Written by Henry Sorren / Edited by Sherry Sorren
兩個小時後，我在台中市區下車，詢問過好心的路人後，搭上了一班前往芭樂園的市區巴士。上車前我發現人人手中都拿著一張卡，朝司機旁邊的一台機器近距離掃描，對於台灣人理所當然的舉動，對我而言卻是完全摸不著頭緒。即使不懂我還是硬著頭皮上了公車，朝司機大哥笑了笑，兀自走向後座坐了下來。
不知道又過了多久，我聽到我的站名從車上廣播傳來，提起行李我踉蹌的走到前門旁，拿出我的皮夾，心裡盤算著這趟旅程會不會花光我所有的零錢，接著下一秒我想起我在機場花光我所有的零錢在零食及飲料上，我完蛋了。當我盯著皮夾僅有的一張 500 元大鈔發愣時，我感受到來自司機和我身後排隊人潮的視線，公車引擎轟轟的響著。我的選擇只有一個，掏出500元紙鈔，猶豫不決的朝投幣孔移動，看著紙鈔慢慢的從我手中滑落至零錢箱，打算用這筆錢買零食充饑的念頭也從我腦中消除了，司機用台語大聲的跟我道謝，隨著乘客的笑聲，我嘆了口氣並下了公車朝芭樂園走去。
當我一下車，我便注意到來自四面八方的視線，讓我覺得自己是一塊肥美的鮮肉被獵食者緊盯著不放。到底是我那巨大的行李箱惹人注目，還是我的穿搭太奇怪，亦或是我的臉上沾了些零食屑，我永遠不知道當時的答案是什麼，能讓小朋友、年輕人和老人們的視線隨著我而移動，可能連外星人降落在他們身後都不會發現吧。
總之，這就是我在台灣的第一天，一連串讓我難以招架的事件，很難想像這只是開始。
From the airport I took a bus to the theme park in Hou-Li, and from there I took a local bus. Everyone in front of me used a special card, and scanned it when they got onto the bus. I had no idea what this was so I just got onto the bus, after smiling at the driver, and stood in the back. The bus took off and bumped along the road. Everyone on the bus seemed to stare at me, since I was carrying luggage, and seemed to be lost. After half an hour I heard my stop called out, and I moved to the forward of the bus. I pulled out my wallet to grab a few coins to give the bus driver, but quickly remembered I spent my change on a drink in the airport. I held in my hand the only Taiwanese money I had, a 500 dollar bill. A line started to form behind me as I stared at the money. I only had one choice in this moment. The bus driver looked at me confused as I slowly put the 500 dollar bill into the box. The driver loudly thanked me loudly in Taiwanese, and the other passengers laughed. I sighed to myself and stepped off the bus.
I walked through the town and began to notice everyone’s eyes focused on me. It might have been my suitcase, my face or my clothes, I’ll never be sure. But they couldn’t take their eyes off me. Little kids, teenagers, elderly men and women all locked their eyes on me as I passed. I imagine a crashed UFO wouldn’t divert their attention. These were my first clumsy steps into Taiwan and it was only the beginning.
Note from Henry:
“I am an illustrator, photographer and traveler! For more of my own work please visit http://muumao.com“
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