An encounter after 40 years

James Koo

Larry Wan gave me George King's phone number in SF Bay Area, and suggested I give him a call. George, Larry and I took the same bus (#7) to and from Pui Ching, and George is also a Shanghainese (like me). Three of us also took conversational English together from a British Mr.Piper after school. All of us planed to come to U.S. after high school. A lot of common interests bound us together mad us best friends. Larry showed me a picture of us camping in HK (Landau Island?). Larry further told me that George has retired.

My first call to George was around 8:15AM one weekday morning. Mrs. King told me that George is still sleeping and if I could call back later, say after 9:30AM. My second phone call to him found he just got up and was leaving that day for Italy for two weeks vacation. Whoa, what a way to live (when I first come to HK, I found Wow or whoa is a common expression in Cantonese. Two years in HK, I found myself using this expression often when I speak Cantonese. Most of us come U.S. to low how (attending school), I am one of the few often telling people I went to HK to low how (excuse my Shanghai accent)). If Larry practices how long to live, the George practices how to live it long; wine, woman, and song. Did I say woman? Please beep that out, sorry Sandy (George's wife). Anyway, we agreed to meet after he comes back from his vacation.

We met Saturday for Lunch. Since Winnie, my wife dances ballet on Sat., only three of us: George, Sandy, and me. I brought the yearbook Larry loaned to me with me in case he cannot identify me and vise versa. Here comes George. While I would not say he looks the same as 40 years ago, I will be able to pick him out in a police lineup. He did not gain any weight, still have a full head of hair. 40 years of wine, w---- and song did add a few wrinkles to his face, a white hair here and there, so he looks more matured and distinguished. By the way, it seems to me the first thing we say to other Lighter is how much we have, or have not changed in past 40 years. If you want to how do I look today, scan my photo in the yearbook into a computer. Use the eraser in the PhotoShop software erase a lot of hair from my forehead. Add 40 years of aging, you will get a "picture perfect" photo of me.

Then George introduced me to his wife Sandy, also a Shanghainese. I guess no surprise here. Can you imagine if I should court a Cantonese girl and when I try to tell her sweet nothings and she would start laugh at my Cantonese because of the funny!accent (Gina Mok remembered me as one spoke Cantonese with funny accent)! And also Sandy knows my sister (Cathy), and brother years ago.

We ordered a smatter of Ding Sum. After I told them I normally do not eat lunch, Sandy made sure we have the chicken feet, cha-shaw pork buns, and egg rolls, all George’s favorite. When I mentioned to Winnie, my wife when I got home, she said : "You would like that, huh! Dream on.!" She is right and is always right (I am a loyal member of wife is always right club). I need to dream more and learn from Larry how to induce my wife to do the things I would like to do.

Then we talked about our high school days. Sandy listened and listened while we talked like two high school kids, reminiscent various things we did, the teachers, classmates and their idiosyncrasies. I showed him the pictures in the yearbook of Ms. May Chen and how I thought she was of the quiet type. George agreed and said she and most of the girls were quiet then. Then I told him that a few days ago Ms. May Chen wrote to me asking who Jim Koo is. When I wrote to her telling her I thought she was quiet in school, she asked if I mixed up her with somebody else as she is called a screamer?by her best friend. OK, so, Ms. May Chen you deceived not only me.

Then we talked about our current life. While some people believe how long you live, George believe how you live it long. He told me that two weeks in Italy was barely long enough was too much in a hurry traveling from city to city in Italy. He and his wife detests those 8 countries in 10 days, the kind my family did twice. He then told me how he always enjoyed a glass of brandy after dinner for the past 30+ years, now switching to whisky, and smoked for all those years, and just quit two months ago (keep it up, George). Then I hinted cautiously that George is quite knowledge about w---- too. While we were camping that night in HK, sitting around a fire, cooking the hotdogs and marsh mellows, how George told me about the birds and bees—the typical way a Chinese boy learns about facts of life.

Finally I told George about Lighter's activities, webpages, and reunion. George told me he does not use a computer, surf the Internet, or use email. While I was talking to George about Pentium, Mega Hz, and modems, it occurred to me that before missionaries introduced modern western life style to Polynesia, there were no serious crimes and no suicides. Should I introduce my life style to him? Or should I slow down my Mega Hz and learn something from George. I thought the latter maybe better. I noticed George got himself an email box just now for communicating with Lighters. I do not know if this is good or bad.

I then decided to tell them about the 40th reunion. They showed a strong interest in attending the reunion.

Sandy noticed the lunch crowd was waiting for our table, and suggested we have a cup of coffee at the sidewalk cafe next door. Sitting there under a California sun, sipping coffee (George had Cappuccino), I can really imagine them sitting at a sidewalk caf?in Italy. But I have to run, I have many things to do. I just came back from a 4 day, 4 city trip that brought me all the way to Tama, Fl. and back. I had just dropped off a colleague at the SF airport to HK.

Anyway, I am happy to see George, his wife Sandy, to see him in good health and enjoying life. What else one would ask for. A new email box.

By the way, I noticed Bob Chen commented on my writing. It is stress relieving for me writing to my high school classmates. Also, while Bob philosophizes, I only report, far easier.