Revenue Minister Gordon O'Connor said Tuesday his department will consider delisting the Banyan Tree charitable foundation after the Canada Revenue Agency called it a sham.
O'Connor said the government could remove the organization from the CRA's list of Canadian registered charities, meaning donors can't claim tax credits for their contributions.
A CBC News investigation found more than 20 charities that were promised tens of millions of dollars by Banyan Tree didn't get their money this year. As well, thousands of people who donated to the organization have been told by the government to repay more than $63 million in tax credits.
Under Banyan Tree's complicated structure, donations were made through cash contributions and loans provided by a company owned by Banyan Tree's owner. Donors would then receive a tax credit worth more than their donation.
O'Connor said donors must be more cautious.
"You invest $100 in a charity and you get a tax return of $300 or $400 dollars — there's something wrong!" he said.
"If something looks too good, it's too good. I mean that's just your basic rule your mother gave you."
Greg Madden borrowed heavily to make donations to The Banyan Tree Foundation, giving roughly $14,000 of his own money over a two-year period, plus about $50,000 he got from a loan.
Each time, the Canada Revenue Agency processed Madden's returns and he received a tax break that was bigger than his own personal donation.
But now, just like roughly 3,400 other Canadians, Madden has been asked to pay back all of his Banyan Tree tax credits.
"My family members had been involved in this previously and that Revenue Canada had approved their tax returns made me believe that it was real," he said.
"And to find out it was a sham. It's a shock you know, you're taken aback and wonder where are the checks and balances to stop this from happening to people."
Letters of reassessment from the CRA were sent to donors as early as last year.
Opposition politicians questioned why the organization hasn't already been delisted.
"Why is Banyan still listed as a registered charity? Why was the public not informed if a review was ongoing?" said Liberal MP Susan Kadis. "Clearly the left hand does not know what the right hand is doing here."
NDP MP David Christopherson said the government has a responsibility to inform the public.
"Put down that you've either got a problem with this, it's under review, pull it off the page, do something! But don't just leave it there in a way and in a fashion that says to the ordinary person 'here's a bona fide charity, go for it!'" he said.
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/06/03/banyan-revenue.html
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Charity scandal: Donors owe millions after revenue agency investigates foundation
A Toronto-based charitable foundation that gave out $208 million in tax receipts over the past six years was called a "sham" by the Canada Revenue Agency, tossing recipient charities into disarray and forcing donors to pay back close to $100 million to the government.
What's more, the Banyan Tree Foundation offered many of its clients loans to increase their donations, so donors are also on the hook for tens of millions in loans to a company now owned by Banyan Tree president Robert Thiessen.
In internal documents obtained by CBC News, the CRA claims no loans took place and no annuities were set up for the charities. It questions a $65-million donation to the University of the West Indies in Jamaica, and says that Banyan Tree was working with offshore entities not at arm's length from the foundation.
To the accusations, Thiessen simply said: "They're wrong."
This week, Thiessen said that several of his financial services clients had approached him about what he considered to be dubious tax avoidance schemes, and he said he could design a better product than what was on the market.
"I am turning human greed into philanthropic work, and I make no apologies about that. People will buy this, make this donation to Banyan Tree, where they never would have made a donation before, because of the structure that gave them a tax break."
As for his own remuneration, Thiessen refused to reveal how much he has made from Banyan Tree but said he would be shocked if he made $4 million over the last six years.
During that time, he purchased a home near Toronto's exclusive Bridle Path for $2.3 million in 2003, a $2.1-million cottage in 2005 and a $600,000 condo in Burlington at the end of 2007. He leases a 2008 Mercedes and a 2005 Ferrari, which he denied until presented with documents by the CBC.
'I'm out the donation amount'
The complicated structure was sold in some cases as follows: Buy a unit for $2,900 and get a $10,000 tax credit, which at the government's 46.4 per cent discount on charitable donations would lead to a $4,640 tax refund. About half of the $2,900 would go toward paying back the loan over 10 years, and the rest of the original donation would go for administrative costs.
Greg Madden, a pilot with Air Canada, decided to invest after discovering that a relative had successfully received a tax credit from donating to Banyan Tree. But after he bought five units, the program started to implode in 2006 following the first letter from the Canada Revenue Agency.
"I'm out the donation amount, $2,900 per unit, and I'm supposedly on the hook for the $10,000 per unit as well, so the out-of-pocket cost is outrageous, and in the end I've got nothing to show for it," said Madden, who lives outside of Hamilton.
"Where's the money? Were the donations actually paid to the charities? And if they were, why isn't CRA approving these donations?"
The CRA refuses to discuss the Banyan Tree with the CBC.
For two to four years, the money did go out to charities as disparate as the Canadian Red Cross in Calgary, hospitals in Charlottetown and Oakville, Ont., the Siloam Mission in Winnipeg and the Parkinson's Society in Halifax.
As well, some of the donations went to obscure projects like the Lake of Bays Museum to renovate a steamer in Ontario's cottage country, and successful innovative social programs like Families for a Secure Future, in Richmond Hill north of Toronto.
Wanted to help Toronto's homeless
The purpose of the Banyan Tree, said Thiessen, when first contacted by the CBC, was his dream to do something one day about the city's homeless.
"When I first moved to Toronto, I couldn't believe I was stepping over people sleeping on the street and, you know, people begging in every corner," said the 58-year-old businessman from Manitoba. "And I thought, you know, some time in my life, I'm going to try and do something to affect that thing."
For Judith McGill, the executive director of the Families for a Secure Future program, Thiessen and the Banyan Tree were saviours. The promise of $2 million over 25 years for her program — which helps families of developmentally delayed children when support ends for them after high school — allows the fledgling charity to incorporate and establish a proper staff.
"We're a small organization with three part-time staff, serving 80 families that are dealing with real complex needs," said McGill. "It's put those 80 families in crisis and in jeopardy of going into crisis. It's been a pretty severe impact.
"We don't have any end in sight."
Up until now, McGill said Thiessen "has been fantastic. He was very, very supportive. He's been dogged by CRA for so many years now, we don't know what to expect."
The group has funding until the fall "and then we're scuppered."
No stranger to Canada Revenue Agency
Thiessen has a history of taking on the Canada Revenue Agency.
He piloted a syndicated limited partnership investment, based on buying parts of an apartment building in London, Ont., through the courts against the CRA and won. Recently, he also promoted a Montreal-based mining firm as an investment, and it too is being reviewed by CRA for some of the deductions claimed by investors.
Al Rosen, a noted forensic auditor, saw many red flags when going through the Banyan Tree financials, especially the $65-million donation in shares to the University of the West Indies by West Point Resources, a company controlled by Hywel Jones, who also runs Hampton Insurance, the Bahamas-based company which supposedly maintains the annuities for Banyan Tree charities.
In a rollicking meeting between Rosen and Thiessen, arranged by the CBC, Rosen told Thiessen he should have known the Canada Revenue Agency was trying to shut down programs like his.
"I think it's unfair on your part to say that I'm as clean as a whistle when you knew you're into a zone that could go either way for you," said Rosen. "You may say I'm unlucky that it went against me so far. The thing is, it was a choice. You said: 'I can make a few bucks off of this thing by doing it, so why should I let my client base go and give this money to other people and get screwed.'"
