昨夜，心生無聊，一個人到市集逛逛。記得以前小時候，每有市集，就會拉著爸爸帶我去，幾次下來，雖然每次的情景都一樣，我甚至熟得都可以指出那幾個攤位所在位置，雖然也不見得要買些什麼東西，但我就是喜歡晚上逛街的樂趣。逛夜市，對小時的我是充滿期待與新奇的。隨著上國中、專科、到現在。市集也不知如何，在我心中早已成為過去。也許是忙吧！隨意走走，聽著攤販的吆喝聲，彷彿回到了小時候那種單純的想法。
Last night, out of boredom, I decided to go hang around the night market. I remember when I was a kid, every time there』s a market gathering, I』d beg my dad to take me there. After a few times, although the market scene always stayed the same, and I wasn』t really buying anything, I still loved the fun of shopping at night. I became so familiar with the market that I could practically identify the exact location of some of the vendor』s stalls. Walking around the night market was full of expectations and novelty for the little kid that I was. Then I went to junior high, college, and now, the market somehow became a thing of the past. Perhaps I have become too busy. Last night as I walked around the market, listening to the yelling of the vendors, I returned the simple life of a child. 

我注意到眼前有一個撈魚的攤販，一個老人在看著，沒有任何客人，也許是天冷的因素，在加上人們漸漸聰明，懂得那撈魚的技倆，所以乏人問津。我 一時童心大發，蹲下去撈起魚來。連破了三隻網，一條小魚也沒撈到，老人瞇著眼看我的蠢樣，心中似乎暗自竊笑。我不耐的說，「老闆，你這網子做的太薄，幾乎一碰到水就破了，那些魚又怎麼撈的起來？」
I noticed there was a paper-net fishing stall, watched over by an old man. There were no customers in sight. Perhaps it』s the cold weather or perhaps people have grown wise over the years and now understand the trick of paper-net fishing, no one was interested in that game. Suddenly, titillated by my childhood memory, I squatted down and started trying to scoop up the fish with the paper-net. No fish was caught after three broken paper-nets. The old man』s eyes narrowed with wrinkles, as if mocking my clumsiness. I said impatiently, 「The paper-net you made seems to be a bit too thin. They are broken as soon as they touch water. How could you possibly expect to scoop up the fish?」

他回答：「少年仔，看你也是念過書的人，怎麼也不懂呢？當你心生意念想撈起那條你認為最美的魚時，你有衡量過你手中所握的魚網是否真有那能耐嗎？追求不是件壞事，但要懂得了解自己呀！」
He answered, 「Young man, I can see you』re one of those who have been to college. How come you did not get it? When you desire to scoop up the most beautiful fish in front of you, have you ever considered whether the paper-net in your hand will hold the fish? Pursuit itself isn』t a bad thing, but you』ve got to know yourself.」 

我心中吃驚，又問道：「老闆，你賣的是什麼？以現在社會一直在進步，但你卻還停留在十幾年前的行業，你這樣能維持生活嗎？」
I was stunned by what he said, but asked again, 「Look at what you』re selling? The world keeps changing and progressing at light year speed and you』re still dwelling on the job that had been out-dated. How could you support yourself this way?」 

「少年仔，我賣的是童年與夢想，也許你不知，有很多像你一樣的人或是比你更年長的人來我這撈魚，你真認為他們只是為了這些不值錢的魚嗎？以你現在，你大可去水族館買你喜歡的魚，又何必來這撈這些小魚呢？他們也跟你一樣，都是來找尋自己的童年的，有些是上階層的人，有些是一般的勞碌百姓，但在為了求生存而日日心力交戰下，他們會來此找尋他們曾有的童年。」

「Young man, I sell childhood and dreams. Maybe you don』t know it, but a lot of people your age or older have come here trying to scoop up the fishes. You really think they are here for these worthless fishes? A man of your status, you could』ve gone to the aquarium and bought whatever fish you like; you didn』t have to bother trying to scoop up these tiny fishes. Those men were like you; they have come here in search of their childhood. Some of them are from upper class, some are ordinary people just getting by. Yet, in the hardship of their daily struggles, they will come here to look for the childhood they once had.」

