风满办公楼（二）
隔断教父弗兰克：挥一挥衣袖，我不带走一片云彩
Frank, The Godfather Of Partitions: On The Years He Spent In China
文｜晓南
不论过去、现在还是将来，如果谈到成品隔断事业在中国的发展史，就一定绕不开荷兰人弗兰克·斯密特（Frank Smit）先生。不到十年的一段弗兰克在中国的奋斗史，正是隔断行业在中国的登陆史和成长史，或者不如干脆说，启蒙史；隔断事业在中国登陆与启蒙过程中所有的悲剧与喜剧、欢乐与悲伤、收获与失落、领悟与彷徨，所有这些精彩也好狗血也罢的剧情，几乎都与弗兰克的经历水乳交融般地联系在了一起，他在中国开拓隔断事业的所有感受、遭遇和人生轨迹，反映的并不是他个人的发展史，而是成品隔断这个典型的欧洲舶来品在中国的发展史，如果你愿意去看，你就一定能够从弗兰克的这一段人生轨迹中，看到所有的偶然和必然，看到东西方两种文化在此期间中国工程舞台上的冲突、纠缠和碰撞，看到独具中国特色的工程文化是怎样一步步地重塑来自欧洲的隔断文化并受其反制的；事实上，推而广之，这个故事，不仅仅属于隔断，它几乎适用于所有来自欧洲的工程行业的产品企图登陆中国这块神秘而精彩的土地的命运和过程。弗兰克在中国的故事，就是21世纪最初的十年里，中国工程行业与来自欧洲的工程产品，在中国土地上发生的相爱相杀文化冲突史的最具代表性和典型性的缩影。
Ether past, present, or in the future, when we talk of the history of development of partitions in China, Mr.Frank Smit, a Dutch gentleman, will be inevitably a prominent figure. The less-than-a-decade history of his striving for partitioning business in China, is just the history of partitions' landing and growth, or, rather to say, enlightenment, in China. Almost all stories played during this landing and enlightening history of partitions in China, comedy or tragedy, joy or sorrow, gains or loss, understanding or hesitation, wonderful or novel, are entangled with Frank's experiences organically. His feeling, encounters and life path came along with him during the days he was endeavoring to explore partitioning business in China, reflects not his personal development history, but the development history of partitions, the kind of typically imported thing originated from Europe, in China. If you are willing to, you will see, from the path of this period of Frank, all occasionalities and inevitabilities, see the collisions and twisting between the western and oriental cultures on the stage of Chinese constructional projects, see how the project culture with Chinese characteristics renovated and in the meantime being countered by the partitioning culture which came from Europe. As a matter of fact, extensively, this story applies not only to partitions, but also to the destiny and process of all those European architectural products attempting to land in China, the mysterious and wonderful garden. The story Frank played in China is the most representative miniature to the tangle of cultural conflicts played by Chinese constructional industry and Europe-originated products in China in the first decade of 21st century.
纵观到目前为止在中国，所有仍然活跃在隔断舞台和已然退出隔断舞台的隔断大咖们、骨灰级玩家们、打酱油者们、匆匆过客们以及野心家们，不论中国人还是外国人，我相信，99%以上的人都听说过弗兰克这个如雷贯耳的名字，80%以上的人都跟弗兰克有过至少一面之缘，60%以上的人与弗兰克有过互动交流，这之中凡是为欧洲几大隔断品牌服务过的帅哥美女们，30%以上的人与弗兰克有过共事的经历。
所以，后来，我终于明白，弗兰克实在配得上一个誉名：中国隔断的教父。
I believe, of all those who are still active on and have quitted from the partitioning stage in China, partitions masters, hardcore players, hasty passers and careerists, whoever they are, Chinese or foreigner, more than 99% guys have ever heard of Frank's name, more than 80% ever happened to met Frank on at least one occasion, more than 60% ever had interactive communications with Frank, 30% of whom had served for one of European partitioning brands have ever worked together with Frank.
So, eventually I realized that Frank deserves an honorary title——The Godfather of Chinese partitions.
