A Mother's Eight Lies　母亲的八个谎言

　　◎ Georgy

　　As a child, the little boy was born in a poor family. Even for eating, the family often got lack offood ,whenever the time for eating, the mother often gave the children her portion of rice in herbowl. She always said, eating this rice, my children, I’m not hungry.

　　?????—His mother’s first lie

　　When the boy was getting to grow up, the persevering¹ mother gave her spare time on Sunday forfishing in the rural river nearby the country town, to supply the boy with calcium² supplements.

　　The fish was delicious and tasted fresh. While the boy was eating fish, mother sat beside him andate the bones. Boy was touched, then passed the fish to mother’s bowl with the chopsticks, andasked her to eat. But she refused and gave it back. The mother said, eat it, son, I don’t realy likefish.

　　—His mother’s second lie

　　When in junior high school, to collect the boy and his sister’s tution. The mother, and sewingworker, went to the economic enterprise to bring some used-matches boxes, sticking them up atnight to cover the needs of the family. In a winter night, the boy woke up from the sleep and sawhis mother continuing the work of sticking the boxes in the dimlight; bending her back. Boy said,mom, go to sleep, you would work tomorrow morning. Mother smiled and said, go to sleep, dear, Iam not tired.

　　—His mother’s third lie

　　At the time of final term, mother stood outside the door where the boy took the exam insideeveryday to accompany the boy. It was the mid-summer and sun was shining. The strong andperservering mother waited for him under the sunshine for several hours. As the bell rang, whichindicated that the final exam had finished, mother welcomed and passed him a glass of tea that putin a bottle, told the boy to drink it. The very thick tea was not as thick as his mother’s love, whichwas much thicker. Glaring at her cracking hips³ and sweats full of head, the boy gave the glassback and asked her to drink. Mother said, drink, it boy, I’m not thirsty.

　　—His mother’s fourth lie

　　After father’s death for illness, the mother played the role as mother as well as father. Dependingon the little income in the sewing factory, the mother brought up their children with hardships. Forthe boy’s education fund, the family was very complicated. There was a Uncle Li who lived bymaking watches in alley⁴ where was underneath⁵ a telegraph pole. When he had known it, came tohelp her in?a big problem and a small problem, carrying the coal and lifting up the water.Human’shearts are not indifferent like plants’. The neighbors saw that and advised the mother marriedagain, it was not necessary to bear so much. However, year after year, the mother didn’t marryagain. Some people adviced again, she was stubborn, didn’t care to their advices, she said, I don’tneed love.

　　—His mother’s fifth lie

　　After graduated and got a job, boy’s retired⁶ mother was sincere to work in a nearby marketplace tosupport herself. The children far away from her had known it, often sent her some money to helpher infulfill her needs, but she was stubborn for not accepting the money, even sent the moneyback. She said, I have enough money.

　　—His mother’s sixth lie

　　The boy had taught for 2 years in his graduated school. afterwards, he gained the Master Degreefrom one of the U.S. famous university. After graduated, he finally worked in a America scientificresearch institution, and the salary is high. As being rich, the boy intended to take his mother toenjoy her life in America, but she refused. She said, I’m not used to.

　　—His mother’s seventh lie

　　After entering her old age, mother got a flank cancer and had to hospitalized. The boy, who livedin miles away and cross the ocean, directly went home to visit her, she had been at the edge ofdeath. The mother looked old. When the boy looked, how the disease broke her body, heart washurt and tears flowed. But the mother said, don’t cry, my dear, I am not in pain.

　　—His mother’s last lie

　　小男孩小时候，家里非常贫困。吃饭时，饭常常不够吃，母亲就把自己碗里的饭分给孩子们吃。母亲说：“孩子们，快吃吧，我不饿！”

　　——母亲撒的第一个谎

　　男孩长身体的时候，勤劳的母亲常用周日休息时间去县郊农村河沟里，捞些鱼回来给孩子们补钙。鱼很好吃，鱼汤也很鲜美。孩子们吃鱼的时候，母亲就在一旁啃鱼骨头，用舌头舔鱼骨头上的肉渍。男孩心疼，就把自己碗里的鱼夹到母亲碗里，请母亲吃鱼。母亲不吃，又用筷子把鱼夹回男孩的碗里。母亲说：“孩子，快吃吧，我不爱吃鱼！”

　　——母亲撒的第二个谎

　　男孩上初中了，为了缴够男孩和女孩的学费，当缝纫工的母亲就去居委会领些火柴盒拿回家，晚上糊了挣点钱补贴家用。有一个冬天，男孩半夜醒来，看到母亲还弓着身子在油灯下糊火柴盒。男孩说，妈妈，睡吧，明早您还要上班呢。母亲笑笑，说：“孩子，快睡吧，我不困！”

　　——母亲撒的第三个谎

　　高考那年，母亲每天都站在考点门口为参加高考的男孩助阵。时逢盛夏，烈日当头，固执的母亲在烈日下一站就是好几个小时。考试结束的铃声响了，母亲迎上去，递过一杯用罐头瓶泡好的浓茶，叮嘱孩子喝了。茶亦浓，情更浓。望着母亲干裂的嘴唇和满头的汗水，男孩将手中的罐头瓶反递过去请母亲喝。母亲说：“孩子，快喝吧，我不渴！”

　　——母亲撒的第四个谎

　　父亲病逝之后，母亲又当爹又当娘，靠着自己在缝纫社里那点微薄的收入，含辛茹苦拉扯着几个孩子，供他们念书，日子过得苦不堪言。小巷路口电线杆下修表的李叔叔知道后，大大小小的事就找借口过来打个帮手，搬搬煤，挑挑水，送些钱粮来帮补男孩的家里。人非草木，孰能无情。左邻右舍对此看在眼里，记在心里，都试图劝服母亲再嫁，何必苦了自己。但年复一年，母亲始终不嫁，别人再劝，母亲也断然不听，母亲说：“我不爱！”

　　——母亲撒的第五个谎

　　孩子们大学毕业参加工作后，下了岗的母亲就在附近农贸市场摆了个小摊维持生活。身在外地工作的孩子们知道后，就常常寄钱回来补贴母亲，母亲坚决不要，并将钱退了回去。

　　母亲说：“我有钱！”

　　——母亲撒的第六个谎

　　男孩留校任教两年，后来又获得了美国一所名牌大学的博士学位，毕业后留在美国一家科研机构工作，待遇相当丰厚。条件好了，身在异国的男孩想把母亲接来享享清福，却被老人回绝了。母亲说：“我不习惯！”

　　——母亲撒的第七个谎

　　年纪大了，母亲患了重病，住进了医院，远在大西洋彼岸的男孩乘飞机赶回来时，母亲已经在死亡的边缘线上了。看着被病魔折磨得死去活来的母亲、年老的母亲，男孩悲痛欲绝，潸然泪下。母亲却说：“孩子，别哭，我不疼。”

　　——母亲撒的最后一个谎

 

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