Vol.2 Chap.7 Reliving her days with her parents
On her way home, May-Ling was looking out the window of the bus and was reminded that this was her home town, this was where she grew up. This was where her parents first set up their clinic. The thought of her parents caused her to be flooded with memories.
…
Her father, Doctor Lon-Lai Chen was a doctor trained with the ancient healing art of herbs. He set up the clinic in the poor section of the town. He never had much money because he treated those who could not pay equally like those who could pay. Economically, her family was very poor, but was very rich in compassion and spiritual kindness. Her father worked long hours because he would not turn anyone away.
The clinic her father set up was located here because he refused to move and abandon all those who had depended on him for so many years. He could have charged the patients like some of the other doctors often did. But he never even once asked his patients to pay. Instead, he worked long hours to accommodate residents who had to work during the day. So, the little waiting room at the front was often crowded even late in the afternoon hours.
To make ends meet, her mother also worked at the clinic. While her father was seeing patients and writing prescription formulas, her mother would work as an apothecary blending the herbs and distilling the contents for the patients.
As soon as May-Ling was old enough to walk, she had been helping in the clinic as well. At first, she would help straighten up the place. When she was old enough to know where she was going, she would be sent on errands delivering prescriptions to needy patients and picking up supplies for the pharmacy.
When she was in school, she would still help early in the morning getting the clinic ready for the patients by sweeping the floor and straightening out the chairs. After school, she would buy a quick lunch for the family from one of the street vendors and begin her route of delivering prescriptions. The whole family worked hard and late. It was usually evening time already before they would pack things up for a long walk home together.
Though life was hard, May-Ling never complained. She was a happy child and did not mind the hard work. She loved to help and see the needy and the poor coming in and getting healed. Their gratitude was real and genuine. No one complained. They were all grateful and happy that her father was there to help them in time of need.
In the waiting room toward one end of the makeshift counter was an urn placed. Those who were willing and able would put money into the urn. Those who could not would bring food or other household items. Some brought nothing, but her father would still treat them just the same. In fact, he did not know who paid and who did not. As far as he was concerned, if there was anyone needing his help, and if it was within his power to do so, he would help with no questions asked.
Since this was a poor section of the town, there were also many gang members hanging around the neighborhood. But he asked no one questions. Anyone who was hurt because of any reason at all, he would treat them as best as he could. He never refused treatment because one belonged to a gang or much less to a rivaling gang. Because of his discretion and neutrality, the gangs left him alone. They knew that sooner or later; they would need his help.
One day, May-Ling was coming back from school. Overjoyed that she had written the best essay in her class, she bounced and skipped to the clinic. Along the way at Uncle Zhang’s stall, she stopped and chatted a little. Business was slow and Uncle Zhang scooped out a big bowl of porridge with a sizeable piece of fried bread for her. He told her that when she finished that bowl, she could take some more porridge to the clinic for her parents.
While she was sitting at the curb enjoying her porridge and his companionship, he asked her why she was so happy today. She explained that her teacher told her she had written the best essay in the class. She stopped and took another big mouthful of his porridge that she loved, and especially the fried bread stick.
In between bites, she saw at the corner of her eyes a few shady characters milling around the street that she had never seen them before. She shook her head and continued with her porridge and downed the rest of the bowl in one gulp. She told Uncle Zhang that was the best porridge she had for a long time. He leaned over and asked if she could keep a secret. Of course, she agreed.
“I put some pork bones in the porridge.”
“No wonder it tasted so good.”
“I thought so. That was my wife’s idea.”
“If I have money, I will come here every day for breakfast, lunch, and dinner!”
“You can always come here whether you have money or not,” He smiled, “and…
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Suddenly, there were loud noises all around. Before May-Ling could react, Uncle Zhang stooped down and covered her with his whole body and whispered in her ear to be quiet.
The gunshots continued for quite a while. There were loud shouting and yelling, shouts from two angry rivaling mobs. Uncle Zhang whispered to her that there were two opposing gangs: the Tigers and the Panthers. These two gangs had been at war with one another for a long time. They usually fought their wars in another section of town. But today, this peaceful street, that was all May-Ling’s livelihood, became the battleground. More angry shouts and shots. She was trembling uncontrollably and tried not to move while his immense body was covering and protecting her.
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After another five minutes of gunfire exchanges from both sides, the shots stopped. She shifted her body, but he told her to stay quiet.
They heard some voices on the street. She heard her father shouting, “This one is alive! Would someone please help?”
In response, she heard her mother shouting as well, “Oh, my God! There are so many bodies around. Lon-Lai, this one has a bad open wound and blood is gushing out.”
Then she heard her father replied, “Forget that one, I need help here right now. This one has just stopped breathing!”
Many bodies lay on the street, writhing and moaning, but no one would come out and help. Only May-Ling’s parents were out on the streets frantically trying to revive anyone who was not breathing.
She wanted to run over there to help, but he held her tightly and told her to be quiet because it was not yet time.
“Why?”
“Not yet.”
“I need to help my parents.”
“Not yet.”
“Please let me go.”
“Not yet.”
Suddenly, another uproar from behind the alley pierced the air. The opposing gang had regrouped behind the alley and were coming back to finish the job. When they saw May-Ling’s parents helping the wounded, they were indignant and started shooting again. They sprayed bullets all around the street. The first bullet shot through Lon-Lai’s body and a second zipped through his leg. He fell instantly making a loud thump on the stone floor.