我虽然不是进入弗兰克中国故事的第一批过客，但我是送别他离开中国的最后一批过客，假如不是最后一名过客的话。我也亲自主持过为他举行的告别中国的最后的晚餐。我是弗兰克中国故事后半程的见证者、亲历者和战友，也接触过曾经与他共事过的多数人，与他有过工作和私人的很多交流，既如实地见证了他的专业能力，也熟知他的个人情感，更是曾经数次实地造访当初他在故土荷兰与隔断事业第一次相逢之地，包括当年慧眼识英雄把他招聘到隔断行业里来的伯乐，我也与这位可爱之极的伯乐老先生有过无数次的倾心交谈。
I am not one of the first guests in Frank's story, but I am one of the last passengers who saw him off leaving China, if not the last one. I have also presided over the last dinner held for his farewell to China. I am the witness and fellow of the second half of Frank's story, ever touched with most guys who have ever worked together with him, ever had numerous communications with him, witnessed his competence as well as his personal emotions, even I visited several times the place where he met with partitions first time in his homeland Netherlands, and including the guru who firstly recruited him into partitioning business, I'v ever talked with this old expert many times, too.
所以，我几乎可以自认为，我了解弗兰克从进入隔断行业直到离开隔断行业的一整部故事，他在中国的那七八年只是这其中的一部分，当然，是一大部分；我也了解隔断事业曾经带给他的全部情感，他的感受，他的彷徨，他的困惑，他曾经的踌躇满志以及他离开中国那一刹那的无限失落。其实正是这些属于他又属于中国隔断发展史的强烈而跌宕的情感，才让我自始至终对弗兰克本人以及隔断事业有着难忘的回忆，以至于今天我忍不住想要写一篇推文，来怀念这位荷兰人以及与他曾经一起度过的那些时光。
Thus I think, almost, I know the entire story of Frank since his entering to quitting partitioning career, of which, the 7 or 8 years that he spent in China is only a part, though, a major part. I also understand all emotions the partitioning career has ever brought to him, his feeling, hesitation, confusion, his ambition at the beginning and sense of loss at the moment he left China. In fact it's just these intense emotions that belongs to both him and the development of Chinese partitions that entails my unforgettable memories to Frank himself and Chinese partitioning cause all along, so that I can't help to write something today to souvenir the days that spent with this Dutch gentleman.
我至今记得，在2010年料峭的春风中，我跟弗兰克在*闻华**国际的咖啡厅里谈心的时候，他那份无以言表的失落和略带心酸的表情。早在那个时刻，他就已经不无忧伤地表示，他代表马尔斯隔断在中国数年来的奋斗，结局是失败而令人失望的，天平的砝码似乎开始向竞争对手卡莱斯卓转移，但是，他仍然希望，愿意接手的人能够让这份事业翻盘复兴，他希望有一天能够看到这样的结果并挺起胸膛告别中国。
I still remember, in the chill of 2010 spring, when I drank coffee with Frank in the cafe of Huawen INT'L, his indescribable expressions of loss and bitterness. At as early as that time he has expressed with sorrow that the weight of balance seemed moving to the side of competitor Clestra, but, he was still expecting the one who would take over Maars to bring his unfulfilled cause back to renaissance and then one day he would be able to leave China with chest sticking out.
在那个时候，我跟隔断业的故事才刚刚开始，所以我当时并不能很好地领会弗兰克那些话语的意思、那些话得以被说出来的背景以及弗兰克当时内心里的那些情感。许多年以后的今天，当我坐在中国隔断行业的制高点魔都的市中心苏州河畔可以一眼看到陆家嘴三剑客和人民广场地标的客厅里，以一个局外人的身份追忆这段往事的时候，我已经几乎对弗兰克当年那一刻的情感和思绪感同身受，对他那番话的前因后果洞若观火了。
At that time, my story with partitioning career was just beginning, as a result I could not understand thoroughly then what Frank was meaning, what ground was backing his words and what emotions were there in his heart. Have some years passed, today when I am sitting in the parlor where I can see through window landmarks of the bund and People's Square, as an outlier, recollecting the events over those days, I am able to get an empathy to the emotions and thinkings of Frank at that time to the extent that I could see the cause and effect of his then words as clear as blazing fire.