Thiessen countered that the CRA hadn't assessed anybody until 2006.
"You knew it was coming," said Rosen.
"We're giving away cash," replied Thiessen. "How can giving away cash to Canadian charities be wrong?"
Has mortgages on properties
The Banyan Tree president said he has mortgages on his properties, and he admitted to being a car nut, but said his wealth is derived from being in business so long, and doing $1.5 billion in deals.
Asked if he always got a cut of those deals, he replied "always," and then added with emphasis: "Always."
For Clarence Keesman, who runs The Refuge, a drop-in centre for street youth in Oshawa, all the financial talk about Banyan Tree is a puzzle.
He can't understand why the annuity arranged for him by Banyan Tree isn't producing (Thiessen said the Caribbean lender has put a freeze on the money in the annuities until the CRA issue is resolved), which has forced him to lay off staff for his $200,000-a-year operation.
"It's not just a blow to the organization that is involved," said Keesman about the Banyan Tree charities. "It's a blow to the community, because we're out here doing the work and without this work being done, whether it's working with homeless and street kids, whether it's immigrants, whether it's whatever the organization is doing, it has an impact on the community.
"Who's going to pick up the work?"
Both the Caribbean lender and Hampton Insurance refused to respond to inquiries by the CBC.
As for the more than 3,000 donors, a class-action suit against Banyan Tree has been started by a Hamilton law firm.
Lawyer David Thompson of Scarfone Hawkins said the CRA should also take some responsibility.
"The CRA names this foundation as a registered charity and gives it a certain amount of credibility for many of these donors.
"But for the credibility that was built in this program, I'm sure many of these donors would never have participated at all."
Comment:
The only kind of taxpayer that would think that a $2,900 contribution would warrant a $10,000 charitable donation receipt is a greedy one willing to try and exploit gray areas of tax law. The airline pilot and others that were hoodwinked by this sham have no one to blame but themselves.Mr. Theissen was probably not doing anything illegal, but was clearly pushing the envelop.
It's simple. You make a donation for 2k - you get a receipt for 2k. How can anyone believe that getting a tax receipt indicating a higher amount than what they donated is right?
at 7:17 AM ET"Buy a unit for $2,900 and get a $10,000 tax credit, which at the government's 46.4 per cent discount on charitable donations, would lead to a $4,640 tax refund. About half of the $2,900 would go towards paying back the loan over 10 years, and the rest of the original donation would go for administrative costs." That's not just tax evasion, tha'ts outright fraud!
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/05/30/f-banyancharity.html?ref=rss&loomia_si=t0:a16:g2:r4:c0.0958991
What's more, the Banyan Tree Foundation offered many of its clients loans to increase their donations, so donors are also on the hook for tens of millions in loans to a company now owned by Banyan Tree president Robert Thiessen.
In internal documents obtained by CBC News, the CRA claims no loans took place and no annuities were set up for the charities. It questions a $65-million donation to the University of the West Indies in Jamaica, and says that Banyan Tree was working with offshore entities not at arm's length from the foundation.
To the accusations, Thiessen simply said: "They're wrong."
This week, Thiessen said that several of his financial services clients had approached him about what he considered to be dubious tax avoidance schemes, and he said he could design a better product than what was on the market.
"I am turning human greed into philanthropic work, and I make no apologies about that. People will buy this, make this donation to Banyan Tree, where they never would have made a donation before, because of the structure that gave them a tax break."
As for his own remuneration, Thiessen refused to reveal how much he has made from Banyan Tree but said he would be shocked if he made $4 million over the last six years.
During that time, he purchased a home near Toronto's exclusive Bridle Path for $2.3 million in 2003, a $2.1-million cottage in 2005 and a $600,000 condo in Burlington at the end of 2007. He leases a 2008 Mercedes and a 2005 Ferrari, which he denied until presented with documents by the CBC.
'I'm out the donation amount'
The complicated structure was sold in some cases as follows: Buy a unit for $2,900 and get a $10,000 tax credit, which at the government's 46.4 per cent discount on charitable donations would lead to a $4,640 tax refund. About half of the $2,900 would go toward paying back the loan over 10 years, and the rest of the original donation would go for administrative costs.
Greg Madden, a pilot with Air Canada, decided to invest after discovering that a relative had successfully received a tax credit from donating to Banyan Tree. But after he bought five units, the program started to implode in 2006 following the first letter from the Canada Revenue Agency.
"I'm out the donation amount, $2,900 per unit, and I'm supposedly on the hook for the $10,000 per unit as well, so the out-of-pocket cost is outrageous, and in the end I've got nothing to show for it," said Madden, who lives outside of Hamilton.
"Where's the money? Were the donations actually paid to the charities? And if they were, why isn't CRA approving these donations?"
The CRA refuses to discuss the Banyan Tree with the CBC.
For two to four years, the money did go out to charities as disparate as the Canadian Red Cross in Calgary, hospitals in Charlottetown and Oakville, Ont., the Siloam Mission in Winnipeg and the Parkinson's Society in Halifax.
As well, some of the donations went to obscure projects like the Lake of Bays Museum to renovate a steamer in Ontario's cottage country, and successful innovative social programs like Families for a Secure Future, in Richmond Hill north of Toronto.
Wanted to help Toronto's homeless
The purpose of the Banyan Tree, said Thiessen, when first contacted by the CBC, was his dream to do something one day about the city's homeless.
"When I first moved to Toronto, I couldn't believe I was stepping over people sleeping on the street and, you know, people begging in every corner," said the 58-year-old businessman from Manitoba. "And I thought, you know, some time in my life, I'm going to try and do something to affect that thing."
For Judith McGill, the executive director of the Families for a Secure Future program, Thiessen and the Banyan Tree were saviours. The promise of $2 million over 25 years for her program — which helps families of developmentally delayed children when support ends for them after high school — allows the fledgling charity to incorporate and establish a proper staff.
"We're a small organization with three part-time staff, serving 80 families that are dealing with real complex needs," said McGill. "It's put those 80 families in crisis and in jeopardy of going into crisis. It's been a pretty severe impact.
"We don't have any end in sight."
Up until now, McGill said Thiessen "has been fantastic. He was very, very supportive. He's been dogged by CRA for so many years now, we don't know what to expect."
The group has funding until the fall "and then we're scuppered."
No stranger to Canada Revenue Agency
Thiessen has a history of taking on the Canada Revenue Agency.
He piloted a syndicated limited partnership investment, based on buying parts of an apartment building in London, Ont., through the courts against the CRA and won. Recently, he also promoted a Montreal-based mining firm as an investment, and it too is being reviewed by CRA for some of the deductions claimed by investors.
Al Rosen, a noted forensic auditor, saw many red flags when going through the Banyan Tree financials, especially the $65-million donation in shares to the University of the West Indies by West Point Resources, a company controlled by Hywel Jones, who also runs Hampton Insurance, the Bahamas-based company which supposedly maintains the annuities for Banyan Tree charities.
In a rollicking meeting between Rosen and Thiessen, arranged by the CBC, Rosen told Thiessen he should have known the Canada Revenue Agency was trying to shut down programs like his.
