104˚F, New York

In summers, my spirit usually lifts when someone suggests “let’s eat outdoors”. Imagine this: a long wooden table with some chairs set up under the trees, in a pavilion, or on the grass, laden with pressed polk–dot napkins, vibrant salads, bottles of Chianti, fresh bread that tears easily, and platefuls of cantaloups at the stage between ripe and ruin...

But when it’s 104˚ F outside, I’d prefer forgo dining al fresco.

While I’m sitting at my desk typing these words, I can only try to lose myself for a while in my memories of the icy Finland. Cool...

在夏天裡，每次聽到有人建議來個戶外聚餐時， 我總是神采飛揚、高興得像個小黃蜂。讀者們, 請這樣想像著：在樹蔭下, 在小亭子裡, 或是在绿草上, 被幾張椅子圈圍的長木桌上擺了折好的小圓點圖案的紙巾、多采多樣的沙拉、意大利 Chianti 紅酒、新鮮柔軟的麵包, 和滿滿一盤有點過度熟透的蜜瓜...

可是外面是 華氏104˚ 的天氣, 我寧可放棄戶外用餐的閒情意致。

此時正在敲打鍵盤寫這篇短文的我, 只能嚐試將自己帶入芬蘭的冰涼回憶裡。 嗯, 真清爽！