She Writes
Saturday, November 25, 2006
My Grandmother
It has been 14 years since she passed away. I wasn’t very close to her as I met her a few times each year. Also we couldn’t communicate well because we have language barrier. She only speaks Cantonese and I could only made up the basic words coming out of her mouth.
Yet her image still vividly remained in my mind…
I had her genes, slim and tanned. My grandma was not dark brown by nature. Her pro-longed period under the scorching hot sun caused it when she was working as a Samsui woman and a farmer.
She had her long hair tied up in a bun, secured by a black round clip that looked like turtle shell. Her faded eyes were in blue. She had a high nose and thin lips. I think she was a beautiful woman when she was younger.
By the time I known her as my grandma, she was already very wrinkled and frail. What do you expect from a woman who worked so hard and had gone through the cruel World War II? She had certainly over-stretched herself.
Grandma was such a strong woman that I feel that I would never able to withstand one percent of what she went through. During the WWII, to save herself and her unborn baby from flying bombs, she hid in the well for days. Even when it rained, and the water level rose up to her neck, she stood there with her big belly until it was safe to come out. How did she climb out of the well with her big belly? I have no idea.
Sometimes certain situation makes people do what we would never thought of. Don’t you think so?
With savings from her Samsui job, grandma brought a land and started farming. The land was so vast that it could build more than 10 bungalow houses. You can imagine how great my grandma was, tending the huge farm all by herself, working non- stop from early dawn to dusk.
If the government didn’t want that precious piece of land in the 60’, I could be born in a rich family. Imagine my family’s asset is a large piece of land and we build few blocks of private properties, collect the rent or sell them to house owners… The profit is immeasurable. Also haven’t you heard of vegetable seller driving a Mercedes?
My grandpa died shortly after his third child. Grandma had to work harder to support the three children and sent them to school. It was such a difficult time. Perhaps, it might be good that she lost her land and need not sweated under the hot sun. What did she do then? A vegetable seller that could not afford a Mercedes but a little luxuries.
To be continued …
Yet her image still vividly remained in my mind…
I had her genes, slim and tanned. My grandma was not dark brown by nature. Her pro-longed period under the scorching hot sun caused it when she was working as a Samsui woman and a farmer.
She had her long hair tied up in a bun, secured by a black round clip that looked like turtle shell. Her faded eyes were in blue. She had a high nose and thin lips. I think she was a beautiful woman when she was younger.
By the time I known her as my grandma, she was already very wrinkled and frail. What do you expect from a woman who worked so hard and had gone through the cruel World War II? She had certainly over-stretched herself.
Grandma was such a strong woman that I feel that I would never able to withstand one percent of what she went through. During the WWII, to save herself and her unborn baby from flying bombs, she hid in the well for days. Even when it rained, and the water level rose up to her neck, she stood there with her big belly until it was safe to come out. How did she climb out of the well with her big belly? I have no idea.
Sometimes certain situation makes people do what we would never thought of. Don’t you think so?
With savings from her Samsui job, grandma brought a land and started farming. The land was so vast that it could build more than 10 bungalow houses. You can imagine how great my grandma was, tending the huge farm all by herself, working non- stop from early dawn to dusk.
If the government didn’t want that precious piece of land in the 60’, I could be born in a rich family. Imagine my family’s asset is a large piece of land and we build few blocks of private properties, collect the rent or sell them to house owners… The profit is immeasurable. Also haven’t you heard of vegetable seller driving a Mercedes?
My grandpa died shortly after his third child. Grandma had to work harder to support the three children and sent them to school. It was such a difficult time. Perhaps, it might be good that she lost her land and need not sweated under the hot sun. What did she do then? A vegetable seller that could not afford a Mercedes but a little luxuries.
To be continued …
posted by Samantha at 9:55 AM
