James Poy Wong 黃培正

"As long as you pretend to be foolish and idiotic, they will gladly welcome you. You could then be a freeloader and get some of their food, as you are now a teachable child."

"Stand Up"¹

站起来

看小孩学行确是一件极有趣的事。 固然步伐是幼稚得很，但是那种毅力比我们成年人还要强。 就算是跌倒下来，我们也不会加以冷笑热讽，而且我们走去扶助他，使他有更大的勇气。 因为我们在他的身上可以见到希望，这柔弱雏芽就是将来强健的起点，所以我们爱他。

我们只要学点孩子的毅力和勇气，这个社会就不会又进入这样混乱的了。 无论什么，我们不穷究其底蕴，也不愿做到彻底，一次失败就永远不回头，一有点所得就欢喜得什么似的，不求改进，自满自足。 这是以我国人为最的，在华侨的社会中也是如是。 青年在社会上是学行的婴孩，第一步固然幼稚得很，但是应该努力，徒然坐在地上哭是无用的。

社团到处皆是，真有数不胜数之感。 本应对社会做点工作，但是我们见到的是什么呢？ 唱粤曲的还是关上大门开口 “咿 。 。 。。 ” 剧社整天谈笑说风流话，还有些则整天谋社团职位，互相排挤，你骂我，我咒你。 做了一点小事，就叫得整天价响，要派传单，登报纸，出特刊，忙了一阵。 财力都消耗尽了，就来酒家开酬劳大会， 闹得天翻地覆。 围在一起，吸起香烟来，谈谈这伟大的工作。 这也叫做工作吗？ 难道我的神经有点错乱呢？

假如你不识趣，出来说一二句，他们就齐向你反攻，说你漫骂，说你有伤青年团结，有妨碍工作。 推而至反对工作，破坏工作，害羣之马，无赖，更而至可以叫起汉奸来。 或者他们会发气，叫你干给他们看，到底你多么聪明居然敢批评。 信不信由你，这是实在的情形，有口不准说话，除了捧吹是例外，只要你装傻扮痴，他们就大表欢迎。 也许可以铲点酒菜，孺子可教也。 没人批评，没人出声，当然没有是非，没有争论，也没有改进。 这是小事，大家和和气气，一同吸香烟，做好朋友，天下就太平了。

坐在地上，放赖哭是得不到怜悯或同情的，“不哭的孩儿谁抱不得。” 先要你自己把勇气拿出来才有希望的呀。 想想，本不该说了。

Stand Up

It is a very interesting thing to see a child learning how to walk. His steps are admittedly immature, but his determination is even stronger than us adults. When he falls down we would not give him a cold sneer or a heated mockery, and furthermore, we would go over to help which gives him greater courage. We love him because we can see hope in him, as this tender and weak young sprouting is the starting point of the future strength.

Only if we could learn a little from the child’s determination and courage, this society will not be so chaotic now. No matter what it is, we would not pursue to understand the background knowledge, nor would we be thorough in any doing. Once failed we would just give up; and we would become overjoyed with just a little achievement. We are unwilling to improve while being complacent and self-satisfied. These are the worst among the people of our country and it is the same in overseas Chinese society. The young adolescent is the child learning how to walk in a society. His first step is admittedly clumsy, but he should put in effort to improve, while sitting on the floor crying is useless.

There are numerous social groups everywhere in Chinatown; I sense that it is countless. They should do some work for society, but what do we see? The Cantonese opera club closes its door, and its members rehearse loudly, “Eee, eee, eee.” Members of the drama club sit around all day, laughing and chatting about licentious matters. Some spend all day long seeking an official position in social organizations. These people mutually discriminate and alienate others by scolding and cursing. When they accomplish some little things, they will announce it loudly by passing out leaflets, publishing in newspapers and putting out special journal issues. Thus, they are busy for a while, and when the fund is nearly used up, they will host a compensation party at a restaurant with a blasting celebration. In the gathering, they smoke cigarettes and boast about their great work. Is this considered work? Am I mentally deranged?

If you don’t comply with behavior of enjoying their sort of fun and stand out to say a few words, they will collectively counterattack you, accusing you of inveighing them, harming the unity of the youth and obstructing their work. They would further say you are against their work, ruining their work, and you are the evil member of the herd, a rascal. They may further call you a traitor of the Chinese race. Or they would get mad and ask you to show them how you would do it, and how smart you are to dare criticize them. Believe it or not, these are the actual events that had happened. With a mouth but you are not permitted to speak, unless you are praising them. As long as you pretend to be foolish and idiotic, they will gladly welcome you. You could then be a freeloader and get some of their food, as you are now a teachable child. When there is no criticism and no one speaks out, naturally there won’t be any controversy, argument, nor progress. Since this is just a small matter, everybody should be gentle and kind. Let’s just smoke cigarettes together, be good friends, and so the world is at peace.

Sitting on the floor and crying will not get you mercy and sympathy. “Who wouldn’t like holding a baby that doesn’t cry?” But first, you must embrace your courage to see hope. Think about it. I shouldn’t have to say it.