虽然很不幸，两年后当弗兰克最终离开中国的时候，他的失落之感甚至比当初的深度还加多了一层，我指的当然是海沃氏把一只手插到隔断业里打酱油的故事，但是，正如我今天想要指出的，弗兰克在中国这块土地上所有曾经付出的青春、汗水与眼泪，他此间所有曾经的情感，欢乐的，悲伤的，自豪的，失落的，一如他的足迹，将永远镌刻在中国的隔断发展史册上，他的成功与失败，不是他个人的成功与失败，而是欧洲文化与中国文化在中国工程领域里相爱相杀的成功与失败，是时代的结果，所有这些，都不能抹煞弗兰克为中国隔断事业所曾经作出的奠基性贡献，尽管这些贡献里既有他有心作出的，也有他无意甚至因躺枪而造就的；也更不应遮掩了弗兰克在隔断事业中所展现出的超绝才华。随着他离开中国，他也带着无比的失望与失落，彻底告别了隔断行业，只留下那一抹灿烂的晚霞，永远闪耀在中国天空的西方，永不消散。假如弗兰克是一位诗人，我相信，他一定会这样写到：
轻轻的我走了，
正如我轻轻的来；
我轻轻的招手，
作别东天的云彩。
Though unfortunately, two years later, his sense of loss was probably even profounder than beginning, I mean, the story of Haworth putting one of hands to the partitioning field, I still want to point out today, all the youth, sweat and tears Frank has ever paid in Chinese land, all his emotions over these times, delightful or sorrow, fulfilled or disappointed, juts like his footprints, will be written to the annals of the development history of Chinese partitions. His success and failure in this history is not his personal but the successes and failures of struggling game of European and Chinese cultures played in the battlefield of Chinese constructional industry, is the result of times, all of which, should not eclipse his founding contributions to Chinese partitioning industry, even though, some of those contributions were made with his intention, some undesignedly; And should also not conceal the brilliant talents Frank showed over the partitioning career. With his leaving China, Frank as well bid farewell to partitioning industry with the last touch of sunset glow flashing in the west sky of China. If Frank were a poet, I think, he would have written down the following lines:
Very quietly I take my leave
As quietly as I came here;
Quietly I wave good-bye
To the rosy clouds in the eastern sky.
人世间最令人铭记于心的故事，都是那种你猜得到开头却猜不中结尾的故事。
弗兰克永远都无法忘记，当2004年欧洲总部的老板初次造访中国事业部的时候，那份难以掩饰的激动：原本带着对阿姆斯特丹史基浦机场无比的自豪而来的两位老板，一位是董事长一位是CEO，一下飞机就被上海浦东机场的庞大与豪华惊呆了！机场里到处是带有英文的指示牌，广播和服务员讲着一口标准的英文，从机场到位于上海市中心的办公室途中，一路上窗外闪过陆家嘴那高耸入云胜过荷兰最高建筑的摩天大厦群，办公室里操着一口流利的英文颜值爆表的中国职员——所有这一切，都让两位欧洲老板两眼放出哥伦布般的光芒：这里比欧洲还要欧洲，比西方还要西方，数人民币数到手软的日子就在前方！一时间为自己年前做出的进军中国市场的决策而志得意满。
The stories that are kept in the mind most firmly are those that you could guess the beginning but could not the ending.
Frank would never forget, how excited the two bosses of European HQ were when they visited Chinese business division first time in 2004. The two bosses, Chairman and CEO, who came to China with complacence to the Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, were stunned by the hugeness of Shanghai Pudong Airport. The English printed on indicators, spoken in loud speakers and by clerks, the skyscrapers flashed over the windows of car on the way to office, and the skilled Chinese employees who speak English fluently——all of these lit up the radiance in their eyes that here is a garden with more European flavors than Europe and more western styles than western countries as if they have foreseen the day to strike gold was lying ahead. At that moment they were fully satisfied with the decision to enter march into China they made one year ago.
弗兰克更不会忘记，仅仅五年以后，当这两位欧洲老板再次踏上这片最具国际化色彩的土地人称魔都的时候，纵然高楼比五年前更多了，然而此时他们的心境已经与5年前是冰火两重天，那是一种濒于崩溃的烦恼和失落：在规模庞大的东方都市那与西方别无二致的表象之下，其实隐藏着与西方如此截然不同的文化内核，他们显然事先既没有料到这一点也没有为此做好准备，此时的中国事业部，带给他们的绝不是堆成山数不完的钞票，而是各种焦灼，各种纷争，各种焦头烂额。
Would Frank never forget, just five years later when the two bosses visited Shanghai, the most western-oriented city, once more, they were bearing a mood poles apart from last time. That's a sense of annoyance and loss on the edge of collapse——hidden under the presentation of eastern metropolis that is indistinguishable from western is a completely opposite cultural core, for which they had obviously not gotten ready in advance. What the Chinese division of that time was bringing to them was not huge fortune but sorts of anxiety and dispute.
