父親節講《教父》算應節吧？
Vito最關心兒子們跟妻兒相處好不好，向Michael點出做男人之道：「I spent my whole life trying not to be careless. Women and children can afford to be careless, but not men.」婦孺大意尚有男人照顧，但男人一失足就累全家。教父Vito視自己為全家支柱，他絕不可以倒下，一旦倒下，眾人就失去依靠了。
天跌下來由他頂，父親沒有餘暇去慌張或哭哭啼啼。大仔Sonny被暗殺後的這一幕完全體現了作為父親的德性。養子Tom一個人坐在書房裡飲悶酒，正躊躇該怎樣跟爸爸講這個噩耗。半夜三更，Vito剛從樓上下來，離遠見到這位最機智的兒子落泊的身影，就料到不好的事真的發生了。
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YphD14PQQg
Vito坐在Tom旁邊，Tom恭敬地仰望，有話不能講般難受。Vito伸手說：「畀我飲啖。」有甚麼比兩父子同斟一杯更親切？「My wife is crying upstairs. I hear cars coming to the house. Consiglieri of mine, I think you should tell your Don what everyone seems to know...」全部人都知道，只得爸爸一個不知道，因為大家都怕這個打擊實在太大。
Tom：「Ah, I didn't tell Mama anything. I was about to come up and wake you just now and tell you.」
Vito：「But you needed a drink first. 」意思是Tom這種文膽也要飲酒壯膽，足見事情之大。
Tom默默低頭，還未準備好：「Yep...」
Vito：「Well, now you've had your drink. 」可以講了嗎？
Tom鼓起勇氣，聲線抖動哽咽說：「They shot Sonny on the Causeway. He's dead. 」
你真的要看影片，看看馬龍白蘭度的演繹，那一下噴氣包含了千言萬語 (這一日始終來到？為甚麼發生這種事？究竟是誰害的？為甚麼是他？)。他鼻頭一酸，千頭萬緒湧上眉頭，望着天花，無語問天。奇怪是，喪子之痛沒有進一步發酵，傷感驟斂，幾秒就消止。
因為這不是該傷心的時候，家庭需要他挺住：「I want -- all inquiries made.」他平伏多幾秒：「I want no acts of vengeance. I want you to arrange a meeting, with the heads of the Five Families. This war stops now. 」
不是該報殺子之仇嗎？Vito心繫的是家人的安危，復仇只會令父親失去更多。
傷痛再次來襲，Vito卻待不下在椅子上，有人正等待他去安慰。他站起走到Tom面前，讓他靠在自己的肚子上，撫慰他的背項。父親總是這樣，不想自己，總是顧着家人，知道Tom都極其難過，兩父子一同飲泣。他見到電話，想起曾求助的殯儀館老闆Bonasera：「Call Bonasera -- we need him now. 」
Vito逕自走開，背後傳來Tom撥輪和說話聲。他走到樓梯，望上二樓的老妻正在泣不成聲，每一梯級都比平時沉重難走十倍。
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jh1sHhpXuZY
他們連同Sonny的遺體搭電梯下到殮房，Bonasera正在守候：「What do you want me to do? 」
Vito：「I want you to use all your powers -- and all your skills. I don't want his mother to see him this way...」他不想妻子見到Sonny難看的遺容，自己卻打開來看。Bonasera見到全身彈孔和血的Sonny，瞪眼驚呆。他和全場觀眾一同望向Vito的反應。
你親自欣賞勝過我文字轉述。Vito眉頭抖動，頭部右傾，難以接受，哭著感慨：「Look how they massacred my boy...」你睇下佢哋點屠殺我個仔？Vito掃視Sonny的遺容，這一刻，大部分東西都安排好了，終於可以釋放真正感受。
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuWkcKbBQkg
除了喪子反映父愛，父親的臨終叮囑更令人揪心。Michael是么子，Vito一直想他不混黑幫，過自己的生活，不要做人扯線公仔，要做扯人線的政客或議員。他好擔心Michael安危，臨死前花園這一幕，他劈頭就跟Michael說接下來的劇本：「So -- Barzini will move against you first. He'll set up a meeting with someone that you absolutely trust -- guaranteeing your safety. And at that meeting, you'll be assassinated.」預知兒子被暗殺是甚麼滋味？
他飲了一口紅酒：「I like to drink wine more than I used to -- anyway, I'm drinking more...」這一動作呼應Tom飲酒壯膽講Sonny死訊。
他們聊家庭，聊孫兒，聊到Vito提醒提防竊聽，Michael卻反提醒「我已經照你說話做了」。
Michael知道父親放不低：「I'll handle it. I told you I can handle it, I'll handle it.」
「I knew that Santino was going to have to go through all this. And Fredo -- well -- Fredo was -- well -- But I never -- I never wanted this for you. I work my whole life, I don't apologize, to take care of my family. And I refused -- to be a fool -- dancing on the string, held by all those -- bigshots. I don't apologize -- that's my life -- but I thought that --that when it was your time -- that -- that you would be the one to hold the strings. Senator -Corleone. Governor - Corleone, or something... 」Vito計劃是Sonny接教父之位，而想Michael做Pezzonovante(在西西里語即是一個重要的人，例如州長)。
然後，他道出了人父的最大感嘆：「Well -- this wasn't enough time, Michael. Wasn't enough time... 」永遠都不夠時間，好像有很多東西未交帶，又交帶不完，說到底是對家人的牽掛，至死不休：「Now listen -- whoever comes to you with this Barzini meeting -- he's the traitor. Don't forget that.」父親最愛叫你小心這個小心那個，他更怕有天他不在的時候，就沒有人提醒你了。
Michael怎也沒法撫慰父親的不安，他愛他，卻無能為力。唯一辦法，就是成為父親本身。讓我們跳到Michael喪女的一幕，好好哭一場吧。
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyaDlIirJnw
作者
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作者首本小說《地球另一端》現已接受網購，每本連郵費港幣$75，歡迎inbox洽訂。亦請期待下一本小說《捉姦》面世。
