Will She Remember?
她會記得嗎？
Today a surprise and sad news hits us. Teacher Chen tells us that tomorrow is our teacher's birthday (surprise!), and our teacher is going to transfer back to Taichung next semester (surprised & sad!). Grandmom was right, it IS harder to keep a teacher here than to catch a boar. And our teacher is like a wild boar when she laughs, and she told us she missed her home in Taichung. Nobody can stop a boar from dashing back home, not even 10 hunters.
We decide to give our teacher a surprise on her birthday. A surprise so big that she will remember it forever.
On her birthday, we all come back after school with gifts in our hands. We know our teacher always stays after school until late afternoon.
We gather at the front gate first, then Ah-Dai goes to check whether our teacher is in the classroom. He sneaks close to the back door then peeks in. Then he gives us a big wave, signaling us to come. Yes, the teacher is inside. We quietly walked past the principal's office, the first graders' classroom, then Mei signals us to stop. She gives us another signal like a choir conductor and we begin to sing, "Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you..." Slowly we walk toward the classroom. The teacher pops her head out of the room when hearing us. Slowly we get inside of the classroom. The teacher is smiling; she walks toward us, and we see tears sparkling in her eyes. One by one, she rubs our hairs. We surround her in a small circle.
"How did you know?" She asks.
" Teacher Chen told us."
Then we give our gifts to the teacher. A soda, a small bunch of wild flowers, a pocket of sweet, two ears of corns, and some cards drawn by ourselves. The best thing is a set of wild boar teeth. Dan brought it. We all have wild boar teeth at home, but nobody has ever thought of giving it as a gift to the teacher. We thought the long fangs would terrify our teacher like the mice event. But Dan remembers what we told the teacher about hunting wild boars. He asked his dad to give one to our teacher.
Our teacher has never seen real wild boar teeth. She carefully receives the teeth with both hands. It looks like she is going to bow to it.
"Wow, this is too precious!" the teacher cries. "this should belong to a museum. Are you sure it is for me?"
Dan nods his head, "My father said you are serious about our learning, like a real hunter. but you can't go hunting,...and with the teeth, people would know you are good like a hunter."
"Then, we are the teacher's preys?" Mei teases.
“Yep, the teacher sets up a lot of traps to keep us in school, like a hunter. " Kuang says.
The teacher says she is really touched. She also says when she gets home she'll put the teeth up high for everybody to see. Dan looks so happy, his big eyes turn into two curved lines.
The teacher takes out all her snacks to treat us. Things that we don't usually eat, like watermelon seeds, soft candies. Just when we are having good time eating and chatting, Teacher Chen pops in again.
"Don't forget tonight's farewell party. The principle has already reserved a table at Ah-Mei's wild game restaurant." Then she notices the birthday cards on the table, " A birthday party, too, tonight." she says.
We don't know what farewell party is. The teacher says it means to treat your friends some good food to say good-bye. We feel sad after hearing that. Everybody sighs. The candy and soda suddenly lose the taste. After next week, it will be the winter break. And, our teacher will be gone.
"Don't go, Teacher," Mei says. She looks like she is going to cry. The teacher's eyes get red again, she said, "I'd like to stay here, too. But I miss my home, and I have things to do...I will come back."
"You can marry Kuang's cousin and stay here, " Dan says. We all think it's a great idea.
"But I don't want to marry now," the teacher says, "I will come back."
We don't know what else to say. There are still so many snacks on the table, but we don't have any appetite anymore. How come I feel like we are having a farewell party, too?
Will our teacher come back? Will she remember what she said today? We don't know, but we want to believe her. It's like knowing the sun go down to the other side of the mountains, but believe that it will rise again from this side of the mountains tomorrow morning.
We gather at the front gate first, then Ah-Dai goes to check whether our teacher is in the classroom. He sneaks close to the back door then peeks in. Then he gives us a big wave, signaling us to come. Yes, the teacher is inside. We quietly walked past the principal's office, the first graders' classroom, then Mei signals us to stop. She gives us another signal like a choir conductor and we begin to sing, "Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you..." Slowly we walk toward the classroom. The teacher pops her head out of the room when hearing us. Slowly we get inside of the classroom. The teacher is smiling; she walks toward us, and we see tears sparkling in her eyes. One by one, she rubs our hairs. We surround her in a small circle.
