台北藍調20年來的常客柏納德已經退休多年 每年歲末他就會像候鳥似地 飛來他曾經工作多年 熟悉的台灣短住度假 熱衷藝文的他偶爾也會上華山看場電影 再晃來 Trio Cafe三重奏 喝杯濃縮~~我們倆才有機會~~瞧見彼此不在霓虹燈/在陽光下的模樣 ( 他超愛那個45週年紀念帆布袋的~每天都嘛背出門曬 )
法佬不用手機 每次我推薦他來看新的特演 他就會從上衣口袋掏出折了好幾折 密密麻麻滿是字跡的小紙片 親筆緩緩寫下日期備忘 ( Fancy! That’s your tiny tiny iPhone! ) 四月份我們的官網上線 他倒是第一時間就註冊訂閱 每個月收取電子報掌握新訊 柏納德總是固定在週五晚出現 坐在固定的位置 喝著固定的啤酒/威士忌 翻著小書 津津有味地吃著我們端上桌招待他吃 各式各樣對他來說早已見怪不怪的地方小點
去年底抵台 意外遭逢疫情 柏納德返鄉的機票一延再延~~被困在全世界最安全的地方 他無法/也無意返回危險的家鄉~~終於在這個週末 他將飛回巴黎 結束這個長達八個月非比尋常的假期 ( 是說上次2003年SARS期間 他也因為工作滯留台灣 )
臨別前 我又塞給他一袋口罩 ( 之前口罩供應管制 他老外不方便買到 我時不時就會塞些給他 ) 祝福柏納德旅途順遂 平安康泰呷百二 由衷感謝你多年來的支持惠顧 也許下次我們再碰面 會是在你巴黎老家那~~你將慷慨分享住所的空房 我們再結伴造訪那鄰近羅浮宮 叫做”隆巴公爵” 你愛光顧的爵士酒吧~~一起喝上幾杯🥂
Our 20yrs patron Bernard has been retired for years. Like a migrant bird moving, he’ll arrange his winter vacation every year by long stay in Taiwan where he used to work for decades.
Nighttime at BNT and daytime at Trio Cafe. As a huge fan of cultural activity, Bernard will visit Hua-Shan for exhibitions/movies from time to time; therefore we both get the chance to spot each other under the sunbeams rather not the neon light. Loving his BNT bag so much, Bernard takes it everywhere he goes in town : ) Free from smart? phone, Bernard will pull out a little piece folded paper full of writing to mark the exact date every time I recommend him a special event. ( Fancy! That’s your tiny tiny iPhone! ) Nevertheless, he immediately subscribed our website once it’s announced in April and received our newsletters monthly. Bernard will show up every Friday night, same table and same beer/whisky, do his reading and enjoy local sweeties/snacks we treat him.
Because of the pandemic, Bernard was sort of stuck in the most safe place in the world here in Taiwan. To end up this 8-months incredible vacation, he finally gets the ticket flying back home in Paris right on this weekend. ( During SARS of 2003, he was in Taiwan too. )
I gave Bernard another bunch of masks and said my good-bye. ( Tourists just can’t purchase masks here in Taiwan before, so I gave him some from time to time. ) Bon Voyage and wish you the best my friend, we greatly appreciate your support for BNT all these years. Maybe next time we’ll meet there in your hometown, and I know you’ll share your spare rooms generously and we’ll go to “ Duc Des Lombards “ near Musée du Louvre, your favorite jazz club in Paris, together we’ll have a drink or two.