"I think it's unfair on your part to say that I'm as clean as a whistle when you knew you're into a zone that could go either way for you," said Rosen. "You may say I'm unlucky that it went against me so far. The thing is, it was a choice. You said: 'I can make a few bucks off of this thing by doing it, so why should I let my client base go and give this money to other people and get screwed.'"
Thiessen countered that the CRA hadn't assessed anybody until 2006.
"You knew it was coming," said Rosen.
"We're giving away cash," replied Thiessen. "How can giving away cash to Canadian charities be wrong?"
Has mortgages on properties
The Banyan Tree president said he has mortgages on his properties, and he admitted to being a car nut, but said his wealth is derived from being in business so long, and doing $1.5 billion in deals.
Asked if he always got a cut of those deals, he replied "always," and then added with emphasis: "Always."
For Clarence Keesman, who runs The Refuge, a drop-in centre for street youth in Oshawa, all the financial talk about Banyan Tree is a puzzle.
He can't understand why the annuity arranged for him by Banyan Tree isn't producing (Thiessen said the Caribbean lender has put a freeze on the money in the annuities until the CRA issue is resolved), which has forced him to lay off staff for his $200,000-a-year operation.
"It's not just a blow to the organization that is involved," said Keesman about the Banyan Tree charities. "It's a blow to the community, because we're out here doing the work and without this work being done, whether it's working with homeless and street kids, whether it's immigrants, whether it's whatever the organization is doing, it has an impact on the community.
"Who's going to pick up the work?"
Both the Caribbean lender and Hampton Insurance refused to respond to inquiries by the CBC.
As for the more than 3,000 donors, a class-action suit against Banyan Tree has been started by a Hamilton law firm.
Lawyer David Thompson of Scarfone Hawkins said the CRA should also take some responsibility.
"The CRA names this foundation as a registered charity and gives it a certain amount of credibility for many of these donors.
"But for the credibility that was built in this program, I'm sure many of these donors would never have participated at all."
Comment:
The only kind of taxpayer that would think that a $2,900 contribution would warrant a $10,000 charitable donation receipt is a greedy one willing to try and exploit gray areas of tax law. The airline pilot and others that were hoodwinked by this sham have no one to blame but themselves.Mr. Theissen was probably not doing anything illegal, but was clearly pushing the envelop.
It's simple. You make a donation for 2k - you get a receipt for 2k. How can anyone believe that getting a tax receipt indicating a higher amount than what they donated is right?
at 7:17 AM ET"Buy a unit for $2,900 and get a $10,000 tax credit, which at the government's 46.4 per cent discount on charitable donations, would lead to a $4,640 tax refund. About half of the $2,900 would go towards paying back the loan over 10 years, and the rest of the original donation would go for administrative costs." That's not just tax evasion, tha'ts outright fraud!
