My grandmother is very old and she tends to forget things easily.
In the family, only Mr. F is able to communicate with her and we felt that this is very incredible.
One year, we went back to my parent house to celebrate Chinese New Year.
While I was helping my mum to prepare dinner, Mr. F was chatting with my grandma in the courtyard.
He was teaching my grandmother how to speak English.
“I love you. This means I love you in English.”
“Can you slowly say again? I what?”
Mr. F patiently repeated again. “I—lo —ve—you.”
At night, when we were eating dinner I purposely asked grandmother, “I heard that you are able to speak English?”
Grandmother happily answered, “Xiao F taught me.”
Mr. F tilted his head and asked her, “How do you say I love you in English?”
“I&h.e.l.lip;&h.e.l.lip;I&h.e.l.lip;..I&h.e.l.lip;” Grandmother thought for a long time when she finally recalled. “I wall you.”
All of us burst out laughing.
That night when I went and poured some water, I saw grandmother’s room light was still on.
I thought that she forgot to off the light and I decided to go to her room and help to turn it off.
When I walked to the door, I saw her holding grandfather’s portrait whispering, “Old man, I wall you.”
&h.e.l.lip;&h.e.l.lip;
As Mr. F was hugging me on the bed that night, I told him. “Grandmother is very lonely. We have to come back and spend more time with her.”
I suddenly felt like crying.
People not familiar with Mr. F would think that he is a very cold and withdrawn person.
However, only I know he is not.
He is a very warm person, the warmest man I have ever known.