1996年9月9日。难忘一日。

    开启信箱，得信件两封。一封是美国驻华大使的来信，另一封是美国驻上海领事馆的来信。

    拆阅美国大使James R. Sasser（詹姆士" 尚慕杰）的来信，全文如下：

                                                     The Ambassador to Beijing

                                                        September 5, 1996

Mr. RGMAssociate Professor of English

Department of Foreign Languages

SSAO University

Shanghai   China

Dear Mr.G:

I cordially invite you to visit the United States for a twenty-eight day period under the International Visitor Program of the United States Government. Established by the President and Congress over fifty years ago to promote better understanding between Americans and leading citizens of other countries, the International Visitor Program provides an opportunity to exchange ideas with professional counterparts on issues of mutual interest, as well as to observe the diversity of the United States and to meet Americans from various walks of life.

    The International Visitor Program is administered by the United States Information Agency in cooperation with over one hundred private affiliates of the national Council for International Visitors, which assist with local program arrangements nationwide. Administrative details on the program will be forwarded to you separately.

    For planning purposes, we ask that you kindly confirm within four weeks whether you will be able to accept this invitation.

    I sincerely hope that you will be able to participate in the International Visitor Program, because I believe that your visit will contribute to improved mutual understanding between the people of the United States and China.

                                            Sincerely,

                                          James R. Sasser

译文：

驻华大使                                              1996年9月5日

MRG先生

英语副教授

外语系 交通大学 上海 中国

尊敬的M先生：

    我诚挚邀请您以美国政府的“国际访问者计划”的参加者身份到美国进行为期二十八天的访问。“国际访问者计划”系50多年前由美国总统和国会确定，旨在增进美国人民与其它国家杰出人士之间的更好理解。“国际访问者计划”为专业同行提供了对共同感兴趣的问题交流思想的机会，同时也提供了观察多彩多姿的美国社会，结识来自各行各业的美国人的机会。

    “国际访问者计划”归美国新闻署管理，它与全国国际访问者委员会的一百多家民间分支机构有所合作，协同做好全国各地区计划的安排。计划的事务性细则将另行送达于您。

    鉴于安排之需，恳请您于四周之内给予能否接受邀请的确切答复。

    真诚希望您能参加“国际访问者计划”，相信您的访问将有助于增进美中两国人民之间的相互理解。

                                                       詹姆士 R " 尚慕杰

                                                       谨上

1996年9月5日

    读信，我心头一振！此信称我为leading citizens（杰出公民），让我受宠若惊（be surprised at the unexpected honor）。中共党员都不是的我，成了leading citizens？

    把来信插回信封，我想起半年前的一桩往事。