弗兰克和我，或许还有其他一些曾经的业内同仁，对此总结下来基本达成共识：归根结底，这一切的根源还是源自于文化的冲突。中国的文化与欧洲的文化从基因上就具有本质的不同，这种不同在客户定制性的工程领域被接近无损的释放和牢牢的锁定，让任何事前没有做好功课的人都要付出高昂的学费和精神对价。
A common ground here has ever been reached among Frank and me and some other ex-peers that, all of these should boil down to the conflict of cultures. Chinese culture bears essential difference at the gene level from western, which was almost intactly released and firmly locked in the field of customer-tailored projects like partitions, would make anyone who has not gotten prior ready pay expensive tuition and mental consideration.
其实，后来，我跟曾经业内的某几位翘楚更有某种心照不宣：或许，弗兰克当年的欧洲老板，从一开始所犯的错误，并不止于未能事先对中西文化的冲突做足功课，他们更深一层的战略失误是，从一开始就应该以亚太而非中国的视角去做战略设计，侧面迂回式地进攻中国市场。他们当初也许不应该把一枚决战的棋子孤零零地压在中国的棋盘上，似乎完全无视了亚太地区的全图。我不知道，在此后经年，有没有人曾经夜半磋嗟，但是我却有时在深夜里辗转反侧之际，会腹黑地梦到那家从一开始就明智地采取了亚太战略的对手脸上那偷偷的笑容。
Actually, years afterward, I got a kind of tacit thinking with several outstanding peers that, perhaps, the mistakes the Dutch bosses of Frank had made at that time were not limited to their failure to getting ready for the conflict between western and eastern cultures, they may have a further level of misstep that, they should have designed the strategy from the view of Asia-Pacific region but not China. Perhaps they should not have put an isolated chessman on the chessboard of China while neglecting the full picture of Asia-Pacific region. I don't have a clue, after so many years, if somebody have ever sighed at midnight, but I do some time ever dreamed of, when I stayed awake late at night, the catlike smiles of that competitor who has wisely adopted the Asia-Pacific strategy.
弗兰克绝对是一位好人，以至于好到他几乎从不拒绝别人。这种宅心仁厚虽然给他带来了无尽的美誉，同时也给他带来了好人不一定有好报的结果。
Frank is absolutely a good gentleman, so good as to he almost never say no to anybody.His kindness brought to him not only reputation and but the result that good will not always be rewarded.
弗兰克无疑是一位绝顶聪明的人，否则欧洲总部那位最强的技术和生产管理高手当初就不会那么遇到千里马般地录用了他，当年欧洲总部的CEO就不会唯独器重地委派他一个人孤狼般地来中国掘金拓土。
Frank is undoubtedly an extremely intelligent man, otherwise the top master of technology and production management in Europe HQ would not have recruited him at that time, as well, the Europe HQ would rather not send him than others to explore Chinese market alone.
我一直认为，在中国的这些年里，弗兰克自始至终都是孤独的。直到他告别中国的那一刻，他也听不懂中文，讲不出超过五句中文。这好像是一种悖论。他凡事都不拒绝，竭力避免冲突，让步是他的习惯，他的绝顶聪明也让他对中国的文化有着深刻的洞察和了解，但是在他内心深处，他并不认同中国工程领域里的那种文化，他不认为那种文化是对的，他不认为那种文化能够带给成品隔断业积极的作用，不认为那是适合养育成品隔断这条鱼的清水。
Always I think, Frank has been lonely during his years in China. Up until he left China he could not speak Chinese more than five sentences. It's like a paradox. He never refuses anything, concession is his habit, and his extreme intelligence also gives him a profound insight into Chinese culture, but deep down in his heart, he doesn't accept the kind of Chinese culture in architectural field, he doesn't think that culture will bring active role to the prefabricated partitions, doesn't think it's the right water to breed partitioning fish.