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/05/30/f-banyancharity.html?ref=rss&loomia_si=t0:a16:g2:r4:c0.0958991
Thursday, June 12, 2008
文摘: 离婚后的30天同居生活
一
日子实在过不下去了，离婚对我们来说，是最明智的选择，反正也没小孩的拖累。我说出离婚这两个字后的第三天，我们就去街道把这事给办了。
她是我大学同学，我们谈了三年恋爱，在一起又过了三年。
只是有一个问题，离婚之后，在她还没找到新住所之前，我们还得住一起。
自己想想都觉得搞笑，谈恋爱的时候，我们特纯洁，虽然彼此之间不止于牵手拥抱，但是同居这样的事情，压根没敢尝试过。没想到现在离婚了，倒赶了趟新潮。
一室一厅的房子，两个不再是夫妻的男女住在一起，特别别扭。
第一个晚上，我拿了一套卧具铺在沙发上。
第一夜，睡得真舒坦！没有人在耳边唠叨的夜晚，真美！只是，如果我们家的沙发是布沙发就好了，这个木头沙发让我在清晨醒来的时候，脖子有点酸。
到了洗手间的门口，听见里面有哗啦啦的水声。这个臭女人，不知道从什么时候养成的坏习惯，晚上睡觉前洗澡，早上起床后还要洗澡。算了算了，反正也已经习惯了。我顺手拉门就进去。
我刚掀起马桶准备方便，没想到她竟然“哇”地一声狂叫了起来。
大清早的，也不至于见鬼了啊，叫什么叫？吓得我尿都憋了回去。
“你没见我在洗澡吗？你是不是男人啊？有男人在女人洗澡的时候进来解手的吗？”她掀开浴帘，一只手用浴巾裹着身体，一只手指着我的鼻子就开始训斥。
“你叫什么叫啊？咱们之间不是还隔着浴帘吗？我能看到你什么啊？又不是第一次你洗澡的时候我进来解手，至于这么夸张吗？再说了，就你那身体，我都看了三年了，闭上眼睛都知道是什么样子了，值得我偷窥吗？”
“你……”她气得说不出话来。裹着浴巾就跑出浴室，就听到卧室的门“砰”的一声。
泼妇！就你这臭脾气，看以后还有谁敢要你！
解完手，我去卧室，我今天上班要穿的衣服还挂在橱子里呢。这死女人，竟然将卧室的门给锁上了。我敲了半天门，里面总算回了一句，我在穿衣服！
算了，反正离婚了，让让她吧。
半小时后她才出来，倒是衣着光鲜唇红肤白。可惜，她临出门时狠狠瞪了我一眼，破坏了她的形象。因为这半小时，我上班第一次迟到。
下班后，我在大街上胡乱溜达着消磨时间，虽然无聊，但是总比看她那张脸要好。就这样呆到九点，我在街角吃了碗面，回家。
我进家门，她老人家竟然在客厅里坐着。看见我进来，脸上竟然还带着微笑。我迟疑地在她面前坐下，天！她竟然给我沏了一杯茶。
她葫芦里卖什么药？我想到了一个词：笑里藏刀。
“今天呢，我仔细想了一下，咱们现在不是夫妻了，虽然我现在是借你的房子住一个月，但是我想，为了避免这一个月出现不必要的尴尬和误会，我们还是约法三章比较好。”说着，她温柔地拿起一张纸在我面前晃了晃。“你看看，要是没什么意见，那么就签一个字，咱们一人一份。”
我拿起纸看了看。
第一条：在一方使用洗手间的时候，另一方不得以任何借口进入；
第二条，一方不得以任何借口接触对方的身体；
……
我数了数，大小竟然有二十六条之多。
“没意见，那么就请签字。”她竟然连钢笔都准备好了。
我本来想冲她发火的，但是想想也没必要。反正最多也就一个月的时间，忍忍也就过去了。我冷眼看了看她，拿起钢笔就挥下我的大名。
“对了，作为你签字的回报，在我们共同生活的期间，我还继续给你做饭吃。”
有了这个条约，这日子可就真拘束。刚开始那几天，感觉做什么都被束缚着。并且，我还继续在外面晃悠着找地方吃饭。哼，以为做饭给我吃，我就会感恩？美去吧你！我一个月不吃你的饭，看我会不会饿死！唉，话是这么说，只是每次晃悠着的时候，闻到别人家的饭菜香，心里也还是十分羡慕。
一个星期相安无事。
二
一天我进门的时候，她刚好准备出去。
“出去？”我装着随口问了声，其实我不喜欢她这么晚出去还喷了香水。“是啊，阿铃说今晚介绍一个朋友给我认识。你看看我今天刚买的衣服，还不错吧？”她站在镜子前仔细端详着自己。
“是啊，是不错，钓傻帽最适合了。”傻子都听出我说的不是好话。
“你！”她的脸上又开始浮现厌恶我的表情了。只是，转而她又假惺惺地浅笑盈盈。
“是啊，反正我现在是单身了，就算是钓傻帽，我也有这个权利啊，总会有珍惜我的人出现的。你也老大不小了，也该考虑考虑自己的幸福了。”她眉毛吊着看我，向我示威啊？
“那我祝你今晚吊到一个大傻子！要是人家送你一个别墅，也借咱住两天。”“哟，说话怎么这么酸啊？你不会是看我出去吃醋吧？”她哈哈笑了起来。
“走吧走吧，别站那碍我的眼！”我随手就给她拉开了门。她斜着眼睛瞧着我，走了出去。出门的时候，还对我“哼”了一下。我“砰”地关上了门。
没有碍眼的人在了，我开始看球赛。只是心里怎么这么烦？难道我真吃醋了吗？哈哈，我开始笑我自己，怎么这么胡想？可是我主动提出离婚的啊！
大概过了两个小时，她就回来了。而且，在我面前走过的时候，我看到了她脸色很差。她直接回卧室睡觉了，竟然连澡都没出来洗。
她心情不好地回来，我竟然心情好了。嘿嘿，活该你出去，我也乐颠颠地睡下来。
半夜，我被她的一声尖叫吓醒。刚想起来看看什么情况，就见她穿着睡衣冲了出来，跳到沙发上搂着我的脖子直发抖。“怎么了？”我拍拍她的背问。“蟑螂……”她一说这两个字我就明白了。这个女人虽然对我很凶悍，但是天生害怕小动物，什么蟑螂、老鼠、猫、狗等等，每出现一次她都尖叫半天，害我一直想弄一个小狗回来养养都不成。
“乖，别怕。”我像往常一样安慰她，进房间给她消灭去。房间里四下找了半天，没发现蟑螂的影子，只得回来。
我一坐上沙发，她又将我的脖子搂住。“打死了吗？”她脸上被吓出眼泪，不过在夜晚黯淡的光线下，却有梨花带雨一枝春的感觉。“好了，被我打死了。别怕，你回去睡觉吧，明天大家都上班呢。”我骗了她。因为我知道我不说打死而说没找到的话，肯定会被她逼着再找下去。那么我的觉也算是不要指望睡了。“我害怕，我不回去睡。”
“你忘记我们离婚了。而且，你也破坏了我们的约法三章中的第二条。你首先接触我的身体了。”我语气冷淡，哼，叫你晚上出去钓傻子，看到蟑螂才想起我。她听到我这话，呆了一下，咬着嘴唇说了声“对不起”后，跑回了房间。又是“砰”地一声关门声。
我呆坐半晌，突然给自己一个大嘴巴。
我睡在沙发上，但是一点困意都没有。隐约中，房间里传来她哭泣的声音。进去还是不进去？我有点犹豫，我又给自己一个大嘴巴，是男人就进去！
我打开房间的门，看到她伏在被子里哭。我坐到床边，拉开被子，轻声地问她怎么了？说实话，我看到她满脸的泪水，心里真是好心疼。
“你进来做什么？我们不是离婚了吗？我不希罕你来关心我！给我出去，出去！”她冲我歇斯底里地叫，拿起枕头砸我。“对不起，刚才是我说错话了，原谅我好吗？”我不管她到底是因为什么，我还是坚持将她抱在怀里，轻轻吻她脸上的泪。她不再对我咆哮了，用力抱着我的脖子，开始没完没了地哭。
终于，她一边哭一边说今晚因为什么而不开心了。原来，她那个破姐妹阿铃给她介绍的人竟然是一个台湾老头子，坐下来没多久就开始动手动脚。阿铃竟然还劝她，反正你是离过婚的人了，将就着跟了这个老头子算了。“我离婚了，是不是就比别人矮一截？我们为什么要离婚？”她一边哭着问我，一边掐着我的脖子。
我没有办法回答她的问题，因为我自己也不知道答案。虽然脖子被她掐得好痛，但是掐就掐吧，反正又掐不死我，以后不住一起了，想被她掐都没机会了。
终于我们都累了，彼此沉沉睡去。
醒来的时候，太阳已经出来了。我还抱着她，她还搂着我的脖子。
我不敢动，怕自己惊了她的梦，好像已经很多年没有这样的感觉了。两个人在一起时间越久，清晨醒来就越没有感觉。想想从前的日子，我们几乎都是在匆忙中醒来，一边彼此抱怨着对方，一边收拾东西赶着上班。我们之间，为什么会走到今天这一步？到底因为什么？
