Cloths hung around buildings and road lamps. Papers residue scattered around the porch proves an illegal movement of firecrackers. Hundreds of lanterns hung around the temples as decorations. Tiny packets containing money ready to give out to the young ones. That blouse, that t-shirt; where was blossom; they are all in red. No…..red is not communism here but a great long tradition of the Chinese best known festival; Chinese New Year.
Perhaps my favorite festival. A long holiday is usually guaranteed. The familiar faces of these people I call family smile once again. High school friends could get together once again catching up about nothing that’s left off. Shandy, mandarin oranges, love letters, ‘rou-kan’ and all those festive food except for those bloody ‘heong peng’, attended the festival.
24 years of family reunion in that old house of ours. We seem to have grown too big for that house now. And there were new faces to the family in these recent years. This year, 2 were added to it. Instantly they bonded with the family and everyone seems to be very comfortable with their presence. I’m only glad.
For 2 nights! We were just out in the porch chatting till weeeeeee hours. First night, dad was drinking his damn whiskey cracking out stupid jokes. The rest of us sat there, listened and laughed. We robbed silence away from the night. But there were firecrackers breaking into the silence as well. At one point, she couldn’t stand those noise anymore. She barks towards the direction of the sound. “Poch! Poch!! Shut up!”, I yelled. It was indeed lively.
Unconventionally having a barbecue on the second night of Chinese New Year. Gee…..that idea must have come out from some rebels. And I think I know who the rebel is. What do think, Crystal??
Saba Shioyaki was good though.
That same night we walked down the road of my childhood. That familiar see-saw, swing and what not. I still can’t believe they aluminum-ed that damn slide. Feels so wrong. I could still feel that cold old wood at the side of my arms as I slide down. When was that though? 20 years back or so. Maybe. But how did it stayed in my memory in such vivid colors like it was yesterday?
She wanted to smoke and we ended up walking along with her; the most trusted person of all. She was saying so much I thought it would have freak you out. Perhaps not. It was a lovely stroll. Think I can do that every night holding the same hand. What say you?
Third day of the Chinese New Year. Is like a tradition among the group of friends I have here. We’ll visit each other’s houses and have a fabulous dinner to mark another year of our friendship. Must have been about 14 or 15 years of knowing these morons. Now, everybody is getting more and more mature. Life’s been more occupied with work, love and whatever else. Even so, friendship still stays strong.
Now, I wish you all, Gong Xi Fa Chai Happy Valentine’s Day!!
