Sad Sunday

It's Sunday, DC planned to have haircut and I planned to do some more garden shopping. We were having breakfast until we got this phone call from cousin. My 2nd uncle (from Mom's side)passed away on Saturday. It was a shock and we are not prepared for it, especailly Mom. For an hour, we didn't know what to do but run back to 2nd uncle's hosue asap. I was panic and I can't find Chris to inform the other relatives.

We hit the road, Mom calm down and Dad had his temper on traffic. However, we came back to see 2nd uncle asap. He look like he is asleep. I think it is a good end for him without pain but it's painful for us coz no one is prepared. He spend his last 3 days in ER and none of us know.

He is Mom's 2nd elder brother and he was in charge of this family after first uncle got stroke. It is a tough job to support 3 generations with 30 people with a policeman's salary. Although, grandma had 10 business on hand, life was hard but they went through it. 3 cousins are married and run their own business. Uncle wanted to bring his sons into political life, the election will be next year, he won't be there. He had been working on it for years....

2nd uncle, my first impression was behind the chinese herb shop. The house was JP style since grand-grandpa and it had 3 floors. The ground floor was for Chinese herb shop. Grandpa was a doctor of traditional Chinese medicine, also 2nd uncle learned from him. But Grandpa passed away when Mom was 9 years old. 2nd uncle loved to enjoy a cup of hot tea with newspaper for the morning. When I was young, I'd like to ask for liquorice or something else to chew. Uncle would give me some but in condition, I gonna memorized some articles like poetry or multiplication table. In my generation, we also learned calligraphy from 2nd uncle. As he said, it is possible to see the personality and character from his hand writing. 2nd uncle's house is my Mom's harbour and the place for our new year trip until we are too many people. The last time we were in 2nd uncle's house for new year, it was 10 years ago, after grandma was gone. It was 2nd uncle's 60th brithday. 8 brothers and sisters came for dinner, cousin came back from Brazil to presen her Mom (3rd aunt in heaven), we had 6 tables for that dinner. It was too much work for 2nd aunt-in-law. Oh, right, 2nd uncle was an iron cock, forgot to mention. He would never spend a penny on his own leisure. Therefore, he never stay out overnight, never take a flight, never take a boat. However, 2nd uncle always gave all his support to his sisters and younger generations.

DC is the first foreigner 2nd uncle know. They couldn't communicate but they smoked together. I remembered uncle took a close look at DC from head to toe and back again. After 3-4 times visits, uncle told me and my Mom, DC was ok and he gave us his blessing. This Chinese New year, uncle was the reason we rush back for. On the 3rd day of new year, it was 2nd uncle's 70th birthday party. Every family will be there. And it was the last party uncle attended. DC and I were glad that we made it to attend 2nd uncle's birthday, although we were suffering on jet lag.