她也醒了。
醒来后，她忽然意识到什么，松开了抱我脖子的手，脸上有一抹羞涩，“早！”
我也慌忙松开抱她的手，赶忙下床。
“昨夜……”
“昨夜没什么，快起来洗漱吧，要不上班快迟到了。”
有了这一晚之后，我感觉我们的关系也发生了微妙的变化。下班的时候，我在路边看到有卖海棠糕的，想起这是她家乡的特产，随手就买了点。只是买完之后，我不知道自己是现在就回家，还是像从前一样晃悠着消磨时间。
“先生啊，这个东西新鲜的时候最好吃，时间长了，就不好吃了。”找钱时，小贩特地关照我。
我硬着头皮回到了家，她在做饭。
“嗯……嗯，我给你买了海棠糕。下班时候，刚好看到的。”我对着在厨房里忙碌的她支支吾吾地解释着。
她很开心地走了出来，拿起一块就吃了起来。“去洗手吧，饭菜都好了。”
面对桌子上的饭菜，我心里酸酸的。
数数日子，我在外面混饭吃已经有二十多天了。她做的菜，真香。
“吃吧。”
我拿起了碗筷。
……
“慢慢吃，别噎着。来，喝碗汤。”她给我盛了一碗汤。
“这个菜挺新鲜的，吃一块。”她给我夹了一筷子。
“你最近瘦得很厉害，以后别在外面吃了，又贵又没营养，还是回家来吃吧。”
……
吃完了饭，我抢着收拾。
“算了，结婚这么久了，也没见你收拾过，还是我来吧。”
“我……”
“没事，我也收拾习惯了。你去看电视吧，我一会就收拾好了。”
我给自己沏了一杯茶，又给她沏了一杯。
她洗刷完毕，在我身边坐了下来。我赶紧将沏好的水端了过去。“你想看什么节目？”我拿着遥控器问她。
“你今天怎么这么客气啊？客气得我都不习惯了。”她咯咯地笑了起来。
我不好意思地摸摸我的头。“我以前，很坏吗？”
“坏？没人说你坏啊，只是你比较懒罢了。现在咱们都离婚了，你却忘了自己的衣服要自己洗。你也不想想，每天的干净衣服，是谁给你洗的？以后，自己要学会照顾自己啊！”
“离婚……是的，我们离婚了。”我默然不再言语。
她也陷入沉默。
那晚，我们坐在一起看了三个小时的电视，没有说话，没有换台，只是我不记得自己看了什么。
三
三十天的时间很快就到了。这天，她吃完饭告诉我，她已经找好房子，等星期天就可以搬家了。我的心立即变得很空很空。
星期六很快就来了，我坐在沙发上看她来来去去地收拾东西。
屋内显得很乱，但感觉空气是静止的。我们都没有说话。她会留下什么？我心里突然很想知道。但是，我没问。
“你慢慢收拾，我出去走走。”没等她回答，我就走出了门。
屋外的天空很蓝，多像三年前放风筝的那天啊。屋外的阳光很轻，三年前是否同样温暖过我们呢？屋外的情侣很多，我们也这样甜蜜地走过三年……
“妈妈，叔叔在哭。”身边的一个小孩子叫了起来。
我擦了擦眼睛，勉强一个笑容出来，“叔叔是被沙子迷进眼了。”
我对自己笑了笑，找了一个方向随便走了下去。
一直到傍晚，我还在外面闲逛。
手机响了，是她的短信：“饭菜已做好，我们最后吃一次饭吧。”
我马上跑回家里。
房间里没有开灯。她在餐桌上点了蜡烛，菜很丰盛，还有一瓶红酒。
她穿的是结婚时我给她买的一条黑色蕾丝裙子。
“我们结婚三年了，都没在一起喝过酒。过了今晚我就走了，我们喝一次好吗？”她一边给我倒酒一边说。“干。”我举起了杯子。
我们没有再多说什么，还能说什么呢？再多的话都改变不了明天的结局。算了，不要去想了，喝酒吃菜。最好是喝醉了，等我醒来的时候，她已经离开了。她离开，不是我一直期望的吗？我不是一直讨厌这个啰嗦的臭女人吗？我应该高兴啊！以后看球赛不管多晚都不会有人在我身边训斥我，叫我去睡觉了，多爽啊！我不洗脚就上床也没有人嫌我脏了，多美啊！我没有理由不开心啊！只是，为什么这酒喝在嘴里是苦涩的？
“你的衣服我都整理好放在橱子里了，内衣和袜子在床下面抽屉里，你的胃不好，以后要是一定要熬夜，记得给自己搞点东西吃。冰箱里我买了一些食品，你自己要慢慢学会做饭，不要总在外面吃。吃饭也要注意营养，别总是凑合。咱们的存折我放在床头柜里了，上面还有三万多块钱。咱们家每个月的电话费、煤气、水电费都在街角的银行交，就是这个卡，你收好，别到时候找不到。这个月给你父母汇的钱我也已经汇出去了，以后你要记得按时给他们汇钱，没事多打电话回家，爸妈都挺惦记你的。我今天给他们打了电话了，爸爸最近腿上的风湿有点厉害，上次我们给他买的药恐怕快吃完了，这个是药名和地址，你明天记得买一些寄回去。我没告诉他们我们已经离婚了，你以后有机会想好了再和他们说。不管你爸爸说你什么，记得不要让他生气。这是我给爸妈买的毛衣，你明天一起寄回去。”
她在一样一样地交待着，我希望我自己每件都能记得，但是又希望我什么都不要记得。我突然感觉自己很白痴。我在这个家里生活了三年，但是现在我却感到非常陌生。我开始害怕，我不知道我一个人是否有能力生活下去。
“这是咱们结婚的时候，妈给我的戒指。这个是你们传家的东西，我不带走了，请向妈妈说句对不起。”一枚碧绿色的翡翠戒指放在我的面前，它的光好强，让我的眼睛开始刺痛。“我带走的东西是按照我们离婚时候协商好的。”
她站了起来，四下看了看，笑了笑说，“你有什么不明白的要问吗？”
我还有什么不明白的要问呢？我什么都不知道，我只知道在我最想她留下来的时候，她却要走了。她一直说我不像个男人，我一直觉得这是她对我的侮辱。我现在终于明白，我的确不是一个男人，我像一个孩子一样肆意挥霍着她给我的幸福和安定。
“要是你没有事情要问的话，我们休息吧。今晚你睡房间我睡沙发。明天一早搬家公司的人就来搬家了，我在这多住了一个月，够麻烦你了，明早你在房间里睡，可以少打搅点。”
我不知道自己到底该怎么做，只是木然地对她点了点头，走进了房间，关上了门。
我看了一夜的天花板。
清晨的阳光照了进来。
我听到敲门声，我听到搬东西声，我听到她叫工人“轻点”。只是，我听不到自己的心跳声。
她敲了敲门，我没动。
“我走了，以后自己照顾自己。”她没有进来，隔着门声音低低地说。
我听到了关门声。
我没有再听到任何声音。
为什么我们要离婚？为什么我们要离婚？
“有空记得回来玩啊！”我听到邻居的声音。
你还是不是男人？一个声音在我心里对我吼。
你是男人，你现在去追她回来，还来得及！
我翻身下床，跑到窗边对着下面喊道：“等一下，先别走！”
我冲下了楼，我要做一个男人！
她站在车边，微笑地看着我，半晌轻轻地说：“谢谢你下来送我。”她的眼角有泪。
“你走了，我怎么办？”我抓住她的胳膊问她。
“我们已经离婚了。”
“我现在不要你走，我不能没有你。”我对着自己吼，对着她苦苦哀求。
“离婚是你提的。”
“我知道自己错了，求你原谅我一次，好不好？我求你了！”
“你是男人，怎么可以在这么多人面前哭？”她用手给我擦眼泪，她的手指好冷。
“只要你回来，我不要做男人！”
“我们在一起前后六年了，结婚后你就没再关心过我，没问过我要什么，没问过我想什么。我对你说话，你觉得唠叨；我要你安心家庭，你说我生活没有情趣。你知道吗？我和你生活三年，我也很累。我是爱你，但是你知道吗，这份爱我维持得好辛苦！”
“对不起，再给我一次机会，让我们重新来过，好不好？我错过了很多，我不想再继续错下去。你是爱我的，爱我就不要走，好不好？”我心里好痛，为什么到最后我才说出这样的话？
“我们离婚了。你要我回来，除非你现在再次向我求婚。”她的脸上有一种奇异的神情。
“好，我求婚。我求你再次嫁给我！”我单腿跪下，向她第二次求婚。
“求婚要有玫瑰，要有戒指，你有吗？”
玫瑰！戒指！天啊，我现在到哪里找？
“我们家二丫头昨晚刚收到一束玫瑰，傻小子你快去拿。”邻居大爷冲我直叫。我又想起那个家传的翡翠戒指！
我冲上了楼，闯进邻居家，拿了那束玫瑰就出来。我回到自己的家，可是我却怎么也找不到那枚翡翠戒指！
为什么？为什么上天要如此刁难我？戒指，你到底在哪里？
我在慌忙地四处翻找，她上了楼。在她的身后，跟着一大帮看热闹的邻居。
我一把抓住了她，将玫瑰塞进她的怀里，“我找不到戒指，求你先答应我好不好？”