我能够理解弗兰克的感受。当他在中国操作工程伊始，就崩溃地遭遇到，按照事先确定的图纸在工厂预制生产好的一车用于收边的货，运达现场后却因为不曾被事先通知的改动而报废，无处申诉，拿不到赔偿。从那时候起，他对东方陌生文化的那份惊诧、不解和不适，就已经开始了。
I am able to comprehend feelings of Frank. At the beginning of his operations in Chinese jobsite, he has encountered an incident enough to make him collapse that, just when one truck of goods, manufactured according to the pre-confirmed drawings, was delivered to the job site, it's realized that all the goods would become waste for the site changes that failed to be notified in advance, and he could not find parties to complain and claim for compensation. Since then, his surprise, confusion and discomfort to the unacquainted eastern culture has begun.
直到数年之后，弗兰克告诉我，他其实仍然没有弄清楚中国工程领域相关各方之间那种错综复杂的关系——业主，建筑总包，装饰总包，分包商，清包商，材料供应商，概念设计方，深化设计方，供应商设计方，工程咨询方，工程监理方，工程消防方，工程质监方，挂靠方，包工头，施工队，民工，物业，凡此种种的"方"，搞得他仍然是一头雾水、头昏脑胀。
Not until many years later, did Frank told me that, actually he has not yet made it clear the complicated relationships among relevant parties in Chinese constructional project field——the owner, constructional GC, decoration GC, sub-contractor, light sub-contractor, material supplier, conceptual designer, shop drawing designer, supplier designer, consulting agent, supervision agent, fire supervision, quality supervision, affiliated party, labor contractor, construction team, migrant labor, property management, all of these 'parties' were still making him confused in the head.
他也一直对所谓的中国式速度倍感烦恼。在他看来，几乎所有项目一开始的工期计划都是不切实际的，要求进场的时间也是与隔断的成品化理念格格不入的。多年以后，弗兰克还跟我总结到，中国的工程项目，总是一开始就定下来一个不合理的工期，然后在工程前期，相关各方又无节制地浪费掉时间、花掉大把的预算，然后等到轮到几乎需要在最后阶段进场的成品隔断时，时间和预算都已经消耗殆尽，等待隔断厂家的就是不断的打屁股催工期和降预算。然后呢，讨工程款又是一个比前面工程实施过程还要折磨人一百倍的旅程。
嘿嘿嘿，哈哈哈。
Also, he has always been annoyed upon so-called Chinese speed. In his eyes, almost all projects are launched with an unpractical lead time, as well, the time for delivery of partitions is also in conflict with the idea of partitions. Many years later, still Frank made a summary to me that, all along, Chinese projects would be scheduled with a unreasonable lead time at the beginning, then concerning parties would waste time and budget immoderately, then when the time came to for partitions which always enter jobsite at the last stage, the situation awaiting partitions would be harsh lead time pressure and budget cutting down. Then what? The way to collect money would be a process hundred times torturing than the experiences of delivering.
Hah hah hah
在所有的故事情节中，我深信，把弗兰克、隔断事业、隔断业内的各路对手、当然也包括本人在内的各家各方每一个人，最戏剧性地纠缠联结在一起的项目，毫无疑问就是华为上海研发基地那个国内史上最大的单体隔断工程了。那是一个无比奇特的隔断工程，即使放眼全球，我相信今后也不会再出现第二个同样奇特的隔断工程了。那个项目，不但以其无与伦比的体量和非典型性的中国文化特质而著称，更是因一手设计了迪拜哈利法塔的美国SOM建筑设计事务所的奇葩怪想和致命自负而增光添彩，再加上华为公司的无比牛叉和如日中天，于是在中、美、欧之间上演了一场当可载入史册的最精彩的隔断大戏。当弗兰克那一天在现场用手摩挲着那一根根硕大无朋粗壮无比上通天下入地如迪拜塔般的坚强耸立的隔断铝合金主龙骨的时候，我相信他内心里一定是五味杂陈百感交集一时不知从何说起的。
Among all plots of the story, I am convinced, the one that dramatically wove all parties, including Frank, partitioning career, partitioning competitors and me, into one twisted net, is the partitioning project of Huawei Shanghai Campus. Nobody would doubt that's the ever-largest single partitioning project in China. And that's a unique project, too, even extend our eyes to the globe, I think, there would never emerge the second project with similar odd traits. That project, not only well known for its unrivaled hugeness and non-typical Chinese cultural dispositions, but also for the extra gloss added by the freak conception and deadly complacence of SOM who designed the Dubai Burj Khalifa Tower, then furthermore, feathered by the bully company, Huawei, who was like the sun at high noon；therefore, a ever-wonderful partitioning drama was played among Chinese, European and American that deserves to be written into a annals of history. I think, at that day, when Frank was gently touching the big and strong aluminum stud that embedded into both the concrete ceiling and floor slab, he was having a kind of mixed emotions that unable to be put into words.
