白衣人

你知道吗？最近新加坡报业控股有限公司出版了一本名叫《白衣人——新加坡执政党背后的故事》（Men in White: The Untold Story of Singapore’s Ruling Political Party）的新书。

哈哈哈，你那里可能不知道，在这个只此一家的国度里，我们唯一的报馆出版的书，广告的宣传当然是铺天盖地的迎面而来，这么大的一件事，你如果不知道就不能称为新加坡人了。

其实，这本新书的确切名字应该是《白衣白裤人》，因为，人民行动党人不只穿白衣，也穿白裤，对吗？那里有人只穿衣而不穿裤的，不是吗？

说起白衣白裤，我就想起我们念高中时代的校服就是不折不扣的白衣白裤，我记得除了我们公教中学的校服是白衣白裤外，很多学校如莱佛士书院、圣约瑟书院，中正中学、圣公会中学等学校的校服都是白衣白裤的。

我想，人民行动党的党服之所以是白衣白裤，可能和我们的李资政怀念学生时代的生活不无关系，白色代表纯洁、神圣、博爱，学生时代的生活不就是那么的单纯、欢乐吗。

不过，令人纳闷的是，在明争暗斗的政治圈子里，怎么会出现“白”这个颜色呢？

在穿白衣白裤的学生年代，每天洗衣的妈妈最辛苦了，她经常提醒我不要把纯白的校服弄脏，以免她洗衣时又揉又搓的，辛苦极了。

有时候我会想，我们这些搞政治行动党人的老婆要洗白衣白裤，真的几辛苦一下的。后来，我看到有报道说，我们的前副总理吴庆瑞博士竟然是自己清洗内衣内裤的，为行动党人树立了良好的榜样，哈哈哈，我于是把这个想法活生生的吞回肚里去了。

其实，我不喜欢穿白衣白裤，因为那会显得我本来已经够大的个子更大了，哈哈哈，还有啊，搞艺术的人恐怕也不喜欢“白”这个颜色，相反地，他们比较喜欢黑，黑衣黑裤。

哈哈哈，在明争暗斗的政治圈子里打滚的人喜欢“白”，而沉浸在单纯的艺术领域的人却喜欢“黑”，你说我们是不是应该给“黑、白”这两个颜色另下定义，还有，这个世界是不是有点怪怪的。

哈哈哈······哈哈哈······

“Man In Black” by Johnny Cash



Well, you wonder why I always dress in black,
Why you never see bright colors on my back,
And why does my appearance seem to have a somber tone.
Well, there's a reason for the things that I have on.

I wear the black for the poor and the beaten down,
Livin' in the hopeless, hungry side of town,
I wear it for the prisoner who has long paid for his crime,
But is there because he's a victim of the times.

I wear the black for those who never read,
Or listened to the words that Jesus said,
About the road to happiness through love and charity,
Why, you'd think He's talking straight to you and me.

Well, we're doin' mighty fine, I do suppose,
In our streak of lightnin' cars and fancy clothes,
But just so we're reminded of the ones who are held back,
Up front there ought 'a be a Man In Black.

I wear it for the sick and lonely old,
For the reckless ones whose bad trip left them cold,
I wear the black in mournin' for the lives that could have been,
Each week we lose a hundred fine young men.

And, I wear it for the thousands who have died,
Believen' that the Lord was on their side,
I wear it for another hundred thousand who have died,
Believen' that we all were on their side.

Well, there's things that never will be right I know,
And things need changin' everywhere you go,
But 'til we start to make a move to make a few things right,
You'll never see me wear a suit of white.

Ah, I'd love to wear a rainbow every day,
And tell the world that everything's OK,
But I'll try to carry off a little darkness on my back,
'Till things are brighter, I'm the Man In Black.