人的一生，總有些收藏(圖／Tony)
十一月最後一個星期四，我向公司請了兩天假，一個人開車到東部散心。
我沒有特定目標，早上十點出門走濱海公路，在宜蘭吃完午餐，便往蘇澳方向開，沿路留意住宿地點。
我在幹道的一條岔路旁，看到一個標示：「紀戀館」民宿雅房，幽靜、景觀佳。
本來車子已經開過頭，但「紀戀館」三個字引起我注意，我又倒車回岔路口，撥了電話問是否有空房？電話另一頭，一位親切的女聲說有，我便來到紀戀館。
招呼我的是民宿主人陳美憶，她約莫五十歲，對人和善又熱情，讓人覺得舒服。她帶我到二樓面海的房間，我把行李安頓好，就下樓隨意逛逛。
紀戀館位置很特別，距離靠山面海的懸崖不遠。陳美憶說，每逢強風時節，巨浪撲向崖壁，爆出陣陣浪花，非常壯觀。
紀戀館的建築空間不大，本是私人的二樓度假小別墅，後來改裝成民宿，共有八間客房，但其中一間改成置物室，裏面放了六十個金屬保管箱，供客人租用。臨海濕氣重，她特別加裝大型除濕機，二十四小時開啟，為了預防萬一也加裝保全。這間房，陳美憶稱之為「藏品屋」。花這麼多錢添購設備，結果一個保管箱一天只租一塊錢。
為什麼在這種偏遠地方開民宿，又空出一間客房放保管箱？為什麼以完全不敷成本的價錢出租？再說，誰會來這裏租保管箱？租保管箱要放什麼？
我腦袋一堆疑問，不禁用起我在城市工作的那套生意邏輯問陳美憶。
她微笑說：「一生總有些收藏。」
什麼意思？
「每個人都有一些收藏，有些收藏比較特別，是一段感情結束的紀念品，可能是情書、照片、跟情人第一次出國旅行的機票，或是死去狗狗的心愛玩具……你有這種紀念品嗎？」
「當然有。」
「這樣的紀念品，有時候不適合放在家中，如果已婚，容易引起另一半不必要的誤會；放在觸目可及、隨手可得的地方，又容易睹物思人、觸景生情，一切都結束，老活在過去也不健康。因為這樣，所以紀戀館有藏品屋。一生中，總會有幾個特別的人進出你的生命，他們會留下某些東西做為紀念，你應該好好保存。不適合放家裏的東西，你可以放這裏。藏品屋設備好、租金低，放在這裏可以安心。你可以久久來一次，看看收藏、想想過往。這裏安靜，房間也不多，不管你想回到多遠的過去，都沒人打擾。」
「你這麼一說，我都想租個保管箱了，」我說，「保管箱生意好嗎？」
「六十個保管箱，已出租四十幾個。」
「那挺不錯，代表有四十幾個人會不定期回來這裏，的確是讓客戶回流的好方法。」
陳美憶笑了笑，問我：「去過海邊沒有？」
「還沒走那麼遠。」
「我在海邊圍了一道欄杆，裝了一個小型焚化爐。」
「做什麼呢？」
「有個女孩在我這裏租了三年保管箱，去年退租。她說要把保管箱裏的東西拿到海邊燒掉，把灰燼撒向大海，因為她不能讓自己一直活在過去，必須做個了結，才能夠重新出發。我覺得這麼做很好，她還那麼年輕，往後還有大好生命，不應該被一段過去牽絆。所以我在海邊裝設焚化爐，讓那些想重新出發的人，有個特別的方式可以告別過去。」
「很浪漫，可是，」我還是想問一個不識趣的問題，「你沒有營運壓力嗎？」
「我不缺錢啊，開民宿是一種生活方式，我喜歡這種生活，紀戀館本身就是一個紀念品。」
「怎麼說？」
「紀戀館是我先生留給我的，這裏本是我們的度假別墅，他七年前過世，我就離開台北，搬到這裏，因為這裏有許多美好的回憶。可是，一個人住這麼大的房子有點寂寞，我就把它改成民宿，為了紀念先生，就命名為『紀戀館』。後來就想，為什麼『紀戀館』只能紀念我自己的回憶？如果它能成為人們存放收藏的地方，那麼也是大家的『紀戀館』，這不是很好嗎？」
「真的很好，」我說。
我往海邊走去，沒走多遠，就看到陳美憶說的焚化爐。是小型圓桶狀的金屬焚化爐，三隻爐腳用鉚釘釘死在地面，中間有個活動掀蓋，可以把想燒掉的東西放進去，頂頭還有一根戴帽的小煙囪。
我不禁想，是什麼樣的人，會把原本存放在保管箱的紀念品，拿來這裏燒掉呢？把紀念品放進焚化爐那一刻，心情又是如何呢？
我離開焚化爐，一個人在海邊散步。
我也有一些特別的紀念品。我有一張印有唇印的面紙，是一個女生留給我的，謝謝我曾經陪她度過一個美好假期。我多數的紀念品都來自於她，她的照片、她寫的信、她送的生日禮物……我把關於她的紀念品，收在一個義美蛋捲鐵盒中，放在床頭櫃裏。
陳美憶藏品屋的保管箱還有空，要不要租一個呢？
如果我租了，有一天，我會把紀念品拿到海邊，丟進焚化爐燒掉，再把灰燼撒向懸崖嗎？
不知道。
不曉得那個女生現在過得怎樣？
我在海邊發了一會兒呆，直到夕陽西下才走回紀戀館，剛好是晚餐時刻。紀戀館只有我一個客人，陳美憶便邀我一起吃飯。
陳美憶的手藝很好，幾道家常小菜十分可口，吃得賓主盡歡。
吃完飯，我們在紀戀館門外繼續泡茶聊天。我問陳美憶，有四十幾個人租保管箱，一定有些特別的故事吧？
「當然有，」陳美憶說。
她告訴我一個現在想起來，都覺得美麗的故事。
有個女生叫紀心琦，在紀戀館提供紀念品保管服務第一年，就租了一個保管箱。一年兩次，她會回到這裏，每次都從保管箱拿出一疊信，一個人到海邊讀信。從海邊回來，看眼睛就知道她哭過。連續三年，每回都這樣。
她在銀行上班，是個安靜的人，舉措得體，看來很正常。所以你無法想像，她心裏藏著一個深刻的祕密，沒有人知道詳情，只知道曾有人寫信給她，讓她在多年後，看了還會流淚。
她曾告訴陳美憶，如果超過兩年沒回來，就請陳美憶把保管箱裏的東西拿去燒掉。
去年五月她又回來，照例拿信到海邊讀，照例哭著把信帶回紀戀館，但等她回到藏品屋，準備把信放回三十二號保管箱時，她看到一個男生正打開保管箱。她大為驚嚇，手上的信散落一地。
那個男生也非常驚訝，兩個人互看有十秒鐘之久。他蹲下身來，幫她撿起信，然後看著那些信封說：「這些信，這些信你都留著？」
「嗯，」紀心琦說，手還在顫抖。
男人打開三十一號保管箱，也從裏面拿出一疊信：「你寫給我的信，我也都留著……」
在紀戀館，有時候就是會發生神奇的事。
「後來呢？」我忍不住問。
「後來？」陳美憶笑笑，意味深長地說，「後來很重要嗎？」
【講義雜誌2008年4月號】
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[By HuoXing Ye Ye]
[Everyone has some sort of collection through his life]
During the last Thursday in November, I applied for two-day leaves, drove to the East Coast alone for vacation.
