Only Too Late When You Do Nothing

By Wang Wei Translation： Zhang Lei

Only Too Late When You Do Nothing

By Wang Wei Translation： Zhang Lei

A few years ago, I took an overnight flight from Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport. After flying for an hour, we encountered strong turbulence above South China Sea.Passengers in deep sleep were shaken wide-awake;screams were heard at every bump. Even the oxygen masks were released.

The broadcast requested us to stay on our seats and not to move, and that the plane would escape the turbulence soon. The flight stewardesses walked with much struggle up and down the aisle to assist passengers to buckle up and wear the oxygen masks.

After 5 minutes, it only got worse. The plane jerked even more. Men were swearing, women and children’s weeping, and seniors’ praying were constantly heard.

The man next to me took out his pen and started writing down his name and city all over his body,on arms, legs, and belly. I asked him what he was doing. He said calmly, “If the plane crashed, when the search team found my body, they’d identify me immediately and contact my family.”

I was shocked, “If we were to die, let it be. It’s too late to do anything.”

He replied, “When the plane crashes from 10,000 meters, the power of air current can easily tear all your clothes off. And human body will be smashed beyond recognition. What can be done now and the only thing could be done, is writing your name everywhere on your body so that if we were to crash and die, our families wouldn’t suffer too long before finding our remains.”

He passed his pen to me and held my hand tight,“It’s only too late when you do nothing.”

I followed suit and wrote my name and city all over my arms, legs, and belly. Then I passed the pen on to other passengers without a word. They did the same. Luckily, the plane got out of the turbulence and safely landed at Shanghai Pudong Airport. The names on me weren’t used.

A man may encounter an accident now or later,and he should do whatever that could be helpful and change whatever one could change. Even if he is doomed, he shouldn’t just give up. He should plan for the worst; it is worthy to die with grace. ◆

幾年前，我乘坐從曼谷素萬那普機場起飛的紅眼航班回國。飛行一個多小時后，飛機在南海上空遭遇強烈氣流。熟睡中的乘客頃刻被驚醒，每次顛簸時都會發出驚悚的尖叫聲，艙頂的呼吸面罩也自動垂落下來。

航班廣播告知乘客坐在原位勿要離開，飛機很快就會脫離氣流沖擊，空姐艱難地穿行在機艙走廊里，幫助乘客系牢安全帶，戴上氧氣面罩。

5分鐘過去，情況愈加兇險詭異，飛機顛簸幅度更大了。男人的叫罵聲、女人和孩子的哭泣聲、老人的誦經祈禱聲不絕于耳。

鄰座大叔從衣服口袋里掏出圓珠筆，在手臂、大腿、肚皮上密密麻麻寫滿自己姓名和城市名字。我問他在干什么，他鎮靜地答道：“假如飛機遇險，搜救人員找到我的尸體時，能夠馬上認出我，幫助找到我家人。”

我愕然：“生死有命，富貴在天，現在做什么都來不及了。”

他說：“飛機從上萬米高空墜落，氣流的力道足以將全身衣服撕裂剝離，人體墜地也會面目全非。現在還能做的，也可以做到的，就是在身上寫滿名字，萬一逃不過空難，別讓家人在痛苦中等待太久。”

大叔把圓珠筆遞給我，用力握住我的手說：“什么都不做，才會來不及。”

我照他的樣子，也在手臂、大腿、肚皮上密密麻麻寫滿自己姓名和城市名字，然后默默地把圓珠筆傳給周圍的乘客。他們也照做了。幸好，飛機最終脫離強烈氣流，平安飛抵上海浦東機場，身上的字跡沒派上用場。

人，或早或晚會碰上命中劫數，奮力做自己所能做的，改變自己所能改變的，哪怕無能為力，哪怕在劫難逃，也不要束手待斃，從容做好最壞的準備，就算是有尊嚴地結束，也值得。◆

不做才會來不及

文/王偉 譯/張磊

(From City Financial News, May 10, 2017)

（摘自《城市金融報》2017年5月10日）