*

5:35 in the afternoon, Mandy had arrived in this college town for just half an hour. She flew from Stockholm to New York and then to Rhode Island by train, she wanted to visit the School of Design to see if there was a possibility of enrolling in the sculpture program. After settling down in the hostel, she went towards the city center, she thought it might be a good idea to get herself a used bike. It would be easier to get around in a town like this. It was a red bike, with even a foot brake. Mandy liked the color green, but this was a special shade of red, subtle, and brownish; she did not mind having such a bike, which could carry her around either for the next two weeks or even the next four years.

Becoming an art student was definitely going to cost quite a fortune. The study loan would not be able to cover all her expenses. Mandy took a year off after high school, she backpacked to several countries in Europe and Asia; she also worked at farms, cafés, and restaurants to save up money. It had always been her passion to sculpt; she had prepared a very comprehensive and detailed portfolio of her different works done within the last six years. The next day she was going to the college to speak with the professors. Fueled by her youthful dreams, she was nervous yet excited! She knew she was good.

The afternoon breeze was very soothing, she thought about buying some groceries to take back to the hostel to cook. In such nice weather, she decided to walk a little, the bike was not inconvenient at all by her side. Even though she also came from a university town, Providence was definitely where she would want to spend her college years. The air in April was crisp and brisk, she deliberately took a deep breath and made a wish, ‘Let me stay, at this place!’.

     “Lovely afternoon, isn’t it?” A smiling middle-aged man greeted her on the sidewalk.

     “Yes, very lovely.” Mandy was slightly startled but answered kindly.

     “You look like you are in a good mood! My name is Max”, said the stranger.

     “Oh, hi, Max, I’m Mandy. Yes, I’m new in town, trying to explore this place a little.”

     “I can surely be your guide! Have lived here for the last ten years.”

     “Oh really, what do you do Max?” As they started to walk in the same direction, Mandy wondered.

     “I had a small company, went bankrupt, and then my wife died. Now I’m alone and homeless. I have slept next to RISD for quite some time, I could show you around the campus.”

Mandy did not despise Max because he was a vagrant, they continued to walk down the main street, chatting about their separate and rather different lives. Mandy thought to herself, ‘This man, under his rusty and dusty appearance had a very gentle and refined demeanor, a bit unusual for a homeless person. What kind of story does he have?’

     “Max, I’m going to do some grocery shopping and then return to my hostel, would you like to come along? You can try my Swedish cooking and see how you like it.”

Max missed homemade food; he had not talked with someone who respected him for who he was for a long time, so he gladly accepted the invitation. He would like to smell a real dinner.

Mandy made the traditional Swedish Korvstroganoff, a dish of sausage, cream, and Dijon mustard; Max gobbled everything up without any hesitancy. Mandy mentioned this dish had always been one of her favorite foods since childhood. Her mother taught her to cook it when she was 10.

     “When I was your age, I had a crush on a Vietnamese girl in a local restaurant. She was one of the most beautiful women I had ever seen. I even tried to learn some Vietnamese just to get her to smile. I wish I had dated her. Do you have a boyfriend?”

     “I had one. He was in Africa doing voluntary work. We were too far apart. I was traveling, it was almost impossible to keep such a relationship, so we broke up before I came to America.”

Laughter echoed over the small table in the waning sunset. Getting to know another person was a heart-warming thing. When the night started to fall, the stars spread in the sky, quietly looking at these two strangers, witnessing their paths cross in life.

     “Max, you have been street-dwelling, you must not have been able to sleep in a decent place. Would you like to sleep on the couch outside my room tonight? A little bit of comfort, even for one night.”

     “That’s very kind of you, Mandy. I would surely like that”, said Max. ‘Certainly it would be nice to try out a hostel. Who knows where I am going to be tomorrow?’ he mumbled.

     “There’s an extra pillow, you could have it, Max.”

     “I truly appreciate that!” he started to help Mandy clean the table.

There were other young people in the lobby, they took out the beer they had bought, cheered to their newfound friend, and watched the cheap noisy soap opera. The encounter was not expected, however, they found each other pleasant and fun to be with. When it turned 11:00 PM, Mandy was rather tired. Mandy said good night and walked to her room. Max, was very pleased, the hostel was cozy. Today, he was not homeless. He also had a friend.

The alarm blared in the hallway at 1:20 AM; Max had smoked in the lobby. Chaos erupted as guests scrambled out, some ran towards the entrance door in panic. The hostel hostess lady and the guard found Max and were furious; Mandy and Max were harshly driven out. Mandy had to quickly pack up everything, and above all, she must make sure nothing went wrong with the portfolio. How did she all of a sudden become homeless in the middle of the night?

Mandy was overwhelmed and upset with Max; she refused his company. Max left in despair. Mandy gathered all her luggage, secured everything in the train station storage locker, and got on the bike with her portfolio to go to a hotel 10 kilometers away. She did not have the budget to stay in a hotel, but it was 2 AM; she had no choice, she needed a place to stay. The bed was not uncomfortable, but she turned and turned, wondering ‘What had happened today? Why did I even spend so many hours with a vagabond and end up in this costly hotel?’

She got up early the next morning, she had nothing but the portfolio on her, she looked even a bit shabby, but at least there was a clean bathroom. She took a shower, ate some dry bread, time to visit the professors. After turning in the portfolio and having waited restlessly for half an hour, she was told she only had to see the head professor.

     “Max! You are the head professor? What were you doing yesterday telling me you were homeless?”

     “Kid, I wanted to experience life. I had to feel a life outside the ivory tower. You were kind enough to let me see the bright side of humanity, thank you for yesterday. You are accepted, welcome to RISD!”

*

-- by Yun 雲子修 （版權所有，勿轉載抄襲）