见解: 再说小鸟试飞

小鸟今早真地去飞了。是自己打的去的；唉，已经不很小了，但还是只小鸟 ...

看了花木, Charming 和韩欣等的日志,深受感动。孩子们出去放飞，飞好飞绕了，都在不断地调整自己，尝试独飞的激动和乐趣，也体验着外面花花世界的沟沟坎坎，磕磕碰碰。也来补个续集，说说家中半小的小鸟。

暑假伊始，小鸟回了家，并在本市的一家医院打工。她的女老板放手让她年初时申请了一项 National Studentship, 她竟然如愿以偿。今天就飞去另一个城市，与其他九名 winners 聚会三天，费用全免。

从昨天开始，小鸟的母亲就开始了絮叨：带够衣服，检查证件，找化妆品，联系地址，..., ..., 直到小鸟终于憋不住了：Mommy, I am fine now, and not a kid any more; could you please let me handle myself, please? 母亲不情愿地走出房间，嘴里嘟囔着，我再也不管了，让她吃几次亏， 就好了。还没有几分钟，就又想起什么，又赶紧跑过去 ...

最后一件事,我也加入了唠叨的行列,那就是她需要提前订好出租车。飞机是九点的，但我们住处离机场有五十公里，加之是 Rush Hour, 就提醒她一定要留出足够的时间，比如6：45am 出发。另外还有要注意费用，信誉，..., 还没等说完，小鸟已经又恳求了，please, please, let me ...

次日清晨，旭日当空。闹钟变得不耐烦起来，忽然想起，小鸟要飞呢。赶紧过去一看，人家仍在呼呼大睡，不知烦恼。

谢天谢地，出租车终于来了。小鸟招招手，说，Daddy, do I still need to call back after arrival at airport, as mom said? Well, if you wish, 我知道小鸟已经象出了鸟笼，离心似箭了。

我在准备上班。

手机突然响了起来 --- 肯定是小鸟了，还会是谁呢？

下面是一段"精彩"对话：

小鸟（XN）：Daddy, the driver asked me whether I agree to change to a local route, due to the traffic?

Me:  Why? Is traffic heavy, compared to weekdays when I normally drived you in the morning?

XN: Not really. But I already agreed. Except the meter is showing over $70 now, but we still have a while to go.

Me: What? my average charges from the past were only $60 total! What happened to this company or driver?

XN: ... I don't know. But it's almost $90 now, and he said we are still not there ...

Me:  When you shopped around, did you ask the company what their standard charges look like for our distance?

XN:  ... No, I didn't.

Me: OK, do this. Call the company and ask them, to let the drive hear that, in case he intended to "rip you off" because you do look like a kid.

XN: Well, I did, and they said it should be around $75 to $80 normally. Wait, it's over $90 now!

Me:  What can I say by now? We did not have a word before we even set our foot on this car...

XN: (Frustrated) OK, daddy, I think I will be reimbursed for the whole cost anyway ...

...

XN: (Calling again after a while) The final charge is $115 including tips.

Me: (Talking to self: OMG, this is almost doubbled of my average charges) Well, move on to the next. My whole point is that you should not have let him do whatever he wanted , while leaving the stress/burden of dealing with your sponsor on you unnecessarily...

That seemed to be the end of morning mission. 我松了口气，转身上路了。

十几分钟后，手机又响了。又是小鸟！

XN:  Daddy, do you know of my Frequent Travelling point card number off hand by any chance ... ?

 尾声:  几分钟前, 收到一条手机信息: Room numer is 336, call after 9 and before 2 ...  (自语: 唉, 这是操的哪门子心呢? --- 到啦.)