Without a specific destination, I left my house at 10a.m., and drove along the BinHai Expressway. After finishing breakfast at YiLan, I drove towards the direction of SuO, and started looking for an accommodation to stay for the night.
Along the side of a cross road, I saw a sign, "JiLianGuan, boarding house, quiet with great scenery."
Actually, my car overpassed the cross road, but these three words, JiLianGuan, caught my eyes, so I reversed back to the cross road, dialled up and asked if there were any vacancies? From the other end of the line, a friendly lady voice replied, "Yes." And there I was at the "JiLianGuan"
The person who greeted me was the owner of the boarding house, Chan Mei Yee. About 50-year old, she is friendly and warm, comfortable to be with. She took me to a room facing the sea on the first floor. After I settled down my luggage, I immediately went out for a walk.
The location of JiLianGuan is very unique. It is not far away from the cliff. Chan Mei Yee said, "During the season of gusting winds, enormous wave would hammer against the wall of the cliff, producing layers of wave fronts, which was quite a spectacular sight to behold.
The structural dimension of JiLianGuan was not considered huge. It was originally a private two-storey summer house built for vacationers. It was then renovated to become a boarding house. There were eight guest rooms in total. Among the rooms, one of them was actually turned into a store room housing sixty safety boxes, for rental purposes. Due to the high humidity facing the sea, the owner also installed a specially ordered dehumidifier, being turned on 24-hour daily. For prevention purposes, the boxes were also installed with security featues. This room, Chan Mei Yee, described it as "The Collection Room". After spending an abundant amount of money, the boxes were actually only being rented at one doller per day.
Why opened a boarding house at such remote area, and at the same time, deliberately turning one of the guest rooms into storing safety boxes? Why were the safety boxes being rented out at such a non-revenue generating charges? Furthermore, who would have come to this place to rent a safety box? And what are they for?
There were a bunch of question marks in my head. Working at the city had caused me to use my business logic to clarify with Chan Mei Yee.
She smiled and said, "Everyone has some sort of collection through his life."
What does that mean?
"Everyone has some collection. Some are quite special as it could be the momento of ending a romance, or it could be love letters, photos, the air tickets from the first trip that you had with your lover, or it could be the favorite toy of your long passed puppy... do you have this sort of momento?"