那个项目，不论对弗兰克个人还是对不同程度参与该项目的各家隔断厂商，甚至对整个隔断行业，都具有历史性的影响。那个项目，直接改变和印证了弗兰克和欧洲老板内心中的很多东西，也给国内整个隔断业内带来了此后无休止的思考和迷惑，也让当今国内最大的隔断客户华为公司后来反思和调整了有关隔断采购标准的思路。可以说，上海华为基地的隔断工程，必将成为中国隔断发展史上的一个划时代的事件，当然也是对弗兰克中国之路具有决定性意义的事件。
That project, whether to Frank or the partitioning suppliers involved with different depth, and even to the whole partitioning industry, carried historical impact. That project directly changed and verified lots of things in the mind of Frank and his European boss, as well, brought endless thinking and confusion to national partitioning industry, and also, made Huawei company, the contemporary biggest partitions customer, reflect and adjust the formulation of partitioning purchase standard. So to say, this project will become a milestone in the development history of Chinese partitions as well as a decisive event to Frank's road in China.
在中国最后的两年里，当弗兰克陪着最优秀的职业经理人帕特里克，带领着隔断业内最优秀的人才中的几位，到不无自负的家具巨头海沃氏去开辟隔断业务的时候，我相信，那时候的弗兰克还是充满期待、希望在中国重新开创一番事业、借由海沃氏这艘巨轮把隔断业务打遍中国、覆盖亚太甚至辐射全球的。
During the last years in China, when Frank accompanied with the most excellent professional manager, Patric, led some of the most outstanding talents in partitioning industry, to develop partitioning cause for the self-confident furniture giant Haworth, I think, Frank was full of expectations then hoping to re-initiate a new big cause in China via the huge ship of Haworth to push partitioning business to all over China, to cover Asia-Pacific region and even the world.
海沃氏在中国（亚太）试水隔断业务的失败，既反映了美国式商业经营的现实主义和勇于试错的精神，也再一次印证了成品隔断与家具行业貌似雷同、实则大不一样的本质。多少年来，国内外大大小小的家具公司都对隔断业务跃跃欲试、踌躇满志，其实迄今为止都还没有成功的先例。诗人有云：
世界上最遥远的距离
不是生与死的距离
而是家具就站在隔断面前
隔断却不知道家具爱你
世界上最遥远的距离
不是家具站在隔断面前
隔断却不知道家具爱你
而是 明明知道彼此相爱
却不能在一起
世界上最遥远的距离
不是明明知道彼此相爱
却不能在一起
而是 明明无法阻挡这股想念
却每次相爱都是以分手结局
The failure of partitioning business trial in China (Asia-Pacific) by Haworth reflects the American commercial spirit of realism and trial&error as well as verifies the essential difference between partitions and furniture beyond the appearance that looks like. For years so many furniture companies of all sizes over the world have been itching to try partitioning business with complacence but turned out to fail. As a poet put it:
The furthest distance in the world
is not the way from birth to the end.
It is when furniture stands in front of partition
but partition doesn't understand furniture loves her.
The furthest distance in the world
is not when furniture stands in front of partition
partition doesn't understand furniture loves her.
It is they know they love each other
but they can't stay nearby
The furthest distance in the world
is not they know they love each other
but they can't stay nearby.
It is obviously they can't stop this missing
but every time the love ends up with a breakup.
