Fragmentary Impressions about My Hometown
Finally, after five years, I got a chance to return to my hometown paying a visit to my mama and other relatives and, of course, some schoolmates and old comrades in navy who have been longing for a reunion once again for a long time.
Travelling becomes easy and convenient these days, especially to and fro between
big cities. Take my trip this time for example, it starts in the evening in Beijing, then after a nice sleep in a comfortable compartment, it will arrive in Shanghai when opening your eyes the next morning.
As soon as I got on the train, the familiar Shanghai dialect had started pouring
into my ears. I guess that is because most passengers as well as train attendants are from Shanghai or some nearby provinces. Although I loved to hear my native local dialect, I did not feel the impulse to join in conversations among strangers. Some people, however, are always easily chatting up with strangers, but I
am not used to it. So I was just lying on bed, enjoying my favorate music with half-closed eyes.
My younger sister was waiting at the platform the following morning as the train
entering the station. She is a hospitable hostess and we are very close to each
other. Mama is 87 years old now, still very healthy and is capable to do everything in daily life. She was very happy to see me and kept asking if I’d like to
eat something that I loved so much when I was small. To me, the feeling of homesickness is always closely connected with my favourite foods mama made. I feel warm and comfortable at home.
Mama becomes talky. I can see that she is thirst for communicating with others because she is alone most of the time during the day when others have gone either
to work or to the school. As we have improved residential conditions over recent years, the ties with neighbourhood become loose as well, especially in large cities where people must be always on the alert to strangers. Look at those security windows and doors installed on each apartment, you will understand what I mean. So we have hired a middle aged maid from Anhui province to do some housework
, but mostly, to accompany mama chatting or walking around. The woman is very quick and neat and works hard. Also she likes to tell us everything about her family, her children; about her joys and worries; about the life in the countryside
in old days … and how she admires educated people. I enjoy listening to the murmur of their conversation. :)
The weather is just fine, neither too cold nor dry. It was raining this morning
and lasting till now! Oh, rain is so precious a gift by mother nature in the eyes of a northerner, well, I regard myself a northerner now. The cool, fresh air full of moisture is so good for my lungs, I think. And listening to the steady, constant dripping of the rain, I am typing these words …
