上船的第二天，看到節目單上有 “下午3點15到4點合唱團練習”，在船上還有合唱團？ 我抱著好奇的心準時抵達練習會場，負責的是這次行程常主持遊戲節目的史提姆，大約有30個人出席第一次聚會。

史提姆發給每人一本小冊子，裏面有5首歌，都是60，70年代耳熟能詳的老西洋歌曲。

第一次上課，大家先發聲練習，然後開始練第一首 “ Stand By Me”，這是Ben E。King 1961 年發行的老歌，數十年來我常在許多場合聽到這首。第二次上課發聲練習后，就開始唱其它4首，本來應該是練習45分鐘，但史提姆多半把每首唱完2次后就下課或聊天。扣掉下船那幾天練習取消，一共只練習8次，他就告訴我們表演在下船前兩天的下午2點于大廳舉行。

我還半信半疑，那有這樣倉促成軍就可以上場的？！

表演前一天，我問他 “要不要矮的排中間，高的排兩邊， 因爲我們在教會的詩班都是這樣排的”， 他説 “不用，不用，你們想站那裏，就站那裏”。

我想到我們教會詩班爲了每隔一星期的獻詩，都很認真練習，而且很注意上場的高矮次序，史提姆這樣隨便就亮相表演，到時候不會漏氣嗎？

我又想到咱家小孩小時候學鋼琴一直是中國或俄國老師，記得有一陣子，因爲老師搬家，我們嘗試換成離家較近的美國老師，學了半年，總覺得美國老師比較鬆散，教學不夠嚴謹，老師不積極，家長跟小孩也跟著有一搭沒一搭。參加完第一次的Recital， 看了其他小朋友的表現，我馬上當機立斷換老師，覺得還是東方或俄國老師比較認真。

老美的文化跟東方人不一樣，他們主張學琴是爲了有趣， 不需要那麽重視小孩放在琴上的手姿勢好不好？有沒有把歌曲背的給滾瓜爛熟？小時候父母老師的哲學如此，長大后他們自然就沒像東方人把表演看的那麽嚴重。

表演前不久，出席的人數越來越少，有些人感冒咳嗽喉嚨不舒服，有些人覺得歌曲太難打退堂鼓，連二姐也放棄了，她說 “真不懂，爲什麽不唱些應景的聖誕歌曲，要唱這些不熟的老歌？”，最後只剩下11個人。

表演當天，有史提姆穿針引綫，幽默搞笑，倒是把5首歌搞得沸沸揚揚，引起觀衆廣大共鳴，紛紛隨歌擺動。

雖然唱的只是差强人意， 但藉著這次練習，我對這5首大學時就會哼唱的歌有更進一步的了解，以前只覺得歌名很有意義，歌詞也蠻好，但從沒把全部歌詞學會。這次不斷反復唱，覺得歌詞很感人。尤其是 “Lean On  Me”。我跟二姐說 “這首歌說在你生命中悲傷痛苦，需要朋友的時候，請依靠我，不要隱藏你的軟弱，因為你不說出你的需要和無助，我就無從幫你起，你不要覺得難以啟口，因為我其實也會有需要你的時候..... 請隨時打電話給我，我一定會在你身邊.... 不要猶豫、你可以依靠我.... 你可以依靠我，我會伸出援手，因爲我不知道那一天，我也需要別人對我這樣。。。。”，她説 “現實生活中，應該很難碰到這樣的朋友吧？”， 我點點頭，頗有同感。

隨著年紀的增長，越來越體會到每個人都有自己的故事和問題要承擔，在你需要的時候，能找到隨時在旁支持的人真不是件容易的事。 應該只有上帝才做的到吧？！

當天唱的五首歌，第一首是 “伴我同行” (Stand By Me)