His wife gasped and tried to rush over there but was met by another round of bullets. She was riddled by bullets while her body slowly fell to the ground. She was long gone before the last bullet tore into her flesh.
Uncle Zhang held May-Ling tightly and put his hand over her mouth. He did not have to do that because she was so scared and grief stricken that she could not utter a word. Terrified and petrified, she went limp. She wanted to cry out but was totally paralyzed, not being able to move her mouth, her arms, her legs, etc.
Another five minutes of terror. Joyful victory shouts were heard behind the alley. The remaining opposing gang members shot their guns in the air and marched away triumphantly.
Sensing that the gangs have cleared out, a few familiar heads poked out of the nearby shop windows. Yet Uncle Zhang would not let go of May-Ling and would have held her much longer if it was not for her incessant begging to go to her parents. He stuck his head up and seemed to sense that the gangs were indeed gone.
So, he let go of her.
She ran straight to her mother who was lying on the street in a pool of blood. She fell to her knees and shook her mother. There was no answer. Her mother could not move and could not answer her. Her cold and bullet-riddled body lay twisted on the pavement from the fall.
May-Ling, shocked, stood up and stumbled backwards. She could not comprehend what had happened to her mother. She could not accept what had happened to her mother. Then she remembered her father and looked around. She found her father lying close to her mother and ran to him immediately.
“Papa! Papa!”
There was no sound, no movement either.
“Papa! Papa!” She cried louder and shook her father violently.
This time, there was a slight movement. His lips moved. She did not know what to do. She looked around and saw Uncle Zhang coming to her.
“Uncle Zhang! What has happened to Papa? He wouldn’t answer me?”
Uncle Zhang caught up to her. He knelt down and felt his pulse. There was a slight and faint pulse, barely perceptible.
“Papa! Papa! Don’t leave me alone. Please say something?”
His mouth trembled slightly.
“May-Ling, I think your dad wants to say something. Lean your ear to his mouth and listen to what he has to say.” Uncle Zhang said.
“Papa! Please don’t leave me.” She was sobbing uncontrollably.
“May-Ling, stop crying. Your dad wants to say something to you.”
It took every ounce of energy inside May-Ling to stop crying. She leaned over to her father’s face and said, “Papa, I am here.”
“May…Ling…”
“Yes, Papa, this is May-Ling. Papa!” and she started crying again.
“May…Ling…”
“Yes, Papa?”
“Promise…me…that…you…will…fin…ish…my…work…and……and……” The mouth felt silent, and the pulse was gone.
“I promise…sob, sob…Papa…sob, sob…I promise. Sob.”
But she did not know what her father was talking about. Up till now, she knew her father was a doctor and an herbalist trying to help the neighborhood residents. She thought that must be the work her father was talking about.
Right there and then, she promised her father she would become a doctor and come back here to set up the clinic again.
More and more people came out to the street now. A few friendly neighbors came around and stood around her, her father, and her mother. Uncle Zhang asked the neighbors to help carry May-Ling’s parents into the clinic.
The normally quiet street was now filled with people shouting and crying and wailing. Pandemonium everywhere.
This was not the first time that a disturbance like this had happened, so most of the residents had enough sense to stay indoors during the fight to escape from the gun fire. May-Ling’s parents stayed indoors also during the initial shootout, but were too eager to come out and help the wounded that ironically, they themselves eventually became part of the casualties.
May-Ling was too young to comprehend what was going on. For the rest of the day, she stayed with Uncle Zhang who had abandoned his porridge business to take care of her and to help with the town folk. Even though he was old and could not move quick, he did what he could to be useful.
By this time, May-Ling was like a walking zombie. She could not think, she could not feel, she could not function. After all, she was only twelve.
Uncle Zhang went to her parent’s home looking for her grandpa’s address. Having found the address, he sent an urgent telegram notifying her grandpa of the unfortunate demise and letting her grandpa know that May-Ling was with him and he would care for her. Afterwards, Uncle Zhang took her to his home. Leaving her with his wife, he returned to the streets to see if he could be of further help.
The telegram was a shock to May-Ling’s grandpa. he immediately took the midnight train and headed to Xilon. After two days of non-stop travel, he was quite worn out. Yet despite his fatigue, he tirelessly prepared for the funeral services.
In the meantime, May-Ling continued to stay under Uncle Zhang’s care.
For those few days, she was living in confusion and delusion. Nothing seemed to make sense anymore. Despite the repeated urging from Uncle Zhang’s wife to eat, she could not make herself eat anything. All she could do was lie flat in bed staring at the ceiling.
The events that transpired had dealt a serious blow to her innermost core. What she had always taken for granted was all in the past. What she had treasured the most vanished into ancient history. She must now reach deep into herself even to survive. She must now forsake her dependence on her parents and live to take care of herself.
Her grandpa’s arrival breathed a thin thread of life back into this tender body. She was comforted to see her grandpa. She knew her grandpa must be hurting within, but she appreciated her grandpa staying strong for her sake.
…
May-Ling felt a tear fell on her lap. She wiped another tear from her eye and noticed that her stop was coming up for a transfer. She rang the button to stop the bus.