嚴 冬Winter Extreme (3)

Justin Lai 散文集

嚴 冬Winter Extreme (3)

 The first question he asks is “Do you have power?” Most answers are “No.” The tone with which they talk is full of patience, confidence and trust that power will eventually come back.  As a substitute for a gas or electric stove, they are using wood or portable cooker with small cans of propane gas. When hanging up, the host of the radio does not forget to thoughtfully say: “You seem to be contented with what you have. Have a Great night!”

主持人第一句問的話是，『你家有電嗎? 』 大多數回答沒有。可是他們的語氣充滿了忍耐、信心與信賴-電力終究會恢復的。災户使用木頭，手提烹飪爐(用小罐瓦斯) 來代替天然瓦斯或電氣爐子。當災户們掛斷電話時，主持人會記得親切地說『您似乎對目前所有還滿意，祝您晚上平安』

   During the days of snow storms, government buildings, hospitals, clinics, professional buildings, filling stations, and supermarkets are open as usual. In this extremely cold weather conditions, the sound of the siren of fire engines, and paramedics (ambulances) is rarely audible. Because, in fact, no fires to fight at all! And besides, an ambulance can hardly move on the thick, icy roads except that their vehicle tires had to be bound with chains. Even in the day light, vehicles and pedestrians are scarcely seen, too, on deserted streets. Some of the vehicles, including school buses and public transits can be stuck on the streets, thickly covered by snow. At this point the only hot business is the towing trucks.

   在暴風雪日子中，政府辦公處室、醫院、診所、一般辦公樓、加油站和超市都照常營業。而在此嚴寒中，消防車的警笛聲和救護車的呼叫聲很少聽到。因為事實上，沒有『火』可滅。此外，除非輪胎上裝有雪鏈，救護車幾乎無法在又厚又冰滑的路上行駛。即使在大白天，在冷冷清清的街上，很少有車輛或行人。有些車輛包含校車或大眾運輸工具都會卡在積雪深厚的路上，而動彈不得。此時最夯的行業是拖車卡車。

  

Compared with this blizzard in 2012, those snow storms in 2003 or 2005 are pieces of small cake. Some residents here in Seattle said this is the worst one in the past 40 years.  As I lived in Californian for over 20 years, this is the most terribly cold weather I have ever gone through. With a mild Mediterranean weather, it does not if ever, snows in CA.  But, located in the northwestern coast, here in Seattle it could be so freezing-cold, let alone in some other areas like Boston, Anchorage, or Kansas City, Montreal, etc.

與2012年的這次大風雪相比，2003年和2005年的兩次只是小巫見大巫。在西雅圖的一些住民說這是40年來最嚴重的一次。本人曾在加州住了20以上，這是我經歷過最嚴寒的一次。具宜人的地中海型氣候的加州，從未下雪。位在美國西北岸的西雅圖天氣竟會如此寒冷，遑論其他地區如波士頓、安克拉志(阿拉斯加) 、堪薩士城或蒙特婁(加拿大)等地了。

中、英文：Justin Lai 

12/16/2013

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