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Barbara didn't want me to call her directly at her home. I had to phone one of our Chinese girlfriends first and she would phone Barbara. The girlfriend phoned me again at my parents house and tell me what Barbara had said. The girlfriend talked first in Chinese with Barbara. That way her mother wouldn't get suspicious as they talked Chinese. But when they talked about me, they spoke in English. Her mother wouldn't understand it.

This way of communication could be quite tiresome especially when we wanted to get something organized. One time we tried to get Barbara free for an evening to come along to a party. We phoned in the afternoon. I was playing tennis in the garden with my father at that time. Every time we had to stop the game because the Chinese girl-friend phoned with messages from Barbara. My brother answered the phone, and every time he had to walk from the phone to the tennis court, passing me the message. I gave him my answer and off he went again to tell my answer to the Chinese girlfriend. This time my brother enjoyed being a communicator but my father had enough and got annoyed. That way I won the match. Still it wasn't the result I wanted, Barbara wasn't allowed to go.

Barbara was very creative in finding ways to see me. Not only by using friends to vouch for her or phone her. She did all the paperwork at home, also the administration for the school. Her mother just believed her when she said when the holidays started and finished. She told her mother other dates than the real holiday dates. Once it went wrong, in 1979. Barbara was in Holland with me. Although the colleges had started again, she had told her mother that it was still holiday. Unfortunately the school phoned her mother asking why Barbara hadn't turned up. This was the only time Barbara's mother phoned to Holland. It wasn't a very pleasant conversation they had. The following day Barbara left immediately for London.

Although we saw each other every day at school during the week we also wanted to see each other in the weekends. Saturday afternoon or Sunday afternoon were possible if we organized things well. Barbara tried all kinds of excuses to get away from her family these afternoons. As long as her excuses were related with schoolwork or seeing Chinese friends her mother wouldn't object. Most of the time Barbara told her mother that she was going to draw some flowers in the Botanic garden, or that she was meeting Chinese friends in the town centre of Cambridge to do some shopping.

On Friday before she went home Barbara would tell me where she was going to try to be that weekend. I went to these places and just waited. At lot of my time in the weekends was spend on waiting for Barbara. This was very frustrating as it was never certain if Barbara would turn up. She couldn't promise beforehand if she was allowed to go. How longer I had to wait how more annoyed I got. Thinking I could have been playing football now or done all those other things my friends. Still, every time again I went to there and waited. But when Barbara did turn up, the moment she saw me she smiled (I think many fans recognize or can imagine that smile) and all my inner anger would disappeared immediately.

 

尝试见对方

翁美玲不想我直接打电话到她家里。我不得不先打给一个中国女孩,然后她打给翁美玲。那个中国女孩再打给我,告诉我,翁美玲都说了什么。最初,那个中国女孩和翁美玲在电话上说中文,翁美玲妈妈一点都不起疑心,因为电话那边是个中国人。但是当她们谈及到我时,便说起了英文。翁美玲的母亲便不能听明白什么意思了。

这种沟通方式十分的麻烦,特别是当我们都想好好的安排一件事情时。我们想让翁美玲放松一晚上,那样她能来加入我们的派对。我们下午通了电话。我和我父亲那时在花园里打网球。每次我们不得不停下来,因为那个中国女孩带著翁美玲的消息给我打来电话。而我兄弟接到电话,然后每次不得不从电话机那走到网球场,告诉我资讯。我告诉他我的答覆,然后我的兄弟再次告诉那个中国女孩我说的话。我的兄弟为我们做一个沟通者,他感到十分的开心。但是我的父亲却受够了,并且受到了干扰。每次我都以这种方式赢了比赛。仍然,结果不是我想要的,翁美玲始终不允许离开。

翁美玲在找方式见我这方面很有创意。不仅仅是她利用朋友在电话上为她做担保,或者电话她传递我的消息。她在家里做所有的文书工作,还包括学校的。她母亲只能相信她,当她说什么时候假期开始,什么时候结束。她告诉她母亲假的放假日期。但有一次,出了错。在1979年,翁美玲和我都在荷兰那次。虽然学校已经开课了,但她告诉她母亲现在依然在放假。不幸的是,学校给她母亲打来电话,问翁美玲为什么还没来学校。那次是翁美玲母亲唯一一回打电话去荷兰。翁美玲和她妈妈的对话并不十分的愉快。第二天,翁美玲很快的飞回了伦敦。

