A Few Interesting Things About M

(narration, by time)

Mar.5, 2014

On my birthday a few days ago, I decided that the family should celebrate it at Jiumaojiu Restaurant. Before I left, my husband and my son went downstairs to get the car. When I appeared at the door, I saw my son got off the car. I thought he must have forgotten something and was coming back to get it. To my surprise, he came towards me, stretched out one arm and said, “Mom, let me lend myself as a gentleman to you.” I was amused and then moved. I took his arm happily and proudly, feeling myself to be just like a queen and my son to be just like a gentleman. I said, “Thank you, my dear! You’re really a good son!”

Yesterday my son said he would like to take to school some of the kumquats picked from the kumquat tree we bought during the Spring Festival and sell them to his classmates. I was not sure whether anybody would pay for one and thought there was no harm for him to have a try. As soon as he came back and stepped into the room, he said cheerfully, “Mom, I have good news to report to you. I sold out the kumquats and earned 3 yuan.” I was surprised and said, “Really? How did you sell them?” He replied, “I sold every 5 oranges with 1 for free. The kumquats were sold out in an instant. Many of my classmates regretted that they could get one because it was only a small bag. But I promised that I would bring them more tomorrow.” I was amazed at how smart he was at business. Today he took another small bag of kumquats to school and also sold them out in an instant and earned 4 yuan. Now he became more ambitious and planned to sell other fruits in the future.

Last night after dinner, my husband suddenly mentioned the healthy porridge I made a few days ago and showed great appreciation. Feeling admired, I immediately responded by saying, “Oh really? I’ll make you another tomorrow!” When my son heard this, he said, “Dad, you see how much your wife loves you? You should thank her.” Hearing this, I couldn’t help bursting into laughter. I was amazed at how observant, smart and humorous he was! My husband also replied in a humorous way, “Ok, I thank my son’s mom.” The room was filled with laughter.

April 18, 2014                  Overcast              Friday

      When my son was about two years old, although he could only use words and phrases to express a complete idea, he used them effectively. For example, he knows that when someone has done something for him, he should say ‘Thank you’. But he didn’t know how to ask for help. Then when he wanted someone to get something for him, he would point at that thing and say, “Thank you. Thank you.” What he really wanted to express was, “I would like to have this. Would you please get it for me?” It’s amazing, isn’t it?

      When my son was about three years old, he would often wet bed at night. Whenever there was bedwetting, our Ayi would wash the quilt and hang it on the rooftop. As he always followed Ayi, he saw what Ayi did and thought it’s fun. One day, during the day, he suddenly came out of the bedroom and called out, “Ayi, let’s go and air the quilt on the rooftop!” As we soon found out, he had deliberately wetted bed this time so that he could get an opportunity to have the quilt aired again. How funny he was! We all laughed.

      When my son was about five years old, about four years ago, the family, together with his uncle’s family, went to East Railway Station Plaza for a visit. While we were eating dessert at a dessert restaurant, his aunt was suddenly choked by the food and started to cough. Almost immediately my son burst out, “Good news! Good day! Good idea!” On hearing this, the whole group burst into laughter.

When my son was in his first year in school, his godfather had a sore back and went to my son’s cousin for acupuncture treatment. When his cousin was piercing the long needles into his godfather’s acupuncture points in the back, his godfather couldn’t bear the sharp pain and cried out, “Ouch! Ouch!” At this moment, my son pointed at him and shouted, smiling, “You cool! Cool! Cool!” Seeing his funny behavior, we burst into laughter.

      Last semester, while the family was having dinner, my son told us about one of his classmates called He Junpei. He said that He was older than him but was much short than him. When his father heard this, he said, “Well, he may grow very tall when he reaches a certain age.” Then my son said, “Just like you? Great men could not achieve success until a late age（大器晚成）?” At this we laughed. Why did he say that? Because his father once told him that he himself was one of the shortest boys in his class when he was in primary school but when he was going to junior middle school he suddenly grew rapidly to become the tallest in his class. No wonder my son would associate his classmate’s case with his own father’s. In fact, my son often uses a Chinese idiom in a weird way, which often creates a special effect, just like this one.