"How did you know?" She asks.
" Teacher Chen told us."
Then we give our gifts to the teacher. A soda, a small bunch of wild flowers, a pocket of sweet, two ears of corns, and some cards drawn by ourselves. The best thing is a set of wild boar teeth. Dan brought it. We all have wild boar teeth at home, but nobody has ever thought of giving it as a gift to the teacher. We thought the long fangs would terrify our teacher like the mice event. But Dan remembers what we told the teacher about hunting wild boars. He asked his dad to give one to our teacher.
Our teacher has never seen real wild boar teeth. She carefully receives the teeth with both hands. It looks like she is going to bow to it.
"Wow, this is too precious!" the teacher cries. "this should belong to a museum. Are you sure it is for me?"
Dan nods his head, "My father said you are serious about our learning, like a real hunter. but you can't go hunting,...and with the teeth, people would know you are good like a hunter."
"Then, we are the teacher's preys?" Mei teases.
“Yep, the teacher sets up a lot of traps to keep us in school, like a hunter. " Kuang says.
The teacher says she is really touched. She also says when she gets home she'll put the teeth up high for everybody to see. Dan looks so happy, his big eyes turn into two curved lines.
The teacher takes out all her snacks to treat us. Things that we don't usually eat, like watermelon seeds, soft candies. Just when we are having good time eating and chatting, Teacher Chen pops in again.
"Don't forget tonight's farewell party. The principle has already reserved a table at Ah-Mei's wild game restaurant." Then she notices the birthday cards on the table, " A birthday party, too, tonight." she says.
We don't know what farewell party is. The teacher says it means to treat your friends some good food to say good-bye. We feel sad after hearing that. Everybody sighs. The candy and soda suddenly lose the taste. After next week, it will be the winter break. And, our teacher will be gone.
"Don't go, Teacher," Mei says. She looks like she is going to cry. The teacher's eyes get red again, she said, "I'd like to stay here, too. But I miss my home, and I have things to do...I will come back."
"You can marry Kuang's cousin and stay here, " Dan says. We all think it's a great idea.
