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In February 1981 I had a terrible accident during a football match. My right leg was broken at three places and around my ankle a lot of ligaments were torn. I was rushed off to hospital. Once there the swelling was so bad, that all they could do was to put a plaster cast around it. After that I was send home again with the message not to move and keep the leg up to reduce the swelling. The university had a small ward where I could stay. There was a nurse during the day and a doctor came round regularly. I was the only patient. I had to arrange my own food and at night I had the place to myself.

At that time I had girlfriend called Witsi. She was Malaysian, sweet, pretty, quite tall, especially for an Asian girl and she was also a terrific dancer. I discovered then that Witsi was also a very caring girl. She came round every day, bringing me a lunch, cooked my evening meals, did my washing, helped me move around and kept me company in the evenings.

When the swelling got less I had to go to the hospital to be operated. All together I stayed three weeks in the hospital. I wasn't allowed to move, there was no pressure on my leg allowed. I wasn't feeling ill and I was not in pain. Life became very boring at the hospital. It was a good time to think things over. I thought about Barbara and was wondering how she got on. To find out I decided to write her a letter. It seemed to me that she probably got her life sorted out by now and therefore sending her a friendly letter could do no harm. It was not an emotional or miserable letter. It turned out to be a nicely written letter of which I was quite proud. I wrote her about what I have been doing and that I was in hospital now. I did write that I hadn't forgotten her, but I didn't ask her to come and see me or to get in contact with me. I didn't even know if Barbara was ever going to receive this letter as I posted it to Belsize avenue, she might have moved.

Two days later after I posted the letter, a Saturday afternoon, a scene happened which could have been in a movie. I shared the ward with three other guys, they told me later that I looked like that I had just seen a ghost.

That Saturday afternoon I was just dosing off a bit as I wasn't expecting any visitors. Then Barbara walked in the ward. She looked round, saw me, smiled and walked towards me. She sat down on my bed, took my hands in her hands and said with the sweetest smile "Hello Robert, how are you?".

Barbara unexpected appearance in the hospital and the natural way we spoke to each other and especially how our meeting ended, made such a big impression on me that even after 30 years. I still remember parts of the conversation we had. This is what I remember.

b. hello Robert how are you?
r. wow, you came all the way down here to see me, did you drive to here?
b. yes
r. with that old Hillman
b. what do you think, it was the first thing I sold
r. what kind of car do you have now then
b. a Volkswagen of course
r. yes you always wanted one of them, so how are doing?
b. I am fine, life hasn't changed much. I am still working at the burger King, working hard at college and going home in the weekends. It did some modeling. Once I went to Portugal for a photo shoot
r. wow, Portugal that sounds like fun
b. it wasn't, it was hard work and very tiring.
........
r. so you got my letter then.
b. yes I did, I cried a lot that evening and then I decided that I wanted to see you and here I am
r. I guess your mother doesn't know you are here now
b. You guessed right, but what do you think, should we try to see each other again
r. I like that very much, but don't you have a boyfriend now?
b. I got a friend, he is very nice to me, he is a photographer.
r. do I know him?
b. you might have seen him
r. Is he that tall Chinese guy with glasses, he was a photographer I seen him once when I picked you up after rehearsal of that beauty contest?
b. thats right, its him
r. I remember now, he seemed very keen of you then........ I got a girlfriend now.
b. That doesn't suprise me
r. anyway I like to see you again
b. I haven't got much time, I got to work hard now at college and I got a job now on Friday evening, I help out with shows, at the moment I am working by the beauty contest. I understand now why I came second.
r. O yeh, the contest, how did it go with that winner who couldn't speak Chinese and had to go to Hong Kong to do some representative work.
b. it was a disaster, I don't think they make that mistake again
r. and you still go home every weekend to work in the shop
b. yes
........
b. I got to go now, I have to be on time back home, I told my mother I was visiting a friend in London. (stands up to leave)
r. am I going to see you again?
b. you might (walks away)
r. when?
b. (turns round and looks at me teasingly ) write me another letter and then I let you know (leaves the ward with a big smile on her face)

 

 

1981年2月我在一场足球比赛中受了很重的伤。我的右腿三处骨折,脚踝有多条韧带拉伤。我被紧急送往医院。到了医院发现腿肿得太厉害,他们只能先做上石膏处理。我被送回家,必须静卧,把腿抬高消肿。大学里有个小病房,我就呆在里面。白天有护士和医生按时过来看我。我是那里唯一的病人。我需要自己安排一日三餐,晚上我独自留在那里.

那时我有个女朋友叫Witsi,她是马来西亚人,可爱,漂亮很高挑,对亚洲女孩来说更高些。她是个很出色的舞者。我病了之后发现Witsi也是个很会关心人的女孩子。她每天来看我,给我带午餐,替我做晚餐,帮我洗东西,帮助我走动,晚上来陪我。

等到我的腿肿消了一些,我需要回到医院动手术。一共我住了3周院。我被禁止活动,我的伤腿上不能有任何压力。我自己并不觉得难过或疼痛。日子过得非常无聊。倒是个好好考虑事情的时机。我想到Barbara, 猜测她在做什么。为了找到答案,我写了封信。我觉得似乎她应该已经把自己的生活理顺了,给她封信应该没有什么坏处。那封信既没有太深情也没有可怜兮兮,措辞很不错,我当时也有点得意。我告诉她这段时间我都做了什么,现在我在住院。我写了我还没有忘记她,但我没有要求她来看我或是联系我。我把信寄到波赛兹大街(Belsize avenue) ,也不知道她是否能收到信,或许她搬走了也不一定。

信寄出后两天,那是个周六的下午,仿佛电影里才有的一幕发生了。我那时和三个其它病人住一间,他们后来告诉我我当时的表情就像是见到了鬼一样。

因为计划没有人来探病,那天下午我迷迷糊糊要睡着了。Barbara走进了病房。她四处张望,看到了我就微笑了,向我走过来。她坐到我床上,伸手握住我的手,带着她那种甜甜的微笑对我说,Hello Robert, 你好吗?

