三塊錢的愛 Three Dollars Worth of Love

在被女兒和我霸佔了十幾年後，先生總算有機會休了兩個星期的假，一個人回家去給他父親過生日，也用這個機會專心陪陪父母，孝敬老人家。早上送他到機場，停了車，陪他去check-in行李，辦好手續。平常「洽北北」（就是赤趴趴，又稱匈巴巴）的我，這時後偏偏兒女情長起來，拉著他不讓他馬上去候機室，硬要他陪我坐在休息區磨蹭了半小時才讓他去安檢。我更是一反平日明快果斷的作風，在安檢區外婆婆媽媽地看著他通關，穿鞋，收拾東西，直到他消失在我視線之外才離開。

到了停車場要付停車費時，才發現自己竟然忘了帶錢包，身上又沒有現金。在手提袋裏胡亂掏了一陣，才在我丟在包包裏亂七八糟的卡中翻出了一張莫名其妙的信用卡。等我終於開始付錢時，停車時間已經變成一小時又三分鐘，為了這三分鐘，我多付了三塊美金。這個對勤儉持家:)、小氣巴拉的我來説，簡直是太不划算了，於是馬上開始自我檢討，腦子裏浮現出許多的假設，如果我有帶錢包，如果我走快一點，如果我沒有在機場久留，如果我沒有看著他通關，等等。但當我想到陪他候機的那一段時間，韃伐聲的氣勢變得越來越弱。。。雖然多花了這三塊錢，但它換來的是我們之間多一點相處的時間，讓我體會到要珍惜我所擁有的，讓我能再多陪他一會兒（正確的説法是，讓他能再多陪我一會兒）。。。我們之間所能表達及感受的，又豈是任何其他三塊錢所能買得到的呢？

After being completely occupied by Vivian and me for almost 17 years, David finally got a chance to take two weeks off (from work and from us) and went home by himself to celebrate his father's birthday with his family. We drove to the airport in the morning, parked the car, checked bags and got everything ready to go. I was usually not a gentle and loving wife but I still didn't want him to leave immediately, so I dragged him to stay in the waiting room with me for 30 minutes. When he finally had to go, I waited outside the security check and watched him walked pass the check point, put on his shoes, got his stuff, and walked out of my sight.

I didn't know I forgot to bring my wallet until I reached the machine to pay for the parking fee, and I had no cash with me at all. After digging in my bag for a while, I finally found a credit card that I am not familiar with in the pile of cards I dumped in the bag. By the time I paid, it showed 1 hour and 3 minutes. I ended up paying $3 extra for the 3 minutes. This is not good to me who possesses a good virtue of practicing thrift :), so I started to examine myself and thought if I didn't forget my wallet, if I had walked faster, if I didn't stay that long, if I didn't watch him passing the security check point... I started to forgive myself when I remembered the time we stayed together in the waiting area. Although I spent $3 more this morning, but I got to stay with him longer and I got to realize the importance of cherishing the one I love. What we had experienced and expressed is nothing we can buy with any other $3.