"But I don't want to marry now," the teacher says, "I will come back."
We don't know what else to say. There are still so many snacks on the table, but we don't have any appetite anymore. How come I feel like we are having a farewell party, too?
Will our teacher come back? Will she remember what she said today? We don't know, but we want to believe her. It's like knowing the sun go down to the other side of the mountains, but believe that it will rise again from this side of the mountains tomorrow morning.
她會記得嗎？
今天聽到了一個讓人又吃驚又難過的消息。陳老師告訴我們明天是老師的生日 （吃驚），還告訴我們老師就要調回台中了（吃驚又難過）。 奶奶說的沒錯，要留住老師比抓山豬還難，何況我們的老師一直都很像一隻會暴衝的山豬，而且她又告訴我們她很想家，一隻很想衝回家的山豬，十個獵人也抓不住吧！
我們決定給老師一個生日驚喜，讓她回家之後，永遠都會記得我們。
老師生日的那天，我們決定下午放學回家，拿了禮物後再回到學校給老師驚喜。我們知道老師都待在學校傍晚才回家。
我們先在校門口集合，然後讓阿岱先去看看老師有沒有在教室。阿岱偷偷的躲在教室後門牆邊，往裡面瞄了一下，然後跟我們揮揮手，要我們過去。沒錯，老師就在教室裡面。大家躡手躡腳的走過校長室，走過一年級的教室，快到我們教室門口的時候，美娟給我們一個停下來的手勢，然後再給我們一個開始的手勢，大家一起唱 「祝你生日快樂歌，祝你生日快樂...」我們邊走邊唱，老師聽到歌聲探出頭來看，我們慢慢走進教室，老師臉上滿滿的笑容，我們的歌聲沒有停，老師起身離開辦公桌，眼睛裡有亮亮的淚水，她慢慢走向我們，摸摸每個人的頭，尤其是男生，一個個的頭髮都被老師弄亂了，終於，唱完最後一句“祝你生日快樂“時，大家一起把老師團團圍住。
「你們怎麼知道？」 老師問。
「陳老師告訴我們的啊！」美娟說。
然後大家就把帶來的禮物給老師，有一瓶汽水，ㄧ束小野花，一口袋的糖果，一些自己畫的卡片，兩根玉米，最厲害的是進貴帶來的一整副山豬牙，雖然我們家裡都有山豬牙，但是沒有人想到要把它當禮物送給老師，因為想說老師會害怕那兩大排牙齒，和那兩根銳利的大尖牙，就像上次被田鼠嚇到一樣。但是進貴記得我們上次跟老師說怎麼捉山豬的事，就跟爸爸要了山豬牙送老師。
老師從沒有看過真的山豬牙，她小心翼翼的從進貴手上接過山豬牙，好像要敬禮的樣子，
然後大家就把帶來的禮物給老師，有一瓶汽水，ㄧ束小野花，一口袋的糖果，一些自己畫的卡片，兩根玉米，最厲害的是進貴帶來的一整副山豬牙，雖然我們家裡都有山豬牙，但是沒有人想到要把它當禮物送給老師，因為想說老師會害怕那兩大排牙齒，和那兩根銳利的大尖牙，就像上次被田鼠嚇到一樣。但是進貴記得我們上次跟老師說怎麼捉山豬的事，就跟爸爸要了山豬牙送老師。
老師從沒有看過真的山豬牙，她小心翼翼的從進貴手上接過山豬牙，好像要敬禮的樣子，
「哇！」她說，「這個太珍貴了，好像是擺在博物館的東西，真的是要給我的嗎？」
進貴用力的點點頭，「爸爸說老師很認真，像獵人一樣，雖然不能去打獵，但是這山豬牙讓大家知道老師就像獵人一樣。“」
「那我們就是老師的獵物囉？」美娟開玩笑說。
「對啊，老師設好多陷井，讓我們留在學校，就像獵人一樣，我們都被老師緊緊的抓住了。」光正說。
老師說她好感動，她還說回家以後要把山豬牙擺在大家都看得到的地方。進貴高興的笑著，他的大眼睛變成彎彎的兩條線。
然後老師把她所有的零食都找出來請我們吃，像瓜子、軟糖這種我們很少吃的東西。大家吃的開心的時候，隔壁的陳老師又來了，她說，「不要忘了今晚的聚餐喔，校長已經在阿美山產店訂了一桌，給你餞行，」她注意到桌上的卡片，又補了一句說，「也給你慶生。」
我們都不知道餞行是甚麼，老師說就是說請朋友吃飯說再見的意思。大家一聽，都嘆了一口氣，糖果汽水都變得不好吃了。下星期過完就是寒假了，老師就要回去了。
「老師，不要走，」 純妹說。看起來像要哭出來一樣。
老師眼眶又紅了，只說：「老師也很想獃在這裡，但是，我也很想家，還有一些想做的事。老師會再回來的。」
「你就嫁給光正的表哥好了，就可以留下來了。」進貴說。大家都覺得有道理。
「老師現在還不想結婚啊。」老師說，「老師會再回來的。」
大家都不知道要說什麼了，桌上還有不少零食，不過大家都不想再吃了，怎麼覺得我們也在幫老師餞行一樣？
老師真的會再回來嗎？她會記得今天說過的話嗎？我們不知道，但是我們相信她，就像我們知道太陽從山的另一邊落下，但是相信明天它還會從山的這ㄧ邊升起一樣。
「老師現在還不想結婚啊。」老師說，「老師會再回來的。」
大家都不知道要說什麼了，桌上還有不少零食，不過大家都不想再吃了，怎麼覺得我們也在幫老師餞行一樣？
老師真的會再回來嗎？她會記得今天說過的話嗎？我們不知道，但是我們相信她，就像我們知道太陽從山的另一邊落下，但是相信明天它還會從山的這ㄧ邊升起一樣。
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