Barbara突然出现在医院,我们自然而然的交谈,尤其是我们如何结束这次会面给我留下了深刻的印象,直至30年后我还清楚地记得我们的部分谈话。以下是我的记忆:
b. Robert你好吗?
r. 哇,你这么远特地来看我,你开车来的么?
b. 是的。
r. 开那辆老Hillman
b. 你以为呢,那辆车是我卖掉的第一样东西。
r. 你现在开什么车?
b. 当然是大众 (Volkswagen)
r. 是呀,你一直想要一辆大众。那么,你过得怎么样?
b. 很好。生活没什么变化。还在汉堡王打工,在学校努力学习,周末回家。我还做了点模特的工作。去葡萄牙拍过一次照片。
r. 葡萄牙呀,一定很有意思吧。
b. 没什么好玩的,工作不轻松,很累的。
........
r. 嗯,你收到我的信了?
b. 是的,收到了。那天晚上我哭了很久。我决定还是要见见你,所以我来了。
r. 你妈妈不知道你来这儿吧。
b. 没错。那你怎么想,我们要不要再试着见见面?
r. 我很愿意,可是你现在没有男朋友么?
b. 我有个朋友,他对我很好,是个摄影师。
r. 我认识么?
b. 你可能见过他的。
r. 是那个高个子的中国男孩?戴眼镜的那个?上次选美比赛彩排结束后我来接你,我见过的那个摄影师?
b.是的,就是他。
r. 我还记得他,那时候他就对你很殷勤。。。我现在有个女朋友。
b. 那不奇怪呀。
r.无论如何我都希望能再见你。
b.我没有多少时间。现在我在学校很努力,周五晚上还有一份工,我帮忙那些演出,目前我在帮忙选美比赛。现在我知道自己为什么得了第二了。
r.是哦,那个比赛,他们怎么会选一个不会讲中文的冠军,送去香港作代表呢。
b.就是呀,结果很糟糕。他们应该不会再犯那种错误了吧。
r.你周末还是回家在店里帮忙么?
b.是呀。
........
b.我得走了。我必须准时到家,我告诉妈妈我去看一个伦敦的朋友。(她站起来要走。)
r. 我还会再见到你么?
b. 也许吧(她起身离开。)
r. 什么时候?
b. (她转过身,顽皮地看了看我) 再给我写封信吧,那时我才可以告诉你。(带着一脸灿烂的微笑,她走出了病房。)

 

(thanks to Natalie for the translation)

 

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Ken Chau
3 years ago
Rob was still the old Rob but Barbara had a better life and achievements. A new goal! As I mentioned in my previous comment, Barbara had merits of love but it also became her demerits.
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Sandy
4 years ago
Hi, Rob,
didn't find any photo here... you removed it? Sad I didn't read this earlier.......
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Rob
4 years ago
Hello Sandy, there was never a photo with this article
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1
Thup
11 years ago
Did u write another letter to her?? Rob, u were so lucky that she was thinking about u even after that moment.
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1
Dumb
12 years ago
Photo isn't take at hospital , I like so much... So beautiful n seems dress up well n prepare to c u. She miss u.... It's pity put in mind... As love... Seems no need to say in Chinese culture... However .... She hiding in deep deep deep of heart.
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Barfan
12 years ago
I am very sorry Rob. But after reading your break-up stories, I have a very strong desire to kick your butt (when you were in 1980)!
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1
Hannah
12 years ago
OH MY GOODNESS, I can't wait for the next story!
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3
jackpot
12 years ago
that was really sweet of her ^_^
thank you so much for sharing such great memories ^_^
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Harmony
12 years ago
hmmm...i have to say that she still cared about you, when she made this visit. she still had feelings for you. however, life is complicated and so does love. :o feelings are not enough to keep a relationship together, there are also other factors which need to be in balance as well to make it works.
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dewdew
12 years ago
This pic of Barbara is very very sweet. When
did it took?
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Mei Ling Fan
12 years ago
Hi Rob, Have it ever crossed you mind that Barbara was standing by your side all the time through she said "Please do not try to contact me". How would she know you're in the hospital? After all the letter was send on Saturday afternoon and Barbara visited you in the evening. ;-)

I love this picture of Barbara. The watermarked is 1981. Did both of you reconcile briefly?
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Rob
12 years ago
It seems that I was not clear about the date of posting the letter. The letter was posted on thursday, I altered the text to make this clearer.
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Mei Ling Fan
12 years ago
:lol: Thanks for the alteration. I get a clearer picture now. :D Rob, there were pictures of you teaching Barbara how to ski and it was posted at the picture section. Will there be stories about that too? Thank you.
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2
HeeHeeHee
12 years ago
Hi Rob,
Why didn't you & Barbara patched up with this golden precious opportunity? U took the trouble to write her. She took the trouble to come see you. She also dress up with hat & scarf, look very pretty just for u. Oh dear..... U all still had deep feelings for each other. Why don't you tell her how you felt. Rob, please answer.
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Dan
12 years ago
It seems that Barb still had feelings for Rob otherwise she wouldn't have made that visit. It must have been a hard and painful decision to split up with him. From the above picture of Barb looking so innocent and young, I just can't help feeling heart-broken that she has gone from us forever. :sad:
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