即使要在水上行走，也不是做不到的！－蓋瑞伯 薩洛陽
這句話是二十五年前我的伯父到我的加州家中的一間兼作臥室、起居室和工作室的小房間時對我說的。那時我才十三歲，他已經很老了，但實際上也許還未滿六十歲，只是看起來比一般同年的人衰老。
我在那裏備有一架打字機，有一天給他看見了，就問我：「孩子，這是什麼玩意兒呀？」
「打字機。」我回答。
「幹什麼用的？」
「可以使字跡清楚美觀。」我隨手取了一份打好的文件給他看。
「這篇東西說些什麼？」
「哲學原理。」
「是那一位哲學家寫的？」
「是我！」
他坐在我床上，點起一支菸，一面研究那篇東西，一面看我。臨走時，他對我說：「好好幹！因為即使要在水上行走，也不是做不到的！」
雖然這只是一件小事，我卻沒有辜負它的好意，因為素來以聰明出名的他，短短數語，代表了讚許和賞識，並鼓勵我繼續嘗試，我對他終身感激。
威廉 薩洛陽（小說及劇作家）
Starting Out
“It is not impossible to walk on water.”－GARABED SAROYAN
These words were said to me abouttwenty-five years ago by my great-uncle Garabed Saroyan when he came into mybed-living-and-work room in a house in Fresno, California, where I had recentlyinstalled a typewriter.
I was almost thirteen at the time and hewas an old man. I thought he was as old as any man could be, although he wasprobably well under sixty.
He said,” My boy, what is that contraption?”
I sais,“ It is a typewriter, sir.”
“What is it for?” he said.
“It is for clear writing,” I said, and handedhim an example of typewriter-print on paper.
“What is this writing on the paper?”
“Philosophical sayings.”
“By which philosopher?” my great-uncleGarabed said.
“By myself,” I said.
He sat on the bed, lighted a cigarette,then studied the sheet of paper and his great-nephew.
When he got up to go he said, “Proceed, forit is not impossible to walk on water.”
Even though he had said very little, therewas no mistaking what he meant. Coming from him, a man famous for his fiercewit, this was approval, recognition, and encouragement to keep on trying, and Ifelt much obliged to him.
By WILLIAM SAROYAN AUTHOR AND PLAYWRIGHT