我相信，弗兰克、帕特里克还有海沃氏，一定对此有着深刻的领悟。然而，为什么至今对隔断心心念念手痒难耐的家具公司不但没有减少、反而大大增多了呢？原因何在呢？也许是休谟的哲学在指导着他们，使他们相信，就算一万次的失败经验，都不足以证明第一万零一次试验也一定会失败。弗兰克会赞同这句话吗？反正我哲学性地表示赞同。也许有些东西真就是命中注定的，或许，被卷入家具与隔断相爱相杀的漩涡之中就是马尔斯注定的命运，这边厢美国的家具巨头海沃氏在中国重金挖脚马尔斯的中外精英试水隔断业务失败了，不到十年以后，那边厢美国的另一个同量级的家具巨头赫曼米勒就在美国直接收购了马尔斯欧洲总公司，这次可是家具与隔断的绝对真爱啊。正所谓树欲静而风不止，那么，这次相爱会有一个完满的结局吗？让我们拭目以待吧，虽然我仍然有可能在后续的推文里继续分析这档婚姻。
I think, both Frank and Patric and Haworth would have profound understanding to this topic. But, why are there more furniture companies than ever that are itching to partitions? Perhaps it's Hume's philosophy that is instructing them to believe that, even if there have been 10000 failures, it' still not enough to prove the 10001 trial will fail inevitably. Would Frank agree on this sentence? Anyhow I will agree philosophically. Something are probably destined; Probably, to be drawn into the twisting whirlpool of affair between furniture and partition, like, just have the trial of partitioning business of Haworth driven by getting elites from Maars ended up with failure, on this side, in less than ten years, another American furniture giant of similar size with Haworth, Herman Miller, launched an action from US HQ to buy in Maars globally, which is truly a marriage deal. The tree desires stillness but the wind will not cease, so, will this marriage have a happy ending? Let it remain to be seen, though, perhaps, I might still continue to analyze this marriage in following writings.
不管怎么说，海沃氏试水隔断的失败，让弗兰克对中国和隔断行业的最后一丝留恋也灰飞烟灭了。不得不说，这不论对他本人还是隔断行业，都是一个巨大的损失。他在隔断领域是如此的优秀，所有属于欧洲人在从事产品、技术和研发方面的优秀基因与特质，他都具备。他讲的英文，也是我遇到过的所有非英语母语人士里最纯正的，发音优美、清晰而标准。他的离开，最大的损失方其实是他的原东家马尔斯，从哪个角度来评判，要我说，弗兰克都是马尔斯欧洲总部厂长或首席运营官的最佳人选，但是，他毅然决绝地离开马尔斯、离开隔断业了，当年招聘他进马尔斯的那位无比优秀的老先生也已经退休三年有余了，想必这位老先生对弗兰克的离开一定痛心无比。
Any way to say, Haworth's failure in partitioning trial swept away the last reluctance of leaving China and quitting partitioning career from the heart of Frank. I have to say, this is a great loss to both himself and partitioning field. He is so outstanding in partitioning field that he possesses all genes and skills needed for a European to carry on product, technology and R&D jobs. The English he speaks is the purest one among all non-native English people I've ever met. The one who suffers the hugest loss from his leaving is his ex-employer, Maars. I think, from any aspect to judge, Frank should be the best candidate for the Factory manager or COO of Maars Europe HQ. But, as put it, with determination, he left Maars and partitioning career. The outstanding guru who ever recruited him has retired three years before, too, and I think. this old guru should also deeply regret for Frank's leaving.
弗兰克在中国隔断届也算是堪称桃李满天下了。直到现在，我相信，隔断业内的许多许多最优秀的人才们，帅哥美女们，也一定跟我一样，不时地会想起弗兰克，回想起那些曾经与他一起度过的日子，对他或有感激，或有同情，或有怀念。
Frank deserves to have students everywhere in China. To this day I think, lots of the most excellent peers in partitioning field will occasionally think of frank, the same as me, will recollect the days spent with him with some emotions such as appreciation, sympathy or missing.
很幸运我是弗兰克号船上的这一众过客之中的一个，我也与他有过宝贵的深刻交流和近距离感受。如果问我，如今回忆起弗兰克来，最大的感受是什么，我会毫无疑问地回答：同情与惋惜。深刻的同情与惋惜。
It's my great luck to be one of passengers to the Frank Ship, also I've ever had a number of valuable talks with him, ever had close observation with him . If I am asked what's the greatest feeling when I recall Frank, I will answer without hesitation that it's sympathy and regret, deeply sympathy and regret.
