感受加拿大（3）

峰梓

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: a: E" s. Y9 @$ o, X0 rIt was nearly midnight when we merged nowhere in the traffic flow on the entwined overpasses of Montreal’s highway system. It was a great relief whenever you arrived at your destination, particularly after a long distant driving, but also a breaking point for the romantic imagination of somewhere you longed to see but never had any chance. We intuitively construct our own mind-images of never-seen places by adding at will elements of romance, say, great buildings, beautiful people, and/or exotic food, which keeps our longings fresh. The time the longings get quenched is also the time we feel somewhat disappointed since reality can never be as perfect.
      
It had been snowing and the skid-prevention gravels and salt grains could be seen built up along the edges of the overpasses. Everywhere was dull grayish-white. Icy and dark-shiny bumps grew here and there, which made driving funny.  
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Regardless, I still felt excited. I almost shouted out ‘We finally come! Oh, this is Montréal, this is the Paris Minor. How many times I dream I am here, today I am really here…’ My friend could hardly believe when I phoned him that I was in Montreal, my family and I were coming to see them. Standing in the pay phone booth at a gas station, the weather was bone-piercing and no way could I hold my teeth from quivering. It was a taste of coldness, excitement, and surprise…. When I returned into our car, my teeth were stilling beating noisily, but my wife and my son appeared cheerful and started to joke with me. They enjoyed making fun of my awkwardness and would not let such a chance slip away.  (to be continued)