虽然我们开学期间在学校每天都能见到对方,但我们都想在周末同样也能这样。周六或者周日下午都有可能,如果我们安排得妥当。翁美玲为了下午离开她的家庭,想了各种各样的藉口。只要她的藉口和学校,和见中国朋友有关,她的母亲都会答应。很多时候,翁美玲都会告诉她的妈妈,她要去植物园画一些鲜花,或者她将和中国友人一起去剑桥的城镇中心购物。

周五,当她回家前,她都会告诉我,她周末将竭力去什么地方。于是,我就前去那些地方,在那里等她。我周末很多时候,都花在了等待翁美玲的时间上。这十分的沮丧,因为我从不确定翁美玲能否前来。翁美玲也事先从不能告诉我,她到底能不能来。我等的越长,我感到越烦恼。特别是想到我本能踢球或者和朋友做其他事情时。不过,仍然,我每次都前往等待。但是,每次翁美玲前来。见到我的那一瞬间,她都会微笑。(我想翁美玲很多粉丝都能认出或者想像出她那微笑)然后,我所有的内在失望都会在那一刻马上消失。

translated  by Elbc2006

 

嘗試見對方

翁美玲不想我直接打電話到她家裡。我不得不先打給一個中國女孩,然後她打給翁美玲。那個中國女孩再打給我,告訴我,翁美玲都說了什麼。最初,那個中國女孩和翁美玲在電話上說中文,翁美玲媽媽一點都不起疑心,因為電話那邊是個中國人。但是當她們談及到我時,便說起了英文。翁美玲的母親便不能聽明白什麼意思了。

這種溝通方式十分的麻煩,特別是當我們都想好好的安排一件事情時。我們想讓翁美玲放鬆一晚上,那樣她能來加入我們的派對。我們下午通了電話。我和我父親那時在花園裡打網球。每次我們不得不停下來,因為那個中國女孩帶著翁美玲的消息給我打來電話。而我兄弟接到電話,然後每次不得不從電話機那走到網球場,告訴我資訊。我告訴他我的答覆,然後我的兄弟再次告訴那個中國女孩我說的話。我的兄弟為我們做一個溝通者,他感到十分的開心。但是我的父親卻受夠了,並且受到了干擾。每次我都以這種方式贏了比賽。仍然,結果不是我想要的,翁美玲始終不允許離開。

翁美玲在找方式見我這方面很有創意。不僅僅是她利用朋友在電話上為她做擔保,或者電話她傳遞我的消息。她在家裡做所有的文書工作,還包括學校的。她母親只能相信她,當她說什麼時候假期開始,什麼時候結束。她告訴她母親假的放假日期。但有一次,出了錯。在1979年,翁美玲和我都在荷蘭那次。雖然學校已經開課了,但她告訴她母親現在依然在放假。不幸的是,學校給她母親打來電話,問翁美玲為什麼還沒來學校。那次是翁美玲母親唯一一回打電話去荷蘭。翁美玲和她媽媽的對話並不十分的愉快。第二天,翁美玲很快的飛回了倫敦。

雖然我們開學期間在學校每天都能見到對方,但我們都想在週末同樣也能這樣。週六或者周日下午都有可能,如果我們安排得妥當。翁美玲為了下午離開她的家庭,想了各種各樣的藉口。只要她的藉口和學校,和見中國朋友有關,她的母親都會答應。很多時候,翁美玲都會告訴她的媽媽,她要去植物園畫一些鮮花,或者她將和中國友人一起去劍橋的城鎮中心購物。

