"The Wrinkled Miss Fongci"
(by - Jiao Tong, translated by - Shuwei Ho ‧ Raphael John Schulte)
Without applying, without passing an exam,
Just toting her foster-father's recommendation,
Miss Fongci got her position in this institute.
Since then she clutches tenure like a purse, feasting
On a paycheck, enduring longer than her
Youth. Her job must start
With a paper－a foreign newspaper－
And a magazine slick as Vogue. If there's time,
She discusses soap operas over oolong tea.
"My private concerns concern me first," is her principle.
After tea, most afternoons, she must go
Shopping and rush back to phone or fax distant friends.
Since big wigs rarely visit, Miss Fongci
Leisurely minds her own business.
Cases due last month, of course, must be begun
Anytime this one.
As time passes, every day is spent
This way. Miss Fongci smiles and grins
When her boss lectures or complains: "Yes,
Sir, yes, just as you wish," she fully lips.
As time passes and passes, every day is spent this way.
Some people are laid off, more pound the streets
Hunting for jobs in this city with withered morals.
Miss Fongci's nerves, therefore, wrap into her wrinkles.
Now she's careful－so discreet. Besides taking
Care of her health, she works
At keeping her job. The Interior Ministry, for instance,
Is giving an advancement test she's determined to pass.
The Miss Fongci who never read a thing since school
Works hard at keeping her job.
A modern Chinese history is always on her desk, now.
〈奉此小姐〉 ◎焦桐
不曾應徵，也沒有經過甄試，
奉此小姐懷著乾爹的八行書，走後門
進入這家機關來做事，
從此捧了心愛的鐵飯碗，
職位比年華更穩固。
辦公桌永遠有一份報紙，看不完
一份永遠的雜誌，閒來
大家討論昨晚的連續劇，
辦完私事再抽空辦公事。
喝完下午茶去逛逛百貨公司，
回辦公室打電話問候遠方的親友，
平常難得有長官來察視，
一點點工作也不忙著實施，
上個月的進度不妨下個月再開始。
春去秋來，一年如一日，
奉此小姐每天打扮恭順的笑容，
如果上司有什麼吩咐或微詞，
一律這樣點頭說是是。
春去秋來，十年如一日。
很多人被資遣，更多人在街頭謀職，
在這座道德蕭條的大都市，
粉飾的笑容摺疊了憂慮的魚尾紋──
她更加小心謹慎，除了養身攝食，
也努力要穩固永遠的編制；例如最近
內部將舉行升級考試，
很久沒想到讀書的奉此小姐，上班
桌上多擺了一本中國近代史。