我在悉尼来自奥克兰

小女孩和20只松鼠精

2024年10月9日

有个小女孩，七岁，叫莎拉。她的父母只有她一个孩子。一个学期结束了，学校放假两周。莎拉的同学们，大部分都去这里或者那里和父母一起休假去了。莎拉的父母没有什么钱，也没有什么时间，他们都要上班。妈妈为了照顾她，要她一个人在楼下玩耍，自己则在楼上电脑前一直噼噼啪啪地忙着；直到做饭的时间，才下来给莎拉做饭。

莎拉一个人玩久了，很孤单。但是怎么办呢？假期的时光就这么一天天地孤单过着。

忽然有一天上午，有个小男孩出现在莎拉家的后院里。小男孩敲敲玻璃门，问莎拉自己可以和她一起玩吗？莎拉高兴地点了点头，让小男孩进来了。明明快到夏天了，小男孩还穿着厚厚的外套，两只眼睛明亮又好奇地四处打量。小男孩说，他叫肖恩，在这附近住了很久了，但是从来没有进到这房子里面玩过。肖恩说着，在室内嫌热，就把厚外套脱掉，放在沙发上。莎拉和肖恩，一起玩橡皮泥、拼图、画画、做手工，高兴极了，整个上午都在咯咯咯咯笑个不停。

快到中午时分，肖恩说，他要走了，因为莎拉的妈妈要下楼做饭了，也因为肖恩要回家睡午觉了。肖恩说，自己白天一定要睡午觉的，只有早晨和傍晚才是玩耍时间。但傍晚时分，莎拉的妈妈会在楼下准备晚饭，肖恩不愿意过来。莎拉依依不舍地和肖恩告别了，约定肖恩明天再来。

不一会儿，妈妈下楼做午饭的时候，莎拉兴奋地告诉了妈妈关于肖恩的一切。妈妈嗯啊嗯啊地应着，好象一直在想着工作上的事情，也好象以为女儿在编故事给她听，并没当真。

第二天，肖恩又来玩了一上午。这次，他带来了一个松果和一块松脂给莎拉做礼物。莎拉从来没有见过那么大的松果，也从没有闻过那么香的松脂。

午饭前肖恩又走了。他一出门，就忽悠一下不见了。莎拉又和妈妈谈了半天肖恩，并把松果和树脂拿给妈妈看。妈妈惊讶地盯着女儿，说：“我们家后院是密闭的，肖恩真的是从后院来的、又从后院走的吗？”莎拉看着妈妈，肯定地点了点头。

下午的时候，妈妈下楼来，拿着一团细细的丝线，柔声告诉莎拉：“明天呀，要是肖恩再来，你把这丝线的一头，系在他的外套上。”

第三天上午，在肖恩入迷地玩乐高的时候，莎拉悄悄地把丝线系在了肖恩的外套一角。 午饭时间前，肖恩穿上外套，又走了。细细的丝线随着肖恩，飞快延伸出去。

妈妈下楼的时候，拉着莎拉，看那丝线一路延到了附近的一棵古老繁茂的松树顶上，在高高的蓝天中和绿色的树枝间若隐若现地漂浮着。

妈妈找来剪刀，尽可能多地剪掉了漂浮的丝线。然后，她告诉莎拉，肖恩喜欢吃橡果、花生、松籽。下午的时候，妈妈就带莎拉去买了一些。

第四天，肖恩再来的时候，莎拉把一盘橡果、花生、松籽拿出来。肖恩一看，果然高兴极了，吃个不停。肖恩告诉莎拉，其实自己是只松鼠，已经550岁了，就住在附近的大松树上。莎拉惊奇地睁大眼睛：“550岁了？你怎么看起来和我一样大？我才七岁。”肖恩笑笑说，在松鼠王国，550岁只是个小男孩。他长到400岁，才可以把自己变成一个小男孩。他的玩伴，很多都800岁、900岁，甚至1000岁了呢。临走的时候，肖恩问，明天可以带两个朋友来吗？莎拉高兴地答应了。

第五天一早，妈妈准备了更多的坚果，就上楼去工作了。肖恩果然带了两个朋友来，一个男孩叫查理，一个女孩叫莉娜，都比肖恩的年龄大一点。查理说自己850岁了，莉娜说自己720岁了。四个人吃各种各样的坚果、玩各种各样的游戏，高高兴兴地渡过了一个上午。

第六天吃完早饭，莎拉兴奋地等待着自己的朋友到来。这时候，后院呼呼啦啦来了20个小朋友，领头的就是肖恩、查理和莉娜。后面跟着或大或小的男孩女孩，有的看起来好象还在读幼儿园，全都好奇地朝室内望着，怯怯不敢进来。他们一看到莎拉端出坚果盘，就激动起来，马上开始排队，所有的眼睛都盯着那果盘，却不敢靠近。肖恩、查理和莉娜帮着莎拉，给每个小朋友都分发了一个橡果、两颗花生和三粒松籽。有的小朋友，拿到坚果立即跑开了，躲到一边吃起来。几个胆大的，留下来和莎拉玩耍了一个上午。