週五,當她回家前,她都會告訴我,她週末將竭力去什麼地方。於是,我就前去那些地方,在那裡等她。我週末很多時候,都花在了等待翁美玲的時間上。這十分的沮喪,因為我從不確定翁美玲能否前來。翁美玲也事先從不能告訴我,她到底能不能來。我等的越長,我感到越煩惱。特別是想到我本能踢球或者和朋友做其他事情時。不過,仍然,我每次都前往等待。但是,每次翁美玲前來。見到我的那一瞬間,她都會微笑。(我想翁美玲很多粉絲都能認出或者想像出她那微笑)然後,我所有的內在失望都會在那一刻馬上消失。

(translated from simplified Chinese by Chan Chi Chung Andy)

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3
Guest
13 years ago
I can't help comparing the persistence Rob & Barbara had to see each other with the casual relations of grown-ups today. It was so romantic, it was a time in one's life before things got jaded or too practical. Thanks for sharing these true stories!
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Guest
13 years ago
I can't wait to read more about Barbara.I want to see her face everyday.
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1
Guest
13 years ago
yeah. i do remember Barbara's smile. ;-)
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1
Guest
13 years ago
Thanks Rob! Another great post.
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Guest
13 years ago
i want to cry!!!!
thank u for do this!
i love her so much!!!
i have many her photos.about 20years!our classmates also like her very much!!!
thanks u .
although now i am a mother now .but i am so happy and grateful for u !will see it when i have time.
thanks very much again!!!
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Guest
13 years ago
:roll: very unlucky. during your time no handphone. u r a wonderful person! rob, may i know ur present job and ur life? thanks
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6
Guest
13 years ago
Rob,You are a good person :lol:
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9
Guest
13 years ago
Oke, you guys I am touched. It looks like I am having my own fanclub. I have to think about this.
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3
Guest
13 years ago
Yeah. Rob, Tell us more about yourself.
We are waiting....................
Barbara is gone. However, you are still here. Go dude go.....
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2
Guest
13 years ago
Hi Rob,
Reading stories about Barbara is enjoyable. But, we are dying to know more about **YOU** eg. how's your life in Netherlands. Most Chinese immigrate to Canada, England, US. So, it is refreshing to learn more about Dutch, general daily routine of your wife/life partners/kids.
I look forward to read more stories. But I want to respect your pace too. Make sure that this website does not intefere with your family priorities.
We respect your tactfullness, your time spent on writing for our enjoyment.
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1
Guest
13 years ago
attrack not attack.
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1
Guest
13 years ago
I only admire people with good personality and think/talk wise and rational.

I read your story not because of Barb. Is you and your words attack me.

Is really Barb's great lost to leave you, chinese say "走宝".

Please do not disappoint us, we like to know more about you.
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3
Guest
13 years ago
just think, at the moment the stories are in the middle of 1977 and they will go till 1981 (even a bit after that). :lol: How patient are you?

It seems strange to me that people want to know more about me. Barbara was the interesting one, I just happened to be her boyfriend.
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Guest
13 years ago
Visiting your website become my daily routine, as I hope can spot some update everyday.

Rob, weekly update is too slow to us, what about 2 or 3 story weekly ?

Rob, can you also tell us more about yourself. What are you doing? How is your children and partner? what is your perspective in life? Etc etc….

Your fans.
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5
Guest
13 years ago
Another wonderful story, and the last sentence is so touching...
How long are we willing to wait, if we could see that smile once more?
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5
Guest
13 years ago
I love this story. It really touched my heart. Miss her dearly. Thanks again Rob for taking the time to share. So super sweet...
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5
Guest
13 years ago
Good job Rob. U are smart, sentimental and romantic..
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3
Guest
13 years ago
Hi Rob,
Your website is getting fancier AND fancier. It now count by day, week, month. VERY IMPRESSIVE.
You have so many fans now. In a way, u are now a celebrity (thru Barbara).
U n Barbara did a wonderful job seeing each other. U all make it eventhough she get busted at times!
Did u/Rob do all the technical stuff and programming yourself?
ROB - PLEASE ANSWER THIS QUESTION
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4
Guest
13 years ago
we are also very patient waiting everyday for the stories : )

looks like barbara was very good at organizing things but every now and then she would get busted lol

and ofcourse who can forget that smile along with her other facial expressions :D
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7
Guest
13 years ago
Rob, you are such a patient man :roll:
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