The Old Folks of Mine

Today is September 14th. So it’s been exactly ten years since the day my grand-mother died. Until now I can still remember pretty clearly that day. My family rushed to Hanoi to see her. She was lying there on her bed, while my Mom and her sister-in-law cried so hard beside her. I cried too. As a seven-year-old kid, I didn’t believe that she was dead. I hoped that she would wake up again, smile with me tenderly and kiss me on my forehead. But she never wakes up again, though I kept waiting. The mother of my father left me since then, forever.

And I think about my grand-father. It’s ten years that he lived alone. It would be really, really sad and lonely. Not any more Grandma for him to talk with, to take care and to be taken care. Sorry Grandpa! I am a bad grandson that had not visited you for years until last summer. And you didn’t complain anything. You smiled and told me to study hard as uncle Ho said.

And I think about my grand parents – my Mom’s parents. My family used to live with them, and my entire childhood would just be with them. There were days that my grandma stood for hours with me, to help her little grandson finish his meal. There were months that I got stuck with my grandpa’s math exercises, got stuck with his love. And there were more…

Later then, we didn’t live with my grandparents anymore. Every time I came to visit them, they seemed so happy. And I wasn’t that happy. I felt a little tired when listening to grandpa’s old stories, or his advises. I even felt really sad when my grandma touched my face, and complained how ugly am I. T_T Well, that’s all what I have, grandma.

And now I am here for college, leaving the three of them at the far home. I could feel how sad they were when I was gonna leave. I now can feel how much they miss me. They love me a lot. And I never love them that much.

“I am sorry. Four years is a long time, I know. I don’t know if I can see any of you again. Please keep your health carefully and drink a lot of water as I said. Please don’t be worried. I am fine!”

Time just passes by, and people just die,

Families hook up, and they all cry…