在2009年「蘭桂坊啤酒節」前夕，把握機會與香港蘭桂坊之父盛智文(Allan Zeman)對談了個把小時，最大的感覺是，個把小時裡，盛智文說的英語怎麼恁地顯淺，彷彿無一個英文單詞我聽不懂，好奇怪耶！
沒想過，無論談金融海嘯，談娛樂事業，談天說地，英語原來都可以這樣子平易近人，而又娓娓動聽吧。
前傳
那天(星期六早上)是他親自來開門，嚇了我一跳！心想，怎麼回事呀，一個大老闆！原來屋子裡頭只有他一個人，啥侍衛公關都沒有，然後，他眼神雖然略呈疲憊，可公職電話一個接一個，他還是耐心地給人家意見。雖然他擺甫士時眼神特累，可對談時，一觸及高興的題目，他的雙眼馬上精光流轉，彷彿迸出火花，那股打不死的企業家精氣神立即歸位。
後來，談得比約定時間久了，可他對訪客依然溫文爾雅，沒有板起老闆臉孔下逐客令，而且，全程沒有公關在旁監督，他一夫當關，放心地與我們幾個天南地北(當然，說到某些難答的題目，我是難奈他何的！)，放鬆下來，還跟我們分享他的私相簿，看他在峇里島的私人渡假屋，看于凡的雕塑和作品集……
要非這工作項目頗高難度(因為明知很難挖掘到想要的答案)，老實說，我也挺享受的。
但最有趣的，是今日的正題——英語。都說英語會話難，中國同胞的單詞量不夠（雖然英語字典編輯說這是迷信），可個把小時裡，盛智文說的英語怎麼恁地顯淺，彷彿無一個英文單詞我聽不懂，好奇怪耶！於是在工作以外，二度重聽了當時的對話，摘要如下，大家一起來領略一下英語可以怎樣平易近人吧。
簡明英語真人秀
Part I Dealing with Problems(處理問題)
(Z=Z的休假；Allan=盛智文)
(Z: How many posts do you have? More than fifty?) (你有幾多公職在身?)
Allan: I just try to solve the problem. 我只是想幫忙。
(Z: You're a born problem solver?) (你天生愛解難?)
Allan: (laugh)I don't know.(笑)我不知道。
(Z: But since last year the GFC-the Global Financial Crisis come, there's lots of problems. Do you think it's just problems or it's fun to hm...)(但自去年全球金融風暴之後，周遭都很多難題，在你來說，這純是難題，還是有趣的...)
Allan: Every day, whether good economy, bad economy, everyday in life (there) is problems. 每一天，無論好景逆境，生命中每一天都有難題。When you wake up in the morning, (you) can have problems. 你一睜開眼，就會有難題。(Z: yeah. 對。)
Allan: And so, you know, if you're positive person, 所以，如果你思想夠正面，(Z: I guess you're one. Z: 我猜你就是這樣的人)...Yes, i'm lucky. 對，我很夠運，I mean, if you're a positive person, 我的意思是，如果你有正面思維，you can face the problem, and try to solve it, you know. 遇上難題，你就可以面對它，處理它。 Of course, during the financial crisis it affects some people more than in good times, you know. 當然啦，金融風暴對很多人影響很大，比好景時大得多。
But the important thing is, everybody in their life goes through different problems. 但重要的是，人人都會經歷困難，Whether it is family problem, or financial problems, whether it is husband, wife, mother, father. I think it's improtant you understand the problem, and you deal with it, quickly. 無論是家庭的難題，與配偶的難題，爸媽的難題，最重要是你看得通，然後快速處理掉。
(Z: You won't let yourself down?)(Z: 你不會讓自己失望沮喪?)
Allan: No, because no point to put it under the desk, or put it in the desk, and and and...and wait. 不會，把難題藏起來根本毫無意義。 Because tomorrow another problem will come. 因為明天另一個困難又會來。 The day after, another problem will come. 後天新困難繼續來。 And the pile will get bigger and bigger. 困難只會愈積愈多，愈疊愈高。(Z: Interests, ha?)(Z: 像利息吧?) And suddenly, in order to fix the problem you'll have many problems. 然後，單是為了解決這(放久了的)困難，你忽地會碰上無數困難。 And there is much more difficult for a human being to handle. 解決起來就困難多了。
I always say, you have a problem, deal with it. And try your best to solve it, you know. 我常常說，當你遇上困難，馬上幹掉它， And then you can move on to another thing. 然後你就有機會做其他的事， Having a positive attitude is very very important. 一個人的正向思維非常重要， Ah, even with health, usually, you know, if you are positive you'll always have a better chance fighting the disease than just give up. 就說健康吧，如果你思想夠正面，你打敗疾病的贏面，也肯定比消極逃避高得多。
Part 2 Keeping Fit(保持身體健康)
Allan: I exercise every morning, everyday of my life. 我每天早起運動，天天堅持。
(Z: Tennis or jogging?) (你打網球還是跑步?)
Allan: No no no, I have a gym in my house.都不是，我自己有健身室。(Z: Okay)(哦。). And I do more than one hour and fifteen minutes in a special gym. It's (been) more than thirty years now.我每天健身一小時十五分鐘，都三十多年了啦。 I don't care have a meeting with Donald Tsang or 不管是要跟曾特首開會，(Z: Yes, wait!)(對，請他稍等 ^-^) or who who who doesn't matter. 還是和誰誰誰開會我都不管，一定要先把運動做完。
The first thing i wake up in the morning is exercise. Even I have a government meeting in the morning, 8am, I will wake up 5:30. 我起床第一件事就是做運動。就算與政府官員約好早上八點開會，我一樣要先做運動，而且清晨五點半就準時醒過來。 (Z: Oh, it's you bio clock already)(哦，這已成為你的生理時鐘了。) Yes. Exercise is very important to keep your body, in Chinese, Yin and Yang, right? in balance. 對。運動對保持身體……中國話是「陰陽平衡」，對吧?
I like really to get moving, you know. It's my character. 我喜歡一直往前衝，這是我的性格， (Z: You can't stop.)(你是不能停下來的人) Yes I can't stop. 對，正是如此。（待續）
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