The Auction, Shanghai, March 22, 2014
Waiting
For The Bus
Every morning, the mothers and grannies
of my neighborhood hustle their children out of the house before day break to
catch the bus to school. The Zero South
bus would take them to the Gong Guan Depot and there they would then scatter,
each taking addition bus lines going to their own school. It would be the first
of several long bus rides before they returned home in the evening with their
heads crammed full of lessons that hopefully would bring them each a better
future. They were lucky.
Many years later while passing through
the Shen Zhen airport I ran into Shiao Pang. I hadn’t seen her in decades and
with only minutes before our departures, she inhaled deeply and gave a quick account
on the whereabouts of our neighborhood students.
“Remember the Lai brothers? They started
a trading company exporting electronic parts.
Their third sister got her Masters and now lives in Houston.”
“Lu Ching Wei has a toy factory in Dong
Guan and his Da Jie is the head of nursing at University Hospital. If you ever get sick you should call her, she
has many connections. Li Li started the Forever Bright Travel and Tour Company.
WA! She made a fortune when the travel restrictions were lifted. You know, Li
Li was always crazy for Lai Da Ge but he got married and Li Li just started to
travel. I think she poured her whole
heart into Forever Bright!”
“Little
Kite is a merchandiser for a shoe company.
She has really good fashion sense.
Chen Deng Hu studied literature abroad and was a professor for many
years but he retired and came back to look after his old granny. His oldest
sister is a middle school teacher and Chen mei mei wrote a romance novel but
she used a penname so nobody knows it’s her.
Ha, so tricky!”
Her chuckle was interrupted by an
announcement blaring over the loudspeaker. Shaio Pang, no longer chubby, listened
as she checked the time on her phone and snapped it shut when I asked her,
“What ever happened to Tan Di Di? Did he ever get well?”
“Oh yes! He is fine. Chinese Medicine cured him. He writes songs for
advertising company now. His older
sister is an accountant. They sold their
Gung Gung’s land long time ago.” She
stood, drawn to the line forming at the gate, gathered her tote bag with so
much still unsaid.
“Shiao Pang, what about you? What
happened to you? You look so well,” I
said honestly.
“Ai ya Shiao Ming, don’t you know? I
married Lai Er Ge and we have three children. They are all in school and doing
well. I keep after them about their homework and I find them a very good tutor
to improve their English. Hey! Maybe you
could teach them!”
Shiao Pang’s flight was called. My
childhood friend handed over her boarding pass, turned and waved goodbye to
me. But before she disappeared, I called
out, “Shiao Pang, do your children take
the bus to school?”
Jeanne-ming
Brantingham
Eine tolle Geschichte,die Hoffnung und Mut macht.Alles alles Gute
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