弗兰克无疑是中西文化冲突的牺牲品，是欧洲总部战略决策失误的牺牲品。一颗本该在隔断届闪闪发光的明星，就因为这种牺牲而飞走了，一去不回头。
Frank is undoubtedly the victim of conflicts between Chinese and western cultures, the victim of the strategy mistakes of Europe HQ. A star that should have been sparkling in the partitioning sky flew away because of this sacrifice, never turned head.
我相信，弗兰克是带着巨大的心灵创伤离开中国的。曾经以三十多岁风华正茂意气风发的青年满怀着希望踏上东方的沃土，最后以四十几岁两鬓微霜饱受精神折磨的中年人扬起告别之手。他在中国度过了人生中为事业而奋斗的黄金时代，付出了巨大的心血，为中国隔断业做出了奠基性的贡献，可以说，弗兰克先后携手东家马尔斯和海沃氏，为中国成品隔断事业带来了启蒙和车鉴，为中国隔断业培养了隔断精英的黄金一代。虽然弗兰克离开中国离开隔断业了，但是他曾经带来的影响，还是会无休止地一圈圈涟漪开去。
所以，我满怀敬意地送给弗兰克一个名誉头衔：中国隔断的教父。
I believe, Frank left China with a huge trauma in the heart. His coming to China initially at the flowering age of 30s as a vigorous youth ended up with leaving China at slightly grey-haired age of 40s with a tortured heart. He spent his golden career age in China, paid tremendous efforts, made founding contributions to Chinese partitioning industry, as it were, taking successively Maars and and Haworth along, Frank brought the enlightenment and lessons to Chinese prefabricated partitioning cause, cultivated the golden generation of partitioning talents. Though Frank left China and quit ted partitioning career, the impact he has ever brought will ceaselessly ripple.
Thus, with respect I present an honorary title to Frank——The Godfather of Chinese partitions.
弗兰克如今已经在欧洲开始了全新的事业。他家境优裕，在欧洲风景如画的山水之间购置了美丽的房产。后来我造访欧洲时也曾在欧洲跟他匆匆见过两面。没有人知道今天的弗兰克，会不会夜深人静时还会想起他曾经在中国的点点滴滴，会不会意识到，他在中国的奋斗史就是那个年代中国隔断发展史的缩影，他对中国的隔断事业有着启蒙式的影响。
Now Frank has started his new career in Europe. He has an affluent family and bought a nice house in the beautiful mountains. I ever had two hasty meetings with him in Europe in past years. Nobody knows, if Frank will recollect dribs and drabs of his past days in China, if he will be aware that his struggle history in China during those days is just the miniature to the development history of Chinese partitioning industry of those days and he has enlightening effect on China's partitioning industry.
也许，他那在中国出生并度过幼年时代的小儿子，还偶尔会想念中国的米饭；再有就是，看着聪明漂亮又可爱的儿女们，弗兰克可能偶尔还会想念魔都里那种中国式的安全。除此之外，我想不出中国之于弗兰克还有多少值得他留恋和怀念的东西。对于他在中国曾经遇到过的那些朋友们，对于他而言，我相信，那英唱过的一首歌的名字最适合用来表述：
相见不如怀念。
Perhaps, his younger son, who was born and spent the childhood in China, will occasionally miss Chinese rice; and, watching his lovely children, Frank might occasionally miss the kind of Chinese style of security in Shanghai. Except for these, I can't imagine anything that deserves missing by Frank on China. With respect to the friends Frank has ever met in China, I think, to him, the name of a song sung by Ying Na will be the best one to express his feeling:
To miss is better than to meet.
只可惜弗兰克不是一位诗人，否则的话，他应该早已经在离开中国的一刹那，写下了那首告别诗的下半段：
悄悄的我走了，
正如我悄悄的来；
我挥一挥衣袖，
不带走一片云彩。
It's a pity Frank is not a poet, otherwise he should have written the second half of that farewell poem at the moment he left China:
Very quietly I take my leave
As quietly as I came here;
Gently I flick my sleeves
Not even a wisp of cloud will I bring away
【著作权归作者所有。】