首尔街头的修鞋铺子
Shoe repair stalls on the streets of Seoul
在首尔街头,不管是市中心繁华的CBD办公区,还是清幽的居民小区、写字楼下,或是最奢华的百货商店旁,总能见到这样集装箱状的小屋,里面有位大叔,也可能是个年轻些的小伙,穿着衬衫西裤,守着些工具和两台电扇,对面还有一条供客人坐候的软椅,这就是首尔的"修鞋铺子"。
On the streets of Seoul, no matter whether it is in the bustling CBD district in the downtown, or in the calm alleys of residential suburbs, beneath office buildings or beside the most luxurious malls, one can always spot a container shaped shack. Inside there is a middle aged man, possibly younger, wearing a smart shirt and trousers, with his toolbox and two electric fans. Opposite, there may also be a row of padded chairs for customers to sit on. This is the typical shoe repair stall of Seoul.
公司楼下恰好就有几家,午休时经过,常看到客人坐在里面和休鞋匠有说有笑,不禁十分好奇里面的光景。来首尔这些年,似乎从未修过鞋,可能是穿鞋较省,或是生活渐入奢华,穿到要修的时候,多半就扔了。上回鞋垫移位,第一次走进这种小铺,没想到还未坐稳就粘好,还没收钱,虽然只是块儿八毛儿的小事,但是素昧平生,得到这样的恩惠,还是让人心生暖意。
Under my office building, there are usually several of these stalls. At the break for lunch, when I walked past these stalls, I can always see customers sitting inside, talking merrily with the cobbler. One cannot help but feel curious about what is happening. Having been in Seoul for several years, it seemed that I have never had my shoes repaired. Maybe it's because my shoes are particularly durable, or perhaps because I am somewhat luxurious and often threw away the majority of shoes when they needed repairing. The last time when the sole of my shoe was out of place, I entered one of these stalls for the first time. I had not imagined that I would not even have time to sit back in my seat before the sole had been glued back into place, and all of this was all free of charge. Although such a small task only deserved a small fee, given that I was not acquainted with the cobbler, I still felt overjoyed at receiving such a kind favour.
修鞋铺子里衣着体面的韩国大叔
A neatly dressed cobbler in the shoe repair stall
前两天的暴雨中,穿了没多久的平底鞋变成汪洋小舟,今天出门办事,感觉脚下异常,抬脚一看,鞋底儿咧着大嘴朝我乐呢,赶紧走进鞋铺修鞋。大叔一句话都没说,接过我的鞋,瞬间就扯下前半个鞋底儿,开始打鞋胶。我在对面的软椅上坐稳,打量起修鞋铺子来。空间不大,工具也不多,归置得很整洁,两台电扇,一台吹自己,一台吹客人,这个小小空间,更像是个考究的办公室。门口摆放着刚打好油的皮鞋等着客人领走,同时又是招揽生意的道具,外边还有小小的广告牌,朴素地写着俩字:皮鞋。
In the heavy rain two days before, my close-to-new flat shoes had turned into a pair of waterlogged boats. Today, setting out on business, I became aware of something strange underfoot. I lifted one foot to inspect and saw the mouth of the shoe gaping open at me in hilarity. At this juncture, I hastily made my way to a shoe repair stall. The friendly uncle didn't mutter a syllable, but took my shoes in hand and in a flash, tore off the front half of the sole, and began to slap on some shoe glue. I sat back in my seat and took a good look around the shoe repair shop. It was not a large spot, and the tools, which were few, were stored neatly. There were two electric fans, one for the cobbler himself, one for the customers. Indeed this small space was much like an elegantly arranged office. Newly polished leather shoes sat at the doorway, waiting to be collected by their respective owners, also acting as an invitation to prospective customers. Outside, there was an inconspicuous sign, with two simple words written thereupon: Shoe Repair.
统一定价的价目单裱在相框里,让人感到很安心,老行当,还写着汉字。订鞋跟儿从3000韩元(15元人民币)到5000(25元)韩元不等,换个整跟儿需要一万韩币(50元),价格还是很公道。软椅前有供客人临时穿着的拖鞋,还有当日的报纸可以随便翻翻。透过身后的小窗,看外边的风景,同样的世界,在不同的地方观察,居然有了不一样的心情。小门外,是形色匆匆的路人,我本来也是其中之一,却在这里得到片刻身体和心灵上的放松和休息。
The list of unified price was set in a photo frame, which made customers feel relieved. It was a traditional business, and even had Chinese characters written on the list. To set a heel would cost from 3000 won (around 15 yuan) to 5000 (25 yuan). To change the entire heel would cost you 10,000 won (50 yuan), which was a pretty fair price. In front of the padded chairs were slippers for customers to wear. There was also daily paper to leaf through. Through a small window behind me, I could see the street scene outside. It was the same old world, but from this new perspective, I seemed to have taken on another shade of emotion. Outside the small door, busy looking people passed by hurriedly. I was one of them, until I found this moment of soulful peace and rest.
刚打好油的皮鞋和门口的小招牌
Newly polished leather shoes and a door-side sign
暴雨过后的首尔,空气得到了净化,天空透彻,即使是透过有些模糊的窗,远处的南山塔还是清晰可见。打胶粘牢后,大叔还悉心又麻利地在边缘钉了一圈鞋钉。不用15分钟,一双结结实实的鞋重新穿在脚上,心里也觉得踏实了许多。这些小小的铺子,似乎记录着这个城市人民的忙碌、勤劳和情意。递上3000韩币(15元),互相道谢后,又踏上了新的征程......
After the rain, the air in Seoul was clean, and the sky seemed clear and deep. Even though I was peering through a misty window, I could still make out the Namsan Tower in the distance. After the glue was dry, the old cobblerdeftly struck a circle of nails around the sole. In less than 15 minutes, I had a pair of sturdy shoes under my feet once again, making me reassured and secured. It was almost as if these small stalls were recording the busyness, industry and feeling of the citizens in this city. I passed over 3000 won (15 yuan) to the cobbler and after exchanging words of thanks, I set out again upon a new journey.