***** Vol.2 Chap.13 Finding comfort in one another’s company *****
Haw-Ting and May-Ling had a delicious meal together. After all, it was not every day that they had a BBQ duck. They took their time and enjoyed every bite of their meal. In between bites, he asked her about the lecture and she told him all the details about her adventure there. She told him how well received the lecture was and how the audience was pleased about the presentation and that several government health officials were there.
She was so upbeat and positive after the meal that he actually felt much better afterwards. As she proceeded to wash the dishes, he decided to attack the pile of mail sitting in front of them.
“Anything interesting?” She yelled from the kitchen.
“Nah, just the usual. Bills and more bills.”
“Oh. I guess it is bills paying time again ...”
“… If we have any money to pay.” He cut in sarcastically.
“By the way, have we paid the rent for this month yet?”
“What do you mean this month? We haven’t even paid the rent for the last month!”
“Oh, that is bad. That is terrible.” She went on washing the dishes while He opened more letters.
“Here is a bill from the City Health Department for our annual registration for the clinic. Here is a bill from the State Government asking for contribution for the park beautification project. Here is another bill From Mr. Chow asking us to pay our line of credit for the pharmaceutical products that we bought from him. ...” He continued his monologue of bad news as he opened the letters.
“Come on, Haw-Ting, give me some good news.”
“OK, let me see. Here is a letter from Mrs. Wu with ten rmb.”
“Good for her. She is always so appreciative of the acupuncture treatment every time she comes in. Did she enclose a note with the money?”
“Just a short thank you note.”
“Here is another letter from Mrs. Tang for five rmb.”
“Really?”
“Here is a complaint from Mr. Wong. He said that the treatment was a total waste of time.”
“Oh, Mr. Wong. I remember him.”
“May-Ling, here is an overseas letter for you.” Haw-Ting yelled right when she was finishing up the dishes.
“Really, let me see.” She wiped her hands clean and came to the table. “Where is it from?”
“It is from the United States, some place called VA.”
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“Let me see.” She opened the letter and read it slowly.
Even though she had studied the English language at school, she had little practice. “It is from Dr. Abrahamson. He wanted me to attend the Annual Conference of the American Association for the Advancement of Science to give a lecture on what we are doing here.”
“Wow, wonder how he heard about us.” Haw-Ting had a curious look on his face.
“I don’t know?” She answered with a quizzical look.
“It must be all those lectures that you have been giving.”
“Perhaps it is because of those two papers I submitted to the Annual Meeting of Acupuncture Therapy.”
“Those two papers that got accepted, and you never attended the meeting to present them.” He was teasing her.
“I think they are mad at me.”
“Nah. So are you going to go this time?” He asked her.
“Well, they offered to pay my way and my expenses for the conference.” She replied with a radiant face.
“That is nice of them.”
“I don’t know. We are always so busy here.”
“Oh, May-Ling, you deserve a vacation.”
“If I go, you will have no one to help you.”
“I can manage. I will buy another BBQ duck and eat it the whole time you are gone. He, he.” He said jokingly.
“I think that would be just the thing that you would do while I am gone.”
“Perhaps I could get a job at the hospital too.”
“Perhaps you can go to the moon as well.” They both laughed. “Oh Haw-Ting, I don’t know...”
“What don’t you know?”
“… whether I should go or not?”
“What is there to consider?”
“I can’t leave you alone to handle all the patients in the clinic? That would not be fair!”
“I can take care of things. I just have to see more patients and not clean up. That’s all.”
“No one will take care of you.”
“I can take care of myself.”
“You really think I should go?”
“Go.”
“Really?”
“They are paying all your expenses.”
“I know. That makes it hard to refuse.” May-Ling’s hesitation was wearing thin.
“They are interested in what we are doing here.”
“Why don’t you go, Haw-Ting?” She offered another suggestion.
“Nah. Your English is better than mine. Besides, it was your research.”
“Oh, Haw-Ting, I don’t know what to say.”
“Look May-Ling. I think we got something here. It is time to tell the world about your findings. If they prove to be correct, it should benefit the entire world. If it is a hoax, I would like to find out now.”
“I guess you are right.”
“Besides, you have never been to America. In fact, you have never traveled anywhere recently!”
“OK, you’ve convinced me.”
“Make sure you take lots of pictures and bring me back something special, something very American.”
“OK, Haw-Ting, I loved you.” She extended her arm, and he reached out to her. She waltzed over and kissed him passionately.
“Oh, I almost forgot.” She jumped up and shouted to him.
“What?”
“Doctor Chu gave me an honorarium today for the lecture.”
“Really? That is nice of him.”
She rummaged around her purse and took out a small yellow colored envelope. She opened it quickly and took out 1000 rmb.
“Wow, Haw-Ting. I think we can pay our rent here.”
He did a quick mental calculation and nodded. “With the money we received in the mail, we can pay last month’s rent and this month’s rent, but we will have very little money left over for your trip.”
“No, Haw-Ting.” May-Ling shook her head violently. “Let’s pay the rent and then Mr. Chow with the rest of the money.”
“You need some money to go to America.”
“That is still months from now. Let’s not worry about that right now. If we have enough to pay both months’ rent, then let’s pay both months’ rent right away, and use the rest to pay Mr. Chow.”
“OK, you are right again.”
“He would be thrilled.”
“Now, I think I can get more supplies for the storeroom.”
“That is more like it.”
She yawned. It was getting dark outside. She walked to the front door and stood there. There is a soft breeze blowing on the streets. Outside, there were still lots of people, but only young people strolling along the streets now.
“Are you done with all the mail?”
“That is just about it.”
“Then come outside and bring a couple of chairs with you. It is nice outside.”
“OK, one minute, dear.”
He wrapped up the last few pieces of mail, grabbed two chairs from the dining table, and sat outside with her.