佚名/Anonyo
Mostpeopleohearthosethreelittlewords“Iloveyou.”Onceawhile,theyhearthejtti.
Itiethedayshewasadittedtothehospiceward,whereIworkedasavonteer.Herhband,Bill,stoodnervolynearbyasshewastransferredfrothegurothehospitalbed.Althoughiewasthefalstagesofherfightagastcer,shewasalertandcheerful.Wegothersettled.Ifishedarkghernaonallthehospitalsuppliesshewouldbeg,thenaskedifsheneededanythg.
“Oh,yes,”shesaid,“wouldyoupleaseshowhowtoetheTV?IenjoythesoapssoudIdon’twanttogetbehdonwhat’shappeng.”iewasaroantic.Shelovedsoapoperas,roanovelsandovieswithagoodlovestory.Aswebecaacquated,shenfidedhowfrtratgitwastobearried32yearstoaanwhooftencalledher“asillywoan.”
“Oh,IknowBillloves,”shesaid,“buthehasneverbeeosayheloves,orsendcardsto.”Shesighedandlookedoutthedowatthetreestheurtyard.“I’dgiveanythgifhe’dsay’Iloveyou’,butit’sjtnothisnature.”
Billvisitedieeveryday.Inthebegng,hesatothebedwhileshewatchedthesoaps.Later,whenshebegansleepgore,hepacedupanddownthehallwayoutsideherroo.Soon,whenshenolongerwatchedtelevisionandhadfewerwakgonts,IbeganspendgoreofyvoiwithBill.
Hetalkedabouthavgworkedasacarpenterandhowhelikedtogofishg.Heandiehadnochildren,butthey’dbeenenjoygretirentbytravelg,untiliegotsick.Billuldnotexpresshisfeelgsaboutthefactthathiswifewasdyg.
Oneday,overffeethecafeteria,Igothionthesubjectofwonandhowweneedroanceourlives;howwelovetogetsenttalcardsandloveletters.
“Doyoutellieyouloveher?”Iasked(knoghisanswer),andhelookedatasifIwascrazy.
“Idon’thaveto,”hesaid.“SheknowsIdo!”
“I’suresheknows,”Isaid,reachgoverandtouchghishandsrough,carpenter’shandsthatweregrippgthecupasifitweretheonlythghehadtohangonto.“Butsheohearit,Bill.Sheohearwhatshehasanttoyoualltheseyears.Pleasethkaboutit.”
Wewalkedbacktoie’sroo.Billdisappearedside,andIlefttovisitanotherpatient.Later,IsawBillsittgbythebed.Hewasholdgie’shandassheslept.ThedatewasFebruary12.
TwodaysterIwalkeddownthehospicewardatnoon.TherestoodBill,leangupagastthewallthehallway,stargatthefloor.Ialreadyknewfrotheheadhatiehaddiedat11a..?
WhenBillsaw,heallowedhiselftoetoyarsforalongti.Hisfaceithtearsandhewastreblg.Fally,heleanedbackagastthewallandtookadeepbreath.
“Ihavetosaysothg,”hesaid.“IhavetosayhowgoodIfeelabouttellgher.”Hespedtoblowhisnose.“Ithoughtalotaboutwhatyousaid,andthisItoldherhowuchIlovedher?andlovedbegarriedtoher.Youshouldseenhersile!”
Iwenttotherootosayyowngood-byetoie.There,onthebedsidetable,wasargeValentecardfroBill.Youknow,thesenttalkdthatsays,“Toywonderfulwife?Iloveyou.”
多数人都喜欢听“我爱你”这三个小巧可爱的字眼。有时他们会在需要时听到。
我看到康尼的那天，她刚被送到收容所的病房，而我则是那儿的志愿者。她的丈夫比尔不安地站在旁边，看着她从轮床被抬到病**。康尼虽然已到了癌症晚期，但仍神清气爽。安顿好她后，我把收容所发放给她的所有用品都标上她的名字，然后又问她是否还需要别的东西。
“哦，”她说，“那么请您告诉我怎样用电视好吗？我很喜欢看肥皂剧，不想错过任何故事情节。”康尼是个追求浪漫的人。她爱看肥皂剧、浪漫小说和言情电影。我们日渐熟识，她向我抱怨说，她有多么失望，与一个常称她“傻女人”的男人共同生活了32年。
“哦，我知道比尔深爱着我，”她说，“可是他从不说他爱我，也从未给我寄过贺卡。”她叹了口气，把目光投向窗外庭院里的树林。“如果他能对我说’我爱你’，让我付出一切我都在所不惜，可是那根本不是他的作风。”
每天比尔都来看望康尼。开始，康尼看肥皂剧时，他就坐在床边陪她。后来，她睡觉的时候多了，比尔便在病房外的走廊踱来踱去。不久后，康尼不再看电视了，清醒的时候也不多了，于是我有了更多的时间与比尔相处。
他说他是个木匠，非常爱钓鱼。他和康尼没有孩子，他们到处游玩以享受退休后的时光，直至康尼病倒。面对妻子病危的事实，他内心的感受是无以言表的。