终于，学校的假期要结束了。莎拉想着要返回学校，见到自己分别两周的20个同学，却要和松鼠伙伴们告别了，高兴又伤心。她和松鼠小伙伴们约定，下个假期再见！

A GIRL WITH 20 SQUIRLS

There was a little girl, Sara, 7 years old. She was parents’ only child. In a two-weeks’ school holiday, most of Sara’s school friends went holidays with parents. Sara’s parents did not have much money. They had to work every day. In order to look after Sara, mom decided to work from home. Yet she’s busy with her computers upstairs all times. Sara had to play downstair, alone. Mom did not come downstairs until she needed to cook lunch for Sara.

Sara was lonely. But what could she do? It was a really lonely school holiday.

One morning, a little boy appeared in Sara’s backyard, out of surprise. He knocked glass door, asked if he could come in. Sara nodded, and let him in. The little boy said his name was Shaun, had been living nearby for long, but never visited Sara’s house. Shaun had a pair of bright shining eyes, looking around Sara’s house curiously. It was nearly summer. Soon Shaun felt too warm wearing coat indoor. He took it off, and left it on a couch. Sara and Shaun played playdough, puzzles, and colouring happily, giggling all the time.

When near lunchtime, Shaun said he’d have to go. Sara’s mom would come downstairs soon, and Shaun himself needed to have middle-day nap. Shaun said that he must have middle-day nap, every day. His play time was only at early mornings, or late afternoons. Sara’s mom would be preparing dinner late afternoon, so Shaun wouldn’t come. Sara said goodbye and asked Shaun to visit her again tomorrow morning. Shaun agreed.

When mom came downstairs preparing lunch, Sara told mom everything about Shaun. Mom responded with “oh, yeah, really, is it”, yet her mind seemed still on the computer things. Or, perhaps mom thought Sara made a story up altogether.

The next morning, Shaun visited again. He brought a pinecone and a piece of resin this time, as presents to Sara. Sara never saw such a ginormous pinecone and a pleasantly smelling resin in her life.

Shaun left again before lunchtime. He just disappeared as soon as left the backdoor. Sara again talked a lot about Shaun when mum came down, and showed her the pinecone and resin. Mum was surprised. She asked: “there are no other entries to backyard. Are you sure Shaun came and left in backyard?” Sara nodded affirmatively.

In the afternoon, mum brought a ball of silk thread, and spoke to Sara softly: “tomorrow, if Shaun visits again, you tie the silk thread to his coat, okay?”

The next morning, when Shaun was concentrated playing Lego toys, Sara tied the silk thread to his coat.

A few hours later, Shaun put on coat and left before lunchtime, as usual. The fine silk thread extended out rapidly upon Shaun’s disappearance.

When mum came downstairs, they discovered that the silk thread extending to the top of a very old, strong and big pine tree, the thin silk thread floating in blue sky and among green branches.

Mum cut out as much silk thread as possible. After a while, she told Sara that Shaun loved eating acorns, peanuts and pine nuts. They shopped for some in the afternoon.

In the fourth morning, Sara presented a plate full of acorns, peanuts and pine nuts when Shaun visited again. Shaun was so excited. He enjoyed it whole-heartedly. Shaun told Sara that he was actually a squirl, 550 years old, living on the nearby pine tree. Sara was so surprised: “550 years? Why you looked like my age? I am just 7.” Shaun smiled. He said, 550 is a young age in squirl kingdom. He was able to transform himself to a boy only at 400 years old. A lot of his playmates were older, 800, 900 or 1000 years old. Shaun asked: “can I bring them here tomorrow to play with you too?” Sara agreed excitedly.

In the fifth morning, mum left for upstairs after prepared more nuts. Soon Shaun showed up with two friends: a boy Charlie and a girl Lina, both looked slightly older than Shaun. Charlie said he’s 850 years old, and Lina said she’s 720. Four of them thoroughly enjoyed the nuts, played all sorts of silly games, had a wonderful morning together.

On sixth morning, after breakfast, Sara was excitedly expecting her friends. All of sudden, 20 kids appeared in the backyard. Apart from Shaun, Charlie and Lina, there were a group of younger girls and boys, some looked like still in ELC.  All of them looked at the indoor area with full of curiosity.

They became really excited when saw Sara brought out a basket of nuts. However, all of them were too shy to get closer. Shaun, Charlie and Lina helped Sara distributed the nuts. Every squirl got one acorn, two peanuts and three pine nuts. Some of them run away immediately, eating while hiding. Some not-so-shy ones, stayed on and played with Sara in the morning.

A few days later, the school holiday was over. Sara would need to go back to school and meet 20 school friends. However, she’d have to say farewell to squirl friends. It was mixture of feelings. Sara made a deal with Shaun: see you next school holiday!