Story of Grandad

(Story I wrote while in the midst of something)

Kong kong (Chinese slang for grandpa) used to run a sundry shop selling all sorts of sundry goods. Everyone remembered him as a great man. He had integrity, compassion, love and generosity. Ask anyone of his family members, they would say he is truly one of a kind. This was before the second World War.

After the second World War, Kong kong was never the same again. Torn and grieved by the torture and cruelty of the Japanese towards him, he became cold and cautious. In him there were no love, no joy and most of all there was no life in him. The hate in him was so great that it left him with all sorts of sicknesses. Kong kong was diagnose with mild Alzheimer’s disease.

Despite kong kong’s cold ways, A (his grandson that cared for him the most) visits him often as A and his parents lived just next door. Everyday after school, A frequents kong kong’s place to bring food and to talk to him and to also help clean kong kong’s place.

As time went on kong kong’s heart began to soften towards A. He would tell stories of how he was tormented during the Japanese occupation. It was quite amazing how kong kong could still remember what had happened to him despite being diagnose with Alzheimer. A would listen intently and his facial expressions showed he was very much into the stories as he hears kong kong’s grueling experiences and at times he would cry together with kong kong. Kong kong repeated the same stories over and over each time A visits him. A could only listen and feel sorry for his beloved kong kong. A encourages his kong kong to let go and focus on the bright side of things like God’s gift to him, a grandson that cared named A.

One day, as A returned from school, he went home to collect food his mom had prepared for kong kong. He went over and called out “Kong kong I brought food for you!”. There was no reply. A saw the front door was left ajar. He opened the door and called out “kong kong?”. By this time A’s heart began to beat faster. All sorts of thoughts flooded his mind; “Did something terrible happen to kong kong?” he thought. “Did a burglar break in to the house?”. A quickens his pace to the living room to find it empty, he rushed to kong kong’s room. The door was also left ajar. He pushed it open and saw kong kong sitting on his bed, the expression on his face was not usual. A was glad to see his kong kong all right. A told kong kong he brought him his favourite food for lunch. Kong kong turns his head to look at A, stood up with the help of his walking stick on one hand. He walks towards A. There was bitterness in his eyes. A tried not to take any notice. “Look I brought some really nice food”, A said as he takes the container out of the plastic bag. Kong kong raises his free hand in anger and slaps the container from A’s hand. He then raises his hand and slaps A forcefully. A could feel his cheek swelling as tears ran down his cheek. “Why are you nice to me!!! Have you got motives behind all this??!! You are as cruel as the Japanese!!! GET OUT!!”. A could not contain his sadness. He turned towards the door and walked out the door slowly while his eyes was fixed to the floor and the sound of kong kong’s yelling in the background.