Memories of Grandma

Taking trips to Vancouver during the summer to visit my grandparents still remains a vivid and cherished memory. The drive up would take two full days, punctuated with a salmon dinner in between. Upon arriving we'd stretch our tired, cramped legs and amble up the stairs to sleep.

When you're a young boy growing up in the 80's, the two things you think about are video games and Transformers. Since my grandma and grandpa loved to watch their Chinese soap operas, Ben and I would have to settle for going down to the corner store to play video games. It was a great deal back then since the Canadian quarter wasn't worth as much as an American one. Back then, my dad would say one of the funniest things I had ever heard: Grandma and Grandpa don't like doing anything except going out to eat. They also don't like to spend money on anything other than food. When you're 8 years old, this seems so weird since eating, for me, was low on the priority list, right there with practicing piano and sleeping.

Being 34 now, I have a greater appreciation for food, especially Cantonese-style Chinese food; it was a good thing 嬷嬷 and 爷爷 lived in Vancouver, home of quite possibly the world's best Cantonese food.

Grandma would always tell me to listen to my mom and dad. I was borderline bad; not bad enough to go to juvie, but not good enough to get good citizenship marks. I don't think she ever saw my report card but I think she knew.

She also told that I need to speak Chinese, because I was Chinese. Specifically, she said Cantonese. My Cantonese is pretty terrible, 可是我的国语还行。 她经常跟我说：你是中国人，你应该讲中文。我不知道她现在怎么想：连一句广东话也不能说好，但是还能讲普通话。

Ben and I used to run around a lot, wearing out our shoes really quick. She would always pull me aside and tell me that I need to walk carefully to preserve the soles of my shoes. She would tell me how old her shoes were and how she walked in order to do that.

I'm thankful that my grandma got to see Serenity; it's not very many people who get to see their great-grand children.

Goodbye Grandma. I'm sorry I couldn't make it to Vancouver. Your great-grandson is coming soon.