她噗哧一声笑了出来，从包里拿出一个黑色的丝绒盒子。慢慢打开，一枚闪烁温润光亮的翡翠戒指端立在那里。
“对不起，我好像多拿走一样东西。”她扑到我的怀抱里笑了起来。
日子实在过不下去了，离婚对我们来说，是最明智的选择，反正也没小孩的拖累。我说出离婚这两个字后的第三天，我们就去街道把这事给办了。
她是我大学同学，我们谈了三年恋爱，在一起又过了三年。
只是有一个问题，离婚之后，在她还没找到新住所之前，我们还得住一起。
自己想想都觉得搞笑，谈恋爱的时候，我们特纯洁，虽然彼此之间不止于牵手拥抱，但是同居这样的事情，压根没敢尝试过。没想到现在离婚了，倒赶了趟新潮。
一室一厅的房子，两个不再是夫妻的男女住在一起，特别别扭。
第一个晚上，我拿了一套卧具铺在沙发上。
第一夜，睡得真舒坦！没有人在耳边唠叨的夜晚，真美！只是，如果我们家的沙发是布沙发就好了，这个木头沙发让我在清晨醒来的时候，脖子有点酸。
到了洗手间的门口，听见里面有哗啦啦的水声。这个臭女人，不知道从什么时候养成的坏习惯，晚上睡觉前洗澡，早上起床后还要洗澡。算了算了，反正也已经习惯了。我顺手拉门就进去。
我刚掀起马桶准备方便，没想到她竟然“哇”地一声狂叫了起来。
大清早的，也不至于见鬼了啊，叫什么叫？吓得我尿都憋了回去。
“你没见我在洗澡吗？你是不是男人啊？有男人在女人洗澡的时候进来解手的吗？”她掀开浴帘，一只手用浴巾裹着身体，一只手指着我的鼻子就开始训斥。
“你叫什么叫啊？咱们之间不是还隔着浴帘吗？我能看到你什么啊？又不是第一次你洗澡的时候我进来解手，至于这么夸张吗？再说了，就你那身体，我都看了三年了，闭上眼睛都知道是什么样子了，值得我偷窥吗？”
“你……”她气得说不出话来。裹着浴巾就跑出浴室，就听到卧室的门“砰”的一声。
泼妇！就你这臭脾气，看以后还有谁敢要你！
解完手，我去卧室，我今天上班要穿的衣服还挂在橱子里呢。这死女人，竟然将卧室的门给锁上了。我敲了半天门，里面总算回了一句，我在穿衣服！
算了，反正离婚了，让让她吧。
半小时后她才出来，倒是衣着光鲜唇红肤白。可惜，她临出门时狠狠瞪了我一眼，破坏了她的形象。因为这半小时，我上班第一次迟到。
下班后，我在大街上胡乱溜达着消磨时间，虽然无聊，但是总比看她那张脸要好。就这样呆到九点，我在街角吃了碗面，回家。
我进家门，她老人家竟然在客厅里坐着。看见我进来，脸上竟然还带着微笑。我迟疑地在她面前坐下，天！她竟然给我沏了一杯茶。
她葫芦里卖什么药？我想到了一个词：笑里藏刀。
“今天呢，我仔细想了一下，咱们现在不是夫妻了，虽然我现在是借你的房子住一个月，但是我想，为了避免这一个月出现不必要的尴尬和误会，我们还是约法三章比较好。”说着，她温柔地拿起一张纸在我面前晃了晃。“你看看，要是没什么意见，那么就签一个字，咱们一人一份。”
我拿起纸看了看。
第一条：在一方使用洗手间的时候，另一方不得以任何借口进入；
第二条，一方不得以任何借口接触对方的身体；
……
我数了数，大小竟然有二十六条之多。
“没意见，那么就请签字。”她竟然连钢笔都准备好了。
我本来想冲她发火的，但是想想也没必要。反正最多也就一个月的时间，忍忍也就过去了。我冷眼看了看她，拿起钢笔就挥下我的大名。
“对了，作为你签字的回报，在我们共同生活的期间，我还继续给你做饭吃。”
有了这个条约，这日子可就真拘束。刚开始那几天，感觉做什么都被束缚着。并且，我还继续在外面晃悠着找地方吃饭。哼，以为做饭给我吃，我就会感恩？美去吧你！我一个月不吃你的饭，看我会不会饿死！唉，话是这么说，只是每次晃悠着的时候，闻到别人家的饭菜香，心里也还是十分羡慕。
一个星期相安无事。
二
一天我进门的时候，她刚好准备出去。
“出去？”我装着随口问了声，其实我不喜欢她这么晚出去还喷了香水。“是啊，阿铃说今晚介绍一个朋友给我认识。你看看我今天刚买的衣服，还不错吧？”她站在镜子前仔细端详着自己。
“是啊，是不错，钓傻帽最适合了。”傻子都听出我说的不是好话。
“你！”她的脸上又开始浮现厌恶我的表情了。只是，转而她又假惺惺地浅笑盈盈。
“是啊，反正我现在是单身了，就算是钓傻帽，我也有这个权利啊，总会有珍惜我的人出现的。你也老大不小了，也该考虑考虑自己的幸福了。”她眉毛吊着看我，向我示威啊？
“那我祝你今晚吊到一个大傻子！要是人家送你一个别墅，也借咱住两天。”“哟，说话怎么这么酸啊？你不会是看我出去吃醋吧？”她哈哈笑了起来。
“走吧走吧，别站那碍我的眼！”我随手就给她拉开了门。她斜着眼睛瞧着我，走了出去。出门的时候，还对我“哼”了一下。我“砰”地关上了门。
没有碍眼的人在了，我开始看球赛。只是心里怎么这么烦？难道我真吃醋了吗？哈哈，我开始笑我自己，怎么这么胡想？可是我主动提出离婚的啊！
大概过了两个小时，她就回来了。而且，在我面前走过的时候，我看到了她脸色很差。她直接回卧室睡觉了，竟然连澡都没出来洗。
她心情不好地回来，我竟然心情好了。嘿嘿，活该你出去，我也乐颠颠地睡下来。
半夜，我被她的一声尖叫吓醒。刚想起来看看什么情况，就见她穿着睡衣冲了出来，跳到沙发上搂着我的脖子直发抖。“怎么了？”我拍拍她的背问。“蟑螂……”她一说这两个字我就明白了。这个女人虽然对我很凶悍，但是天生害怕小动物，什么蟑螂、老鼠、猫、狗等等，每出现一次她都尖叫半天，害我一直想弄一个小狗回来养养都不成。
“乖，别怕。”我像往常一样安慰她，进房间给她消灭去。房间里四下找了半天，没发现蟑螂的影子，只得回来。
我一坐上沙发，她又将我的脖子搂住。“打死了吗？”她脸上被吓出眼泪，不过在夜晚黯淡的光线下，却有梨花带雨一枝春的感觉。“好了，被我打死了。别怕，你回去睡觉吧，明天大家都上班呢。”我骗了她。因为我知道我不说打死而说没找到的话，肯定会被她逼着再找下去。那么我的觉也算是不要指望睡了。“我害怕，我不回去睡。”
“你忘记我们离婚了。而且，你也破坏了我们的约法三章中的第二条。你首先接触我的身体了。”我语气冷淡，哼，叫你晚上出去钓傻子，看到蟑螂才想起我。她听到我这话，呆了一下，咬着嘴唇说了声“对不起”后，跑回了房间。又是“砰”地一声关门声。
我呆坐半晌，突然给自己一个大嘴巴。
我睡在沙发上，但是一点困意都没有。隐约中，房间里传来她哭泣的声音。进去还是不进去？我有点犹豫，我又给自己一个大嘴巴，是男人就进去！
我打开房间的门，看到她伏在被子里哭。我坐到床边，拉开被子，轻声地问她怎么了？说实话，我看到她满脸的泪水，心里真是好心疼。
“你进来做什么？我们不是离婚了吗？我不希罕你来关心我！给我出去，出去！”她冲我歇斯底里地叫，拿起枕头砸我。“对不起，刚才是我说错话了，原谅我好吗？”我不管她到底是因为什么，我还是坚持将她抱在怀里，轻轻吻她脸上的泪。她不再对我咆哮了，用力抱着我的脖子，开始没完没了地哭。
终于，她一边哭一边说今晚因为什么而不开心了。原来，她那个破姐妹阿铃给她介绍的人竟然是一个台湾老头子，坐下来没多久就开始动手动脚。阿铃竟然还劝她，反正你是离过婚的人了，将就着跟了这个老头子算了。“我离婚了，是不是就比别人矮一截？我们为什么要离婚？”她一边哭着问我，一边掐着我的脖子。
我没有办法回答她的问题，因为我自己也不知道答案。虽然脖子被她掐得好痛，但是掐就掐吧，反正又掐不死我，以后不住一起了，想被她掐都没机会了。
终于我们都累了，彼此沉沉睡去。
醒来的时候，太阳已经出来了。我还抱着她，她还搂着我的脖子。
我不敢动，怕自己惊了她的梦，好像已经很多年没有这样的感觉了。两个人在一起时间越久，清晨醒来就越没有感觉。想想从前的日子，我们几乎都是在匆忙中醒来，一边彼此抱怨着对方，一边收拾东西赶着上班。我们之间，为什么会走到今天这一步？到底因为什么？
她也醒了。
醒来后，她忽然意识到什么，松开了抱我脖子的手，脸上有一抹羞涩，“早！”
我也慌忙松开抱她的手，赶忙下床。
“昨夜……”
