WHEN THERE ARE BOOKS, NO ONE IS LONELY

When There Are Books, No One Is Lonely

Afterword for the interview with Yataro Matsuura

我的書櫃裡有好幾本松浦彌太郎的著作:《松浦彌太郎仕事術》(松浦彌太郎的工作術)、《ぼくのいい本こういう本》(我的好書,這些書)、《最低で最高の本屋》(最糟也最棒的書店)、《本業失格》、《日々100》(日日100)、《続·日々100》(續·日日100)、《旅行的所在》、《嶄新的理所當然》、《謝謝你》……讀了很多,常在我腦海中浮現的一節,竟是關於他平日的早餐的——他每天的早餐都只是一片吐司及一杯咖啡,而且只是在超級市場買到的普通吐司麵包,而非哪家有名麵包店的產品。因為是最樸實而基本的東西,所以每天吃不會感到生厭。書已是多年前出版,他早餐習慣似乎也改變了,不過,近年松浦彌太郎創立了網站〈暮らしのきほん〉(生活的基本),仍然宣揚著樸實而基本事物的美好,看來對於生活的信念,他一直沒有改變。

對於採訪自己喜歡的作者,我心理一直有著莫名的忌諱,怕自己顯得太過笨拙,也怕對方與書中表現的相去太遠,結果幻想破滅。幸好,松浦彌太郎由始至終表裡一致,切切實實地實踐著他書中展現的生活方式,爽快,真誠,受委托的事盡量做好,無法接受的直接了當地拒絕。

十月底去跟他踫面時,我正處於對工作感困惑的時期,自從2010年我辭掉了雜誌的編輯工作成為自由撰搞人後,大部分事情都需要自己獨自面對。從構思主題、採訪、撰稿、拍照、為照片調色等的,都獨自應付,有時難免感到獨立無援,六年多後,亦漸漸對這種生活感到乏力。見面前我仔細地看了一篇〈生活的基本〉的細節,才發現松浦彌太郎也擔起了大部分工作,甚至包括了短片製作,再次為他的工作能力感到驚訝。訪問時我們從書談到他與自己的憂鬱症的相處方式,也談到孤獨及工作的種種。

我:獨自擔起所有工作,除了技能之外,還需要很強大的心靈吧。松浦先生會渴望有伙伴嗎?

他:嗯……有時會感到厭倦呢,這是較令我困擾的。

我:那感到厭倦時該怎麼辦呢?

他:該怎麼辦呢?……只可以努力繼續下去吧。因為持之以耐是很重要的。

這番說話,一起飄浮在我心裡,久久不去。這明明是我一向懂得的道理,怎樣迷亂之時就遺忘了?

聽松浦彌太郎說話,就像讀他的書時的感受一樣,裡面沒有甚麼驚為天人的大道理,大都只是他從自己人生經驗之中悟出來的想法。而這些想法,很多時候其實早就埋在你心裡深處,穩穩透著光,只是你不敢觸踫。而當你看到他手裡捧著的光團時,會得到勇氣將自己心裡的光挖出來,認真地觀察它、感受它。這似乎也是書的重要意義,告訴你,千里外有著與你親近的人。只要有書,我們就不孤獨。

再次感謝松浦彌太郎接受我們的訪問,不習慣讓陌生人闖進私人空間的他,為了滿足我們一瞥他私人書房的好奇心,還主動替我們執著相機,擔當攝影師。誠如訪問中他常說,書是朋友。期望《OBSCURA》2016年秋冬季號,能讓大家真切地看到,給我帶來很多朋友的人——松浦彌太郎。

On my shelf there are quite a few books written by Yataro Matsuura, for example Yataro Matsuura’s Principle of Working, Reading Good Books, The Worst and the Best Bookstore, Disqualified from the Career, 100 Basics, 100 Basics Continued, Where You Travel, A Brand New Usualness, Thank You, etc. After reading so many of his works, what constantly comes to my mind is the episode on his breakfast: one piece of toast, one cup of coffee; Matsuura never buys bread from famous bakery but sticks with the most usual kind that is sold in any supermarkets. The bread is not at all special, that is why he never gets bored of eating the same kind of bread everyday. That was written in a book that was published a few years ago, his breakfast habit might have as well changed. One thing we can be sure that remains unchanged is his affection towards basic things, an attitude that can be easily seen in his website “Kurashi no Kihon” (the basics of life).

Interviewing an author I admire made me inexpressibly unsettled. I was worried about my clumsiness, I was also anxious about meeting him in real life would turn out to be disappointing. I was very relieved to find out that Matsuura is a person who greatly resembles his writings; he is absolutely candid and genuine. Once he accepts a task, he does it with sincerity and devotion; for tasks that he is not confident or comfortable with, he simply rejects them directly.

We met during late October. It was also the time when I was very frustrated with my career. I quit my job as a magazine editor and became a freelancer in 2010; everything suddenly started to fall on my shoulders. There is no one but me working on the initial planning, interviewing, writing, photography and retouching. I was enveloped in a choked desolation; this mode of working had become increasingly burdensome. Reading “Kurashi no Kihon” in details before meeting Matsuura, I realized he also takes up every aspect of his projects, even short film productions. I was so impressed by his capacity. In the interview we talked about how he handled his depression, and how he treats loneliness and work.

R: Ron

M: Matsuura

R: To work alone, apart from practical skills, I think being mentally strong is another vital quality. Do you sometimes hope to have a working partner?

M: I do feel bored from time to time; this feeling sometimes annoys me.

R: What do you do when you feel bored?

M: Hmm… What do I do? Continue working unremittingly is the only choice, because persistence is very important.

His words linger in my mind. I was surprised to realize I was so lost that I even forgot this essential principle.

Talking to Matsuura is like reading his books. Astonishing philosophy is not the thing to expect, Matsuura simply expresses tiny observations he gains from personal experience. These thoughts are usually so subtle that can be easily overlooked. Although you are sometimes tempted to think deeper, most people lack the strength to magnify fragments of ideas into more concrete notions. Seeing Matsuura emphasizes his humbly glittering thoughts, I gained the courage to let my own humble glitters of thinking glow. From Matsuura I learnt to actively examine and treasure my tiniest bit of thinking. Essence of books is perhaps the same; through books you understand that somewhere in the world someone shares with you similar believes and attitudes. Individuals are never isolated as long as there are books.

Thank you Matsuura again for accepting to be interviewed. Matsuura, who is not used to allow strangers into his private space, accommodated our curiosity and allowed us into his private study. He even suggested taking a picture for us like a guest photographer. Like Matsuura often remarks in his interviews: books are friends. In OBSCURA’s 2016 Autumn & Winter edition, I wish you can get to know more about the true face of Yataro Matsuura, the man who brought me countless friends.

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