you …… Sincerely Yours
Margaret (Minglu) Zeng 同事麗貝卡隨即給我回覆： your are one of my favorite super-women.
大概是因為這封電郵的緣分，小老闆稱呼我的時候又改了回去，其他同事們也只在特別的情形下才叫我Minglu 以示親切。
就象我英文電郵里所說的，Margaret 對我來說有着許多意義，其中之一就是它包含和代表着我在這個新國度里的腳印、奮鬥和人格。 虔野文學伊刊2010年創刊號 虔野文學伊刊發刊詞 要多久..才能認識你(48) 面對恐怖 要多久..才能認識你(47) 明天有風暴 我是一個幸福的女人 09歲末為10新年所做的一件事 |