“昨夜没什么，快起来洗漱吧，要不上班快迟到了。”
有了这一晚之后，我感觉我们的关系也发生了微妙的变化。下班的时候，我在路边看到有卖海棠糕的，想起这是她家乡的特产，随手就买了点。只是买完之后，我不知道自己是现在就回家，还是像从前一样晃悠着消磨时间。
“先生啊，这个东西新鲜的时候最好吃，时间长了，就不好吃了。”找钱时，小贩特地关照我。
我硬着头皮回到了家，她在做饭。
“嗯……嗯，我给你买了海棠糕。下班时候，刚好看到的。”我对着在厨房里忙碌的她支支吾吾地解释着。
她很开心地走了出来，拿起一块就吃了起来。“去洗手吧，饭菜都好了。”
面对桌子上的饭菜，我心里酸酸的。
数数日子，我在外面混饭吃已经有二十多天了。她做的菜，真香。
“吃吧。”
我拿起了碗筷。
……
“慢慢吃，别噎着。来，喝碗汤。”她给我盛了一碗汤。
“这个菜挺新鲜的，吃一块。”她给我夹了一筷子。
“你最近瘦得很厉害，以后别在外面吃了，又贵又没营养，还是回家来吃吧。”
……
吃完了饭，我抢着收拾。
“算了，结婚这么久了，也没见你收拾过，还是我来吧。”
“我……”
“没事，我也收拾习惯了。你去看电视吧，我一会就收拾好了。”
我给自己沏了一杯茶，又给她沏了一杯。
她洗刷完毕，在我身边坐了下来。我赶紧将沏好的水端了过去。“你想看什么节目？”我拿着遥控器问她。
“你今天怎么这么客气啊？客气得我都不习惯了。”她咯咯地笑了起来。
我不好意思地摸摸我的头。“我以前，很坏吗？”
“坏？没人说你坏啊，只是你比较懒罢了。现在咱们都离婚了，你却忘了自己的衣服要自己洗。你也不想想，每天的干净衣服，是谁给你洗的？以后，自己要学会照顾自己啊！”
“离婚……是的，我们离婚了。”我默然不再言语。
她也陷入沉默。
那晚，我们坐在一起看了三个小时的电视，没有说话，没有换台，只是我不记得自己看了什么。
三
三十天的时间很快就到了。这天，她吃完饭告诉我，她已经找好房子，等星期天就可以搬家了。我的心立即变得很空很空。
星期六很快就来了，我坐在沙发上看她来来去去地收拾东西。
屋内显得很乱，但感觉空气是静止的。我们都没有说话。她会留下什么？我心里突然很想知道。但是，我没问。
“你慢慢收拾，我出去走走。”没等她回答，我就走出了门。
屋外的天空很蓝，多像三年前放风筝的那天啊。屋外的阳光很轻，三年前是否同样温暖过我们呢？屋外的情侣很多，我们也这样甜蜜地走过三年……
“妈妈，叔叔在哭。”身边的一个小孩子叫了起来。
我擦了擦眼睛，勉强一个笑容出来，“叔叔是被沙子迷进眼了。”
我对自己笑了笑，找了一个方向随便走了下去。
一直到傍晚，我还在外面闲逛。
手机响了，是她的短信：“饭菜已做好，我们最后吃一次饭吧。”
我马上跑回家里。
房间里没有开灯。她在餐桌上点了蜡烛，菜很丰盛，还有一瓶红酒。
她穿的是结婚时我给她买的一条黑色蕾丝裙子。
“我们结婚三年了，都没在一起喝过酒。过了今晚我就走了，我们喝一次好吗？”她一边给我倒酒一边说。“干。”我举起了杯子。
我们没有再多说什么，还能说什么呢？再多的话都改变不了明天的结局。算了，不要去想了，喝酒吃菜。最好是喝醉了，等我醒来的时候，她已经离开了。她离开，不是我一直期望的吗？我不是一直讨厌这个啰嗦的臭女人吗？我应该高兴啊！以后看球赛不管多晚都不会有人在我身边训斥我，叫我去睡觉了，多爽啊！我不洗脚就上床也没有人嫌我脏了，多美啊！我没有理由不开心啊！只是，为什么这酒喝在嘴里是苦涩的？
“你的衣服我都整理好放在橱子里了，内衣和袜子在床下面抽屉里，你的胃不好，以后要是一定要熬夜，记得给自己搞点东西吃。冰箱里我买了一些食品，你自己要慢慢学会做饭，不要总在外面吃。吃饭也要注意营养，别总是凑合。咱们的存折我放在床头柜里了，上面还有三万多块钱。咱们家每个月的电话费、煤气、水电费都在街角的银行交，就是这个卡，你收好，别到时候找不到。这个月给你父母汇的钱我也已经汇出去了，以后你要记得按时给他们汇钱，没事多打电话回家，爸妈都挺惦记你的。我今天给他们打了电话了，爸爸最近腿上的风湿有点厉害，上次我们给他买的药恐怕快吃完了，这个是药名和地址，你明天记得买一些寄回去。我没告诉他们我们已经离婚了，你以后有机会想好了再和他们说。不管你爸爸说你什么，记得不要让他生气。这是我给爸妈买的毛衣，你明天一起寄回去。”
她在一样一样地交待着，我希望我自己每件都能记得，但是又希望我什么都不要记得。我突然感觉自己很白痴。我在这个家里生活了三年，但是现在我却感到非常陌生。我开始害怕，我不知道我一个人是否有能力生活下去。
“这是咱们结婚的时候，妈给我的戒指。这个是你们传家的东西，我不带走了，请向妈妈说句对不起。”一枚碧绿色的翡翠戒指放在我的面前，它的光好强，让我的眼睛开始刺痛。“我带走的东西是按照我们离婚时候协商好的。”
她站了起来，四下看了看，笑了笑说，“你有什么不明白的要问吗？”
我还有什么不明白的要问呢？我什么都不知道，我只知道在我最想她留下来的时候，她却要走了。她一直说我不像个男人，我一直觉得这是她对我的侮辱。我现在终于明白，我的确不是一个男人，我像一个孩子一样肆意挥霍着她给我的幸福和安定。
“要是你没有事情要问的话，我们休息吧。今晚你睡房间我睡沙发。明天一早搬家公司的人就来搬家了，我在这多住了一个月，够麻烦你了，明早你在房间里睡，可以少打搅点。”
我不知道自己到底该怎么做，只是木然地对她点了点头，走进了房间，关上了门。
我看了一夜的天花板。
清晨的阳光照了进来。
我听到敲门声，我听到搬东西声，我听到她叫工人“轻点”。只是，我听不到自己的心跳声。
她敲了敲门，我没动。
“我走了，以后自己照顾自己。”她没有进来，隔着门声音低低地说。
我听到了关门声。
我没有再听到任何声音。
为什么我们要离婚？为什么我们要离婚？
“有空记得回来玩啊！”我听到邻居的声音。
你还是不是男人？一个声音在我心里对我吼。
你是男人，你现在去追她回来，还来得及！
我翻身下床，跑到窗边对着下面喊道：“等一下，先别走！”
我冲下了楼，我要做一个男人！
她站在车边，微笑地看着我，半晌轻轻地说：“谢谢你下来送我。”她的眼角有泪。
“你走了，我怎么办？”我抓住她的胳膊问她。
“我们已经离婚了。”
“我现在不要你走，我不能没有你。”我对着自己吼，对着她苦苦哀求。
“离婚是你提的。”
“我知道自己错了，求你原谅我一次，好不好？我求你了！”
“你是男人，怎么可以在这么多人面前哭？”她用手给我擦眼泪，她的手指好冷。
“只要你回来，我不要做男人！”
“我们在一起前后六年了，结婚后你就没再关心过我，没问过我要什么，没问过我想什么。我对你说话，你觉得唠叨；我要你安心家庭，你说我生活没有情趣。你知道吗？我和你生活三年，我也很累。我是爱你，但是你知道吗，这份爱我维持得好辛苦！”
“对不起，再给我一次机会，让我们重新来过，好不好？我错过了很多，我不想再继续错下去。你是爱我的，爱我就不要走，好不好？”我心里好痛，为什么到最后我才说出这样的话？
“我们离婚了。你要我回来，除非你现在再次向我求婚。”她的脸上有一种奇异的神情。
“好，我求婚。我求你再次嫁给我！”我单腿跪下，向她第二次求婚。
“求婚要有玫瑰，要有戒指，你有吗？”
玫瑰！戒指！天啊，我现在到哪里找？
“我们家二丫头昨晚刚收到一束玫瑰，傻小子你快去拿。”邻居大爷冲我直叫。我又想起那个家传的翡翠戒指！
我冲上了楼，闯进邻居家，拿了那束玫瑰就出来。我回到自己的家，可是我却怎么也找不到那枚翡翠戒指！
为什么？为什么上天要如此刁难我？戒指，你到底在哪里？
我在慌忙地四处翻找，她上了楼。在她的身后，跟着一大帮看热闹的邻居。
我一把抓住了她，将玫瑰塞进她的怀里，“我找不到戒指，求你先答应我好不好？”
她噗哧一声笑了出来，从包里拿出一个黑色的丝绒盒子。慢慢打开，一枚闪烁温润光亮的翡翠戒指端立在那里。
“对不起，我好像多拿走一样东西。”她扑到我的怀抱里笑了起来。