「那你又賣了夢想給誰？」
「Then who did you sell the dreams to?」

「我賣夢想給那些應該有童年卻被繁複補習跟功課壓力的小朋友，也許社會一直在進步，但相對的也剝奪很多我們應該有的東西。在這裡，小朋友可以對著一群魚討論半天，你也可以見到他們撈起魚時興奮的大叫，那怕只是外面二十元一兩的飼料魚，但他們卻會心滿意足的回家，甚至睡覺也作著這樣的美夢，你不覺得很好嗎？」
「I sell them to those who should have had a childhood but were driven to cram schools and homework. Perhaps the world is getting better, but in the meantime it has taken away a lot of things that we should have had. Here at my stall, kids can have a long discussion over a bunch of fishes. They scream and yell happily if they caught one or two. The fishes are sold by the pound very cheaply, but the kids always go home satisfied and have the same happy dreams in their sleep. Don』t think this is a wonderful thing?」

「可是我還是覺得你的網太薄，跟本撈不起魚。」
「But I think your nets are still too thin. They will never scoop up any fish.」 I persisted.

「少年仔，你還不懂撈魚的哲學吧！這對眾人所追求的事業、愛情、財運都是一樣的。當你沉迷於眼前每好目標之際，你有衡量過你自己的實力嗎？為什麼總有人喜歡一昧的去追求遙不可及的夢想而不想想自己所擁有的價值？目標越大，得失心越大，挫折感也就越大，人生之苦不皆是如此嗎？也許你該放棄那些大而美麗的目標，選擇在你身旁的目標吧！人應該要務實一點比較好。」他手拿隻魚網，輕鬆的就將一隻黑姑娘撈上網。
「Young man, I don』t think you understand the philosophy of scooping up fishes. The same philosophy applies to our pursuit of career, love, and wealth too. When you』re obsessed with the attractive goal in front of you, have you ever weighed your own capability? Why are there people who pursue some far-fetched dreams instead of re-examining their own worth? The higher the goal is, the bigger the frustration. That』s the pain of life. Perhaps you should give up those big and pretty goals and choose the ones next to you. People should think and act more pragmatically.」 While saying these words, he scooped up a 『black beauty』 (fish name) effortlessly with a paper-net. 

「你看，這不是容易多了嗎？」
「See, isn』t this much easier?」

我無語，心中想著他所說的話。付了伍拾元給他，說聲不用找了，算是聽他這一席話吧！他笑著將錢退給我，又將他剛撈到的魚包給我。我沒收魚，因為即使將魚帶回家，對於家中沒水族箱的我也養不活它。如果好不容易追求到的目標，自己又沒那種能力去維持它，不也等於是一場夢幻？人，還是應該務實一點比較好。臨走之際，彷彿聽到那老人對我說「少年仔，別想著要爬太高，屬於自己的東西一但失去了，要再跟別人買回來那就不好。」不要因為也許改變就不肯說那句美麗的誓言。不要因為也許會分離就不敢求一次傾心的相遇。總有一些什麼會留下來吧。留下來做一件不滅的印記。好讓那些不相識的人也能知道我曾經怎樣深深的愛過妳 。
Thinking over what he had said, I had nothing to say in response. I paid him 50 dollars and told him to keep the change as the payment for this lesson in philosophy of life. He smiled and returned the money to me and gave me the fish he just scooped up. I didn』t take the fish, because even if I took it home, I wouldn』t have the equipment to keep it alive. If you finally achieve the goal you』re seeking after but have no ability to maintain it, isn』t that just another illusion? Maybe people really should be more pragmatic. Before leaving, I thought I heard the man say, 「Young man, don』t try to climb too high. Once you lose something of your own, it would be meaningless to try to buy it back from someone else.」 Don』t be afraid to take the beautiful vow just because there might be a change of plan or situation. Don』t be afraid to wish for a romantic encounter just because it might end in a breakup. Some things will always stay on to be an unfading mark and even strangers can tell how deeply I have loved you.