Trip to Guiyang---- Part IV Departure (2)
The next few days were rather busy ones. Mother did some cleaning for one last
time, and after hectic shopping for local specialties, we were urged to March 4,
2008, the day before our departure.
That night my elder aunt came after dinner despite a long day at work. The next
one hour was spent on a most delightful chat, in which Aunt impeached Mother for countless "crimes" she did when they were kids. With two chuckling grownups sitting at each side, I found it real hard to imagine how miserable my poor aunt
felt when beaten up by her big sister for just trying to follow her and how much
grievance she put in her little heart when her younger sister was always quicker and wiser in conflict issues often involved with their parents, the judges.
Later that night, after Aunt was gone home and Mother done with packing, my curiosity led us further back into history with Grandparents. Back to the World War
II, when they were just small kids, but big enough to keep memories of fellow villagers dying before Japanese guns and knives, people gone into hiding in the crop field from Japanese air fighters, and of they themselves crying with their siblings and cousins under their parents' protection....
I was intrigued.
Before bedtime, Grandma intrigued me still more with a One Yuan coin handed down
from her parents---my great-grandparents. It was saved even in the most arduous time of her life, and right at this moment Grandma solemnly handed it to me.
"Honey," she said, "I want you to keep this as a token of the past, of your great-grandparents now looking down at us on the wall, and of me and your grandpa."
Another bright new day began upon the crack of dawn. We got up early to get ready for the fight. The "home" was much quieter than it had been in the past two
months until...to our great surprise, in came my youngest aunt, who had not yet
fully recovered from auditory vertigo. A few minutes later, my elder aunt came
by taxi as well! And it was time to go.
After we loaded Uncle's car with our baggage, down tramped Grandma and Grandpa.
With a violent jolt in my stomach, I saw them both crying, tears rushing down their wrinkled cheeks, no longer able to utter one sound when Mother, also crying
, gave them each a hug, the first and the last I ever saw in this trip. I tried
to say "good-bye" with a smile, but the best I could do was grunt, get into the
car, and manage hard not to burst out in tears.
Uncle's wife started the car and within seconds we hit the road to the airport,
abandoning a helpless couple in heartbroken sorrow at a serious doubt whether they could see their eldest daughter again, as well as in company of mere memories
that would surely make them miserable for the rest of the day, or for the rest
of their lives.
We arrived at the airport sooner than expected. Across the hall and through boarding card and baggage booking applications, we shuffled to the security, at which another goodbye must be bid. Mother started crying again. When given a hug
by each of the women, I felt, too, something burning heat to my eyes. Quickly I
turned around and strode to the security pass, not daring to look back. A few
moments later at the security desk I did, however, manage a glance back at where
my aunts were, and through misty eyes I saw three figures standing there and raising their arms high above their heads in a farewell fashion, until we passed the security and departed for a world in which we were destined to be.
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March 6-23, 2008
Now back in my little "office" where I am well facilitated to digitized work and
entertainment, I've been trying to come up with a proper epilog for my now finished travel essay. In the process I read what I wrote for the second trip to Guiyang four years ago. Surprisingly I found that my brain was not reading the words but rather taking me into those memories I preserved in the language. Memories...aha, I think I've discovered an epilog!
"There are many ways to define our fragile existence, many ways to give it meaning, but it's memories that shape its purpose, and give it context, the private assortments of images, fears, loves, regrets, for it is the cruel irony of life that we're destined to hold the dark with the light, the good with the evil, success with disappointment, this is what separates us, what makes us human."
-----Heroes, Season 2, Episode 8
The end, in the continuity between the past and the future
March 23, 2008
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