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Fix "Sleep Mode Randomly Waking Up" Issue in Windows Vista
I've been having a very frustrating issue with Windows Vista on my HP notebook: I put the computer into sleep mode, close the lid, and then unplug the network cable… and the computer wakes back up, typically when it's already safely in my laptop bag, so I don't notice until I get to my destination and the battery is nearly dead.
Turns out there's a very easy fix for this problem: Disable the Wake on LAN feature. Essentially, the computer is set to automatically wake up from network traffic, which seems to include pulling out the cable.
To change this setting, type in Device Manager into the start menu search box, and then browse down to "Network Adapters" and find your network adapter. In this case, mine is "Broadcom NetXtreme Gigabit Ethernet".
Right-click it and choose Properties from the menu. In the resulting dialog, choose the Power Management tab.
Uncheck the box next to "Allow this device to wake the computer" to solve the problem. You'll notice that there's a warning about having the option enabled in the first place.
Re-Enable Hibernate Option in Windows Vista
If you've found that your Hibernate option is missing from Windows Vista, it might be from running the disk cleanup wizard and removing the hibernate files. This is due to a known bug in Vista that might not have been hotfixed already.
Turning it back on is very simple, however.
Type cmd into the start menu search box, and use Ctrl+Shift+Enter to open in administrator mode. You can also right-click the item in the menu and choose Run as Administrator.
From the command prompt, type in the following command:
powercfg /hibernate on
You'll have to restart your computer before it will take effect.
Update: Alternative Method:
An alternative method with more steps was suggested by Shane in the comments. If the above doesn't fix your problem, you can use these steps.
Turning it back on is very simple, however.
Type cmd into the start menu search box, and use Ctrl+Shift+Enter to open in administrator mode. You can also right-click the item in the menu and choose Run as Administrator.
From the command prompt, type in the following command:
powercfg /hibernate on
You'll have to restart your computer before it will take effect.
Update: Alternative Method:
An alternative method with more steps was suggested by Shane in the comments. If the above doesn't fix your problem, you can use these steps.
- Go to the command prompt icon in the Start menu under Accessories and right click the icon: click "Run as administrator".
- Paste: "powercfg.exe /hibernate on" and hit Enter and also paste "powercfg -h on" and hit enter just to be safe.
- Open Control Panel and type in "Hibernate" in the Search.
- Click "Turn hibernation on or off"
- Click "Change advance power settings"
- Scroll to and expand the "Sleep" option.
- Select "Off" to the "Allow hybrid sleep" option.
- Scroll to and expand the "Power buttons and lid" option.
- Select "Hibernate" for the "Sleep button action" option. 10. Select "Hibernate" for the "Start menu power button" option.
Hopefully one of these methods will solve your problem!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)