"Of course I have"
"This sort of momento, sometimes are not suitable to be placed at home. If a person is married, this would cause uncalled for suspicions by the spouse. Placing it at somewhere close by, it will create too much memories and stirred up emotions. Since these were all finished events, it is not healthy to always living in the past. Due to these reasons, this is why JiLianGuan has "The Collectiom Room". Throughout your life, there deems to be some special people passing through. They would leave behind something for be remembered with. And you should keep them well. For items not suitable to be placed at home, you could keep them here. "The Collection Room" is well facilitated with affordable rental charges. It is a relief to be able to place your things here. You could choose to come here once in awhile, look at your collection and reminisces of your past. This is a quiet place, with not too many rooms. No matter how far back in time you would like to travel in your memory, you would not be disturbed."
"After what you have told me, I also feel like renting a safety box now." I said, "How's business actually?"
"Forty out of the sixty safety boxes have already been rented out."
"That's not bad, meaning forty plus people would come back here from time to time. This is a good way to retain your customer."
Chan Mei Yee smiled quietly, "Have you checked out the beach?"
"Not yet"
"I put up some fences over there and installed a miniature cremator."
"For what purposes?"
"There was a girl, renting a safety box for three consecutive years. She had just ended the contract last year. She told me she wanted to take out all the items in the safety box and bring it to the beach and burn it. Spreading the ashes to the sea. Since she could not forever live in the past, she must find closure so that she could sets out anew. I think that is a very good idea. She is still young and there will be brightening future awaiting her. Hence, she shouldn't be bound by her past. So I installed a cremator at the beach, letting those who want to set out on a new live, to be able to have a special way to bid farewell to the past."
"Very romantic, but..." I was still having a question unanswered, "Don't you ever face financial pressure running this sort of business?"
"I'm not lack of money. Opening a boarding house is a way of life and I love this life. JiLianGuan itself is some sort of momento.
"What do you mean...?"
"My husband left me with JiLianGuan in his will. It was originally our summer house. When he passed away seven years ago, I left Taipei and moved to here because there were many good memories. However, it felt so lonely to stay alone in such a big house. I then turned it into a boarding house. As a tribute to my husband, I named it "JiLianGuan" [House of Remembrace
"Yeah, it's nice", I said.
I took a walk towards the beach. Not far away, there it was, the cremator mentioned by Chan Mei Yee. It was a small metalic sylindrical cremator with 3 legs fastened to the ground by nails. There was a turnable cover in the middle, allowing people to place items that they would like to burn. At the top, there was even a small chimney.
I couldn't help but thinking, what sort of people, would take those precious memorable items kept in the safety box and bring them here to burn. What sort of emotion was involved at the exact moment when they place the item into the cremator?
I left the cremator, and strolled along the beach alone.
I also had some special momentoes. I had a piece of tissue marked with lipstick, left to me by a girl, thanking me for accompanying her on a good holiday. Most of my momentoes came from her. Her photos, her letters, her birthday gift to me. I kept all those about her in a steel box in one of my drawers.
There were still vacant boxes in Chen Mei Yee's Collection Room, should I rent one?
If I rent one, would I, one day, take the momento to the beach, throw it into the cremator and spread the ashes at the cliff?
Frankly, I didn't know.
I spent some time alone at the beach, only returned back to JiLianGuan at sunset. It was dinner time and since I was the only customer, Chan Mei Yee invited me to have dinner with her.
Chan Mei Yee's cooking was really good. A few delicious local dishes and it was an enjoyable meal for both of us.
After dinner, we continue to have our little chat out at the balcony. I asked Chan Mei Yee, with about forty people renting the safety boxes, there must be some special stories?
"Of course", she said.
She told me one of the stories that was very touching.
There was a girl called JiXinQi. She rented a safety box during the first year that the Collection Room started its service. Twice in a year, she would returned here, took out a stack of letters from the safety box every time, read those letters at the beach alone. When she came back from the beach, one would know she'd been crying by looking at her eyes. It happened for three years consecutively.
She worked at the back. A quiet and normal person, which was why you would never able to imagine, that she was keeping a profound secret. No one knew the details. We could only know that there was someone written to her until years later, she would still cry over the letters.
She had once told Chan Mei Yee. If she did not return here for more than two years, Chan Mei Yee should just take out her items in the safety box and burnt it.
She came back in May last year. As usual, she took the letters and read them at the beach. As usual, she returned to the JiLianGuan with hint of tears in her eyes. However, when she came back to the Collection Room, ready to place the letters back to the numbered 32 safety box, she saw a guy opening one of the other safety boxes. She was in shock and dropped all her letter on the ground.
The guy was very surprised as well. The two were staring at each others for more than ten seconds. He neeled and helped her pick up her letter. Then he looked at the envelops and said, "All these letter, you still kept them?"
"Hmmm", JiXinQi said, hands shaking.
The guy opened the numbered 31 safety box, and took out a stack of letter from there. "The letters that you wrote to me, I still have them here..."
At the JiLianGuan, miracles happened.
"What happened then?" I couldn't help asking.
"Then?" Chan Mei Yee smiled meaninfully, "Does it still matter?"
[JiangYi Magazine dated April 2008]
