Uncle Chang

The kindness that was, reciprocated, from one neighbor to another, an amazing tale of how love gets passed, translated…

I kept believing, that someone with heart, who is true to others, deserved the respects.

Uncle Chen in his seventies who lives at the entrance of our alley died two days ago, and all of us neighbors went over to his place, to help make the origami lotuses, to accompany Aunty Chen, suddenly without her husband. And, to our surprise, the three adult sons of Uncle Chen were in a brawl with each other.

Seeing three adult men fight, hollering how they deserved shares in the $400,000N.T. inheritance that their father had left behind, all our hearts sank, not knowing what to say. At this time, Uncle Chang from next door rushed in, SMACKED the tables hard, with a muffled voice, he’d told them, “You guys had been highly educated, and your father had, passed, not only do you NOT show any sadness or sorrows, you’d started brawling over some small amount of money! Shame on all of you! You want the money, come to my house to get it, don’t hurt your parents’ hearts.” Uncle Chang’s words made the three men stop fighting.

Uncle Chang was in his early sixties, graduated out of a well-known university, and had lived in self-exile when he’d lost love, and took up a stay at a gambling ring, from someone who’d served the teas, to the owner of the casino, and going in and out of jail became as regular as having his meals for him. On the year he was forty, in order to evade arrest, he was at a standoff with the officers, a bullet grazed through his left foot. And, as Uncle Chang’s parents learned about it on T.V., they’d gone to the hospital to visit him, and, just as his father was leaving the hospital, a drunk driver killed him, his dad is gone, and only left the words: quit gambling, for his mother to tell to him.

His father’s death was hard hitting, he’d looked back and saw how many heartaches he’d put his parents through, how he’d, tortured them, and had caused his father to die too. With that heart of making amends, he’d turned over a new leaf, and swore that he will take good care of his mother from then on.

And just like that after he’d lost his father, he’d offered an incense, a cup of tea to his father’s photograph once in the morn, once in the evening, he’d not only stayed away from the casinos, he’d also, quit smoking, quit drinking, even quit chewing the betel nuts too, and started working the odds and ends, he’d become, very mild-mannered and gentle.

His change moved a neighbor, Uncle Chen, who was a plumber, he’d invited him to work alongside him on the job. And because he was young and able-bodied, plus he was willing to work hard, and with the willingness to learn, he’d become Uncle Chen’s left hand soon enough, the two of them worked together, gone on the calls, they’d gotten along very well, and there’s no issue of who bosses whom around.

Over the decades, Uncle Chang kept feeling grateful of how Uncle Chen trusted him so, gave him a job, so he could have enough money, to support himself as well as his own mother. Recently, Uncle Chen wasn’t as strong as he’d always been, Uncle Chang saw, and fought over the heavy lifting at the job, Uncle Chen felt bad, and wanted to give him a raise, but he’d, turned him down.

Awhile ago, Uncle Chen was hospitalized, the sons of the family said they were too busy, and couldn’t take care of their ill father, leaving Uncle Chang by Uncle Chen’s bedside, serving him the foods, administering the medications, he saw Uncle Chen on his final passage. And because of this, as Uncle Chang saw the Chens’ sons fought in front of their father’s shrine, he’d gotten so furious of them, he couldn’t speak.

Through the years, Uncle Chang and Uncle Chen were the best of friends that the neighbors commended, and it was, such a strong contrast, with Uncle Chen’s sons’ behaviors.

And so, this man in the neighborhood was grateful that the neighbor helped him turn over a new leaf, and he’d repaid his kindness, by working alongside him, finding a job to support himself, so his own mother didn’t have to worry, and, as the man who’d shown the kindness toward him passed away, he was, right there beside him.