Bark! Bark! Hello! This is lucky. It’s true.

Lin, Ting-Yu Solo Exhibition, 2022
林亭聿 個展, 2022

On April 2nd, I was sitting by the East River, watching Manhattan while having ice cream. Feeling sleepy, I lay on the grass and basked in the sun for the entire afternoon. It wasn't until evening that I got ready to walk back to Chinatown, listening to this story on a podcast.

A few days ago, Chris Evans tweeted a clarification, stating that his social media accounts are verified and that he would never ask fans for money. This was in response to a fan who uploaded a screenshot of a conversation where someone named "I am the real Chris Evans" sent them a message. The message said that their wallet had been stolen and they needed to borrow thirty dollars to feed their dog, Dodger, ending with "Bark! Bark! Hello, I am Dodger, I am real."

I liked this story for its sheer absurdity. Among all the scam methods, "I am the real Chris Evans" chose the most ridiculous way to deceive, like a prank destined to harm no one. The story spread like a butterfly effect, with countless possibilities for it to sink without a trace. Originally just an unnoticed comment, Chris Evans' righteous clarification tweet turned a minor incident into an internet meme, spreading from American Twitter to Taiwanese podcasts, shining brightly and then disappearing in an instant.

At this time, the Russia-Ukraine war had begun, and New York was emerging from the pandemic. The international situation left people in Taiwan anxious. I had just quit my job and spent all my savings on traveling, with an uncertain future ahead. I loved that day, the warmth after the cold, the pleasant spring sunshine, the absurd story, the inexplicable feelings, and the uncertain future. Chinatown remained as vibrant as ever.

四月二號，我在東河邊上看著曼哈頓吃完冰淇淋，睏意萌芽，躺在草地上曬了整個下午的太 陽。一直睡到傍晚才準備走回唐人街，在 Podcast 聽到這則小故事。
前幾天，Chris Evans 發了一篇推特澄清，說自己的社群帳號都有認證且不會向粉絲借錢。 起因是有位粉絲上傳一張對話的截圖，他收到一位名字叫「我是真的 Chris Evans」傳來的 陌生訊息。因為他的錢包被偷，為了要餵狗狗 Dodger，所以想要借三十美金，最後再打上 「汪!汪!你好，我是 Dodger，我是真的。」

我喜歡這則小故事，整齣的無釐頭。「我是真的 Chris Evans」在所有的詐騙手段中，選擇 最荒謬的方式行騙，像是一場注定不會有人受傷的惡作劇。而故事發生到散播，如同一場蝴 蝶效應，有無數的可能性讓故事石沉大海。原本只是一則無人問津的留言， Chris Evans 義 正嚴辭地發文澄清，讓一起小事件成為網路迷因，從美國的推特再到臺灣的 Podcast，綻放 光芒再轉眼即逝。

此時烏俄戰爭開打，紐約的疫情爆發完，國際局勢讓臺灣人心惶惶。而我剛離職，花光積蓄 來旅遊，未來晦暗不明。我很喜歡這天，乍暖還寒，臨近春天的陽光和煦宜人，荒謬的故事 、 莫名的感想和無法確定的未來，唐人街依舊朝氣蓬勃。