When the night has come

And the land is dark

And the moon is the only light well see

No, I wont be afraid

No, I wont be afraid

Just as long as you stand

Stand by me

So darlin, darlin, stand by me

Oh, stand by me

Oh, stand

Stand by me, stand by me

If the sky that we look upon

Should tumble and fall

Or the mountains should crumble to the sea

I wont cry, I wont cry

No I wont shed a tear

Just as long as you stand

Stand by me

And darlin, darlin, stand by me

Oh, stand by me

Oh, stand now

Stand by me, stand by me

And darlin, darlin, stand by me

Oh, stand by me

Oh, stand now

Stand by me, stand by me

Whenever youre in trouble wont you stand by me

Oh, stand by me

Wont you stand by

第二首是 “太陽出來了” (Here Comes The Sun)

Here comes the sun, doo-doo-doo-doo

Here comes the sun, and I say

Its alright

Little darlin, its been a long, cold, lonely winter

Little darlin, it feels like years since its been here

Here comes the sun, doo-doo-doo-doo

Here comes the sun, and I say

Its alright

Little darlin, the smiles returning to their faces

Little darlin, it seems like years since its been here

Here comes the sun

Here comes the sun, and I say

Its alright

Sun, sun, sun, here it comes

Sun, sun, sun, here it comes

Sun, sun, sun, here it comes

Sun, sun, sun, here it comes

Sun, sun, sun, here it comes

Little darlin, I feel that ice is slowly melting

Little darlin, it seems like years since its been clear

Here comes the sun, doo-doo-doo-doo

Here comes the sun, and I say

Its alright

Here comes the sun, doo-doo-doo-doo

Here comes the sun

Its alright

Its alright

第三首是 “依靠我” (Lean On Me)

Hmm... hmm-hmm-hmm-hmm

(Call me) 

第四首是 “無法不注視你” (Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You)

Youre just too good to be true

Cant take my eyes off of you

Youd be like Heaven to touch

I wanna hold you so much

At long last, love has arrived

And I thank God Im alive

Youre just too good to be true

Cant take my eyes off of you

Pardon the way that I stare

Theres nothin else to compare

The sight of you leaves me weak

There are no words left to speak

But if you feel like I feel

Please let me know that its real

Youre just too good to be true

Cant take my eyes off of you

I love you, baby

And if its quite alright

I need you, baby

To warm the lonely night

I love you, baby

Trust in me when I say

Oh, pretty baby

Dont bring me down, I pray

Oh, pretty baby

Now that Ive found you, stay

And let me love you, baby

Let me love you

Youre just too good to be true

Cant take my eyes off of you

Youd be like Heaven to touch

I wanna hold you so much

At long last, love has arrived

And I thank God Im alive

Youre just too good to be true

Cant take my eyes off you

I love you, baby

And if its quite alright

I need you, baby

To warm the lonely night

I love you, baby

Trust in me when I say

Oh, pretty baby

Dont bring me down, I pray

Oh, pretty baby

Now that Ive found you, stay

Oh, pretty baby

Trust in me when I say

Oh, pretty baby

第五首是 “鄉村路帶我回家” (Take Me Home, Country Roads)

Almost heaven, West Virginia

Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah River

Life is old there, older than the trees

Younger than the mountains, growin like a breeze

Country roads, take me home

To the place I belong

West Virginia, mountain mama

Take me home, country roads

All my memories gather round her

Miners lady, stranger to blue water

Dark and dusty, painted on the sky

Misty taste of moonshine, teardrop in my eye

Country roads, take me home

To the place I belong

West Virginia, mountain mama

Take me home, country roads

I hear her voice in the mornin hour, she calls me

The radio reminds me of my home far away

Drivin down the road, I get a feelin

That I shouldve been home yesterday, yesterday

Country roads, take me home

To the place I belong

West Virginia, mountain mama

Take me home, country roads

Country roads, take me home

To the place I belong

West Virginia, mountain mama

Take me home, country roads

Take me home, (down) country roads

Take me home, (down) country roads