Journey

My mom turned the knob on the electric fan to zero. The fan slowly stopped oscillating and then the four green blades came to a full stop in their quiet majestic way. She picked up one of the white jade magnolia flower buds from the shallow dish and dabbed it behind her ears before pinning it down on the fold of her blouse. I swore I could smell her starched sun dried outfit despite the haunting smell of the magnolia. We were ready to go to the market.

Outside, the sky was cloudless, the mid summer sun was burning and the air was blazingly hot. The flower bud on my mom just bloomed a little when she stepped outside under the sun. Or it was just my imagination. The mud road was cracked and I could almost feel the punishing heat under my slippers. Mom opened her umbrella and tried to pull me under the shade as we walked. Whenever we went to the market, mom would say if I listened to her I would get a soda of my choosing. Invariably I listened to her because she usually said nothing.

We stopped at Fat Kee store on the road side. Inside Fat Kee, there was a table of old people playing mahjong, sipping tea and smoking, just like every other day. With the slow moving overhead fan, the smell of burning tobacco just permeated the entire store. The store keeper was a woman in her fifties, always immaculately dressed. Every time I went to the store she always asked me the same set of questions, how old was I, how did I do at school, and was I a good boy. She gave me a big hug when she saw me and asked me the same questions again. I was painfully shy, even at the urge of my mom, I did not say a single word back to her, just like usual. She picked me up to slide the refrigerator door open. I dipped my hand into the cold water and picked up a Waton's Cola. Sometimes I picked a Green Spot because I knew my mom preferred me to have Green Spot which she thought was healthier. She was probably right, but I liked the fizz of the cola. My mom took a few sips from the bottle and gestured me to take a look at the TV screen. I just witnessed the moon landing on TV. This historical event would have no bearing on my everyday life at all. Except the crass merchants got caught up with this space fever. Months later, my mom bought me a "space jacket"--a puffy parka with a nylon shell and a pair of baby blue "atomic pants"--form fitting leggings like trousers. I wore this ghastly ill fitting outfit to a wedding banquet and I was scarred for life.

It was the Watson's Cola. Before long I needed to relieve myself. We were next to a couple of fish ponds. As usual I said excuse me and my mom said that with me while I was doing my deed on the roadside next to the ponds. I looked up to the sky, the sun was still burning, blinding my eyes.

******

The operating room was frigid, he was shirtless, his teeth clattered uncontrollably. The light above him was so bright that he could hardly see anybody.

He felt strong arms were holding down his feet. But he was calm, his teeth slowly stopped clattering, the tranquilizer was kicking in.

"Mr. Chan. I am sorry, we have to shock you. You are having an arrthythmia."

As he laid there dying, he could only think of the sweet scent of the white jade magnolia flower.

------------

Topic by Stone Ip (Update: I tried leaving a link there twice and a mere comment there once. They all disappered without a trace. His page hated me with a passion.)

And the usual suspects.