The Story About Grey Hair

It's only natural that most elderly people grow grey hair (白髮) and there seem(似乎) nothing much to talk about it. However, a friend of mine has in one occasion(場合) told me the following interesting story﹝I don't know whether it is an anecdote(軼事)or a fiction(虛構)﹞relating to his grey hair, which I would like to share with you right at this moment. Here is his story. * * * * * * * *

One day in hot summer, I was walking in a busy street in Tsimshatsui tourist area and came across(碰上) a business friend whom I have not seen for almost 20 years. I remember the first time we met, this friend of mine was over fifty years old while I was in my early thirties. At that time, he looked younger than his age, but only to his regret(遺憾), there were quite a number of grey hairs scattering(散佈) here and there over his head. As I was much younger than him, my hair remains(保持) of course in their natural black. Probably because of his grey hair growing out a little too early, whenever we met, he would now and then stare(盯，凝視) at my beautiful black hair, with a look of admiration(羨慕). This peculiar(奇特的) movement of his has left me a deep impression.

When business became slack(蕭條的), we lost contact with each other and now after almost two decades(十年), beyond both our expectation(出乎意料), we met again here in one hot sunny day. Imagine(想像) how we greeted each other. The moment he saw me, his eyes went straight(直接地) to my hair which is now in full grey and kept staring at it. I looked at his head simultaneously(同時地) and guessed what I saw over his head? There was not a single thread of grey hair there and instead I saw a flock of very black hair glittering(閃爍) under the sunshine, obviously(顯然地) because of putting too much hair cream. The unusual(不尋常的) black hair of his gave a sense of queer contrast(古怪的對照) with the wrinkles(皺紋) and age marks (老人斑) on his face which showed that he was an old man of at least in his seventies.

After looking for a while, he said with a tone(語調) of jealousness(吃醋): "What beautiful grey hair you've got there! They look even more attractive(吸引的) with that touch of curling(頭髮的捲曲)." I said “Thank you.” with a smile in my heart. And then he said again: " How the hell you’ve got such beautiful hair there!" I said proudly " It's a gift from....." pointing one of my fingers to the sky. He said: "Oh Jeah.". Then after chatting(閒談) for a while, we said goodbye to each other. When he turned around and left, I heard him murmuring(喃喃自語): "Oh,how I wish I have that beautiful hair too." I walked away with a happy smile. In that instance(那一刻), I almost can’t control myself with the thought of shouting loudly: “Oh, how I love my grey hair!”

Useful phrases 有用短語：

Come across 偶然碰見 To one’s regret 令某人感到遺憾(後悔) Here and there 到處 (every) now and then 時而，不時 Stare at 注視著 Beyond one’s expectation 出乎某人意料 With a tone of 以…語氣 In that instance 在那個時刻