Soyinka, Telephone Conversation The price seemed reasonable, location Indifferent. The landlady swore she lived Off premises. Nothing remained But self-confession. "Madam," I warned, "I hate a wasted journey--I am African." Silence. Silenced transmission of Pressurized good-breeding. Voice, when it came, Lipstick coated, long gold-rolled Cigarette-holder pipped. Caught I was foully. "HOW DARK?" . . . I had not misheard . . . "ARE YOU LIGHT OR VERY DARK?" Button B, Button A. Stench Of rancid breath of public hide-and-speak. Red booth. Red pillar box. Red double-tiered Omnibus squelching tar. It was real! Shamed By ill-mannered silence, surrender Pushed dumbfounded to beg simplification. Considerate she was, varying the emphasis-- "ARE YOU DARK? OR VERY LIGHT?" Revelation came. "You mean--like plain or milk chocolate?" Her assent was clinical, crushing in its light Impersonality. Rapidly, wave-length adjusted, I chose. "West African sepia"--and as afterthought, "Down in my passport." Silence for spectroscopic Flight of fancy, till truthfulness clanged her accent Hard on the mouthpiece. "WHAT'S THAT?" conceding "DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS." "Like brunette." "THAT'S DARK, ISN'T IT?" "Not altogether. Facially, I am brunette, but, madam, you should see The rest of me. Palm of my hand, soles of my feet Are a peroxide blond. Friction, caused-- Foolishly, madam--by sitting down, has turned My bottom raven black--One moment, madam!"--sensing Her receiver rearing on the thunderclap About my ears--"Madam," I pleaded, "wouldn't you rather See for yourself?" 1962 * Buttons to be pressed by caller who has inserted a coin into an old type of British public pay phone. 价格似乎合理，位置 没差。女房东发誓她依靠 房子生活。毫无保留 而自己坦白。「夫人，」我警告说， 「我不喜欢白跑一趟——我是非洲人。」 沈默。沈默的传达 紧迫的良好教养。声音，当它到来， 涂着口红，滚金 长菸管迸出。粗暴的抓住我。 「多黑？」…我没听错…「你是轻微 或非常黑？」按钮B，按钮A。公众的 隐语中腐败呼吸的恶臭。 红色电话庭。红色邮筒。红色双层 巴士压着柏油。这是真的！受到 恶劣矫饰的沈默的羞辱，屈从 逼使惊惶的我乞求明示。 她好贴心的，更替着重点—— 「你是黑的？或很轻微？」启示到来。 「你是说——像纯的或牛奶的巧克力？」 她的赞同是客观的，在它轻微的 无人情味中碎裂。很快的，波长调整， 我选择。「西非人深褐色」——并随後补充， 「我的护照上这样写。」为想像中光谱的 飞遁而沈默，直到实话在话筒上狠硬地 敲响她的声调。「那是什麽？」让步 「不知道那是什麽。」「像褐发肤色较深的白女人。」 「那是黑的，不是吗？」「不全都是。 从脸看，我是较深的，但是，夫人，你该看看 我其余的部分。我手的掌心，我脚的底板 是漂过的白人。在坐着的时候，因为—— 很蠢，夫人——摩擦，使得我的臀部 转成油亮的黑色——等等，夫人！」——感到 她的听筒在我耳边 举在霹雳之上——「夫人，」我恳求，「难道你不想 亲眼看看吗？」 --

※ 发信站: 批踢踢实业坊(ptt.cc) ◆ From: 114.44.200.144