回想起来，我在这个职位上才工作了短短八天，却意外地收获颇丰：在这短短的八天里，我中了彩票，税后净赚了大约 16 万美元，而当天，加上爱丽丝那天送给我的珠宝，我又得到了 5 万美元。这两笔意外之财加起来，短短几天就让我赚了 20 多万美元，这笔钱远远超过了我平时做婚礼策划师的收入。照这样下去，我的婚礼策划职业可能很快就会沦为副业吗？

那天晚上，我安排了与马克和怀特一家共进晚餐。悠闲地吃完午饭后，我开车去了史密斯港购物中心，那里到处都是精品店，我打算为马克和怀特的孩子们挑选精美的礼物。有了刚刚赚到的一笔不小的财富，我感到不得不放纵一下——这种感觉让我非常满意。

经过一下午的仔细研究，我给马克的儿子买了一架遥控飞机，给怀特的女儿买了一只一米多高的毛绒泰迪熊。我打赌，这些小玩意今晚会让孩子们兴奋不已！

把买的东西放到车上，发现快六点了，我直接去了马克家附近的 Jackie 餐厅。一进门，我就把马克的名字告诉了女主人，她立刻把我带到了预订的桌子旁。怀特已经在那里等我了。

“山姆，你来了！来吧，坐下——我下班后就马上来找你，因为其他人还没到！”

“玛丽和贝丝在哪儿？”

“贝丝留在家里；玛丽很快就会带她过来。”

我打开 WhatsApp，选择马克的个人资料图片，输入：“马克，怀特和我已经到了——就在你家附近。如果你再拖延下去，这个安排可能会泡汤！”

我坐在怀特旁边，说道：“你还经常来这家餐厅吗？自从我搬来这里，已经三四年没来这里吃饭了。”

“在我们这个街区，这是唯一有名气的场所；几乎没有其他的选择！”

“That may be so, yet this restaurant has stood for many years—perhaps two decades, if memory serves.”

At that moment, Mark entered with his wife and son.

“Bob, meet Uncle Sam!” Mark declared, gently supporting his son as he gestured towards me.

“Hello, Uncle Sam!” Bob greeted warmly.

“Hello, Bob. Mark, I must say, Bob has put on quite a few pounds recently! With each gain, he increasingly resembles you—albeit a paler version of your younger self!”

Amid our banter, I swiftly rose to guide Mark’s wife, Dotty, to her seat. Though jests flowed freely among the three of us, I have always held Beth and Dotty in high esteem, for they have consistently looked after me ever since they learned of my single status and frequently invited me to share their meals.

“Sam, how have you been? I am deeply sorry about your dad.”

“Rest assured, I am well.” I turned to Mark’s son, Bob, and inquired, “Bob, come here—can you operate the trunk of Uncle’s car?”

Bob nodded eagerly, “Yes, I can!”

“I knew you were the most capable, Bob. Now, take Uncle’s car key, proceed to the door and into the parking lot, and retrieve the two gifts from the trunk—one for you and one for little Beth.”

Before I could finish, Bob seized the key and sprinted off.

“Remember to lock Uncle’s car afterward!” Mark called out hastily from the doorway.

Before long, Bob returned cradling the items. “Uncle, here is your key.”

“Well done, Bob. The airplane is yours, and the bear is for Beth.”

The plump little fellow casually tossed the teddy bear onto the sofa while clutching his airplane with both hands. “I know, but no boy would ever play with dolls!”

“Bob, you must thank your Uncle,” his mom admonished as she rose.

“Thank you, Uncle!”

We conversed a few more minutes until White’s wife, Mary, arrived with their daughter, Beth. The instant Beth stepped through the door, Bob rushed over, exclaiming, “Beth, behold the airplane Uncle Sam procured for me—isn’t it marvelous? And here is your gift as well!”

Each child, embracing his or her gift, radiated unbridled joy.

Mary tugged at my arm, chiding, “Why on earth did you purchase such an enormous bear for her? It must have been exceedingly expensive! You are spoiling the children!”

Before I could reply, White stood and proclaimed, “Sam, you struck the lottery yesterday—$160,000! What are such trifling sums compared to that, isn’t it so?”

After a bit more playful chatter, Mark, seated nearby and tasked with ordering, announced, “As per our usual custom, I have ordered for everyone. Speak now of your preferences, lest I order for all!”

I truly savored this convivial atmosphere. In the days when my dad was alive, our meals were intimate affairs for just the two of us, punctuated by the occasional drink, as he was a man of few words. Even now, after meeting with clients or following a wedding, I often receive invitations to elaborate banquets organized by newlyweds. Yet, I have always endeavored to decline such gatherings, for I find them rather stifling; I prefer the warm camaraderie of this circle.

By a little past nine, with the children needing to be in bed for school the next day, Mary and Dotty took them home, leaving only the three of us to engage in a spirited conversation covering all manner of topics. Eventually, Mark arranged for a designated driver to return me home.

Upon my arrival, just as I was preparing to rest, I heard a knock at the door. Glancing out, I saw Williams. “Come in—no need to wait at the door; I was just seeking you!” he announced.

“You have been running about these past days, and you have imparted much wisdom to me. I insist on giving you a small tip, haha.”

Williams, taken aback, replied, “Sir, what are you doing? I have exerted little effort, merely assisting a friend. Moreover, serving you is something I do willingly.”

“Enough of the formalities. Since today marks our third encounter, simply call me Sam!”

“Yes, Sam!”

“Now then, let us attend to business. You are here today to arrange something for me, are you not?”

“Sam, I have come to introduce you to a few friends.”

“Friends, you say?”

With a clap of his hands, two phantasmal figures emerged from behind a wall. One, towering over Williams by more than a head—easily around 1.8 meters tall; the other, shorter at barely 1.6 meters yet exceedingly rotund. Though I consider myself somewhat stout, in comparison, I felt remarkably balanced.

“Sam, these two—the tall one is named James, and the portly one is called John. They are among my dearest friends. I have recounted to them your recent exploits, and they earnestly implored me to bring them here, so that they might serve you.”

Surveying the trio—one slender and tall, one short and stout, with Williams in his century - old attire—the scene was most surreal.

I nodded and said, “Effectiveness matters little; since they have come with Williams, henceforth consider them friends, and like Williams, address me as Sam.”

They bowed in unison, “Yes, boss!”

At that moment, I could not help but feel reminiscent of a cinematic mob boss.

威廉姆斯继续介绍他们：“詹姆斯是墨西哥人，20 世纪 70 年代，他偷偷移民到美国，在没有合法许可的情况下在建筑工地工作。不幸的是，他从一栋建筑上摔下来后就死了；由于害怕承担责任，工地经理匆忙隐瞒了这一事件，将他埋葬在了默默无闻的地方。相反，约翰在 1983 年左右因感情问题服用过量安眠药而死。由于没有亲朋好友来认领他，几个月后人们发现了他腐烂的遗体，他的无人认领的尸体最终被火化了。”

当被问及为何不去阴间时，一个人说，与活人的鬼魂交往更为自由，而另一个人则表示希望保持自由的灵魂。

事实上，每个灵魂都怀有自己独特的想法——毫无疑问，这两个人相当古怪。

我询问威廉姆斯：“如果我以后需要召唤他们，正确的程序是什么？”

他回答说：“只需用你的戒指在一张纸上刻上他们任何一个人的名字；然后，通过烧掉这张纸，他们就会出现。”

这时，我想起一件重要的事情，只好提出一个条件：从今以后，他们来的时候，必须先敲门，任何人不得未经通知就破墙而入。我害怕他们随时出现的那一天，我几乎无法忍受。