(I)
Among the group of patrons in the neighborhood, I was impressed by two couples, Lao Zhang and Aunt Fang, who always came over during the store's less crowded hours, sat in the same seats and ordered the same small dishes once a week. Maybe they got used to it, and then I reserved seats for them every time they came.
This day, they sat in the same place as usual, Auntie Fang mumbled under her breath and suddenly slammed the table, shouting, "Gas, gas, I didn't turn off the gas!" She was immediately about to get up and leave.
? Old Zhang hurriedly pulled her back and soothed her, "It's off, it's off, you've turned it off three times today."
Aunt Fang only calmed down, only a few seconds later, and then panicked and beat the table, "Hey, it's raining, my clothes are still drying, I have to go back to collect clothes!"
? Old Zhang patted his partner's shoulders, "You forget, we walked here when it was a sunny day, the rain was last night, the clothes were collected early." Aunt Fang then calmed down. "
"Alas, old age has a poor memory." May be worried that the old partner's unhinged behavior to scare me, the old Zhang panicked and I explained.
In order to eliminate the old Zhang's embarrassment, I also said, "My stupid daughter-in-law also often forget things, also always like this, but you have time to take Aunt Fang to the hospital to see, the body is important."
Old Zhang promised, the two families eat and leave the restaurant. When they left, another day passed, I put the store's health, finally can go back to rest with the family again.
(ii)The next week, I reserved seats for Lao Zhang and Aunt Fang as usual. I didn't expect them to show up until closing time. I secretly laughed at myself, Lao Zhang and his wife are retired, this time are not all teasing the grandchildren, dancing square dance? The first time I saw this, I was so happy to see you, and I was so happy to see you.
So after a month, they still did not appear.
In mid-April, I still put the reserved seat sign on that seat as usual, although I am not quite sure if Lao Zhang will come, but I think in case he comes, I am not used to not sitting in this seat.
Around 8 o'clock, Mr. and Mrs. Lao Zhang appeared, Lao Zhang's hair was much whiter, and the whole person seemed to have aged a lot. Aunt Fang's eyes looked completely dull.
The dishes were quickly brought to the table that, this time, the two did not move chopsticks together, "Fang'er, eat." At this point Aunt Fang quickly stuffed food into her mouth as if eating was an order rather than to satiate her stomach.
? "Fang'er, eat slowly, don't rush." Old Zhang said in a panic before Aunt Fang slowed down and started chewing the food in her mouth. It was only when he saw his partner begin to eat normally that Old Zhang began to move his chopsticks. About an hour after savoring the dinner, Old Zhang slowly took out money from his pocket to settle the bill, and then assisted Aunt Fang to slowly leave.
(3)
I was looking at Mr. and Mrs. Zhang's silhouette, when another customer, Uncle Li, came and saw my eyes and started to talk to me,
?
? "Ha, of course, they come almost every week."
? "Old Zhang this person ah, just love to drink a little wine, eat a small dish, in the past when we worked together so. Now retired, with a pension, enough to live every week to drink a little wine down a restaurant, the day is OK."
? "I can see that it is retired, the two couples look particularly spirited, is missing for a while, just came to the sad face, and not quite the same as usual."
? "Alas, it is not easy to say, the beginning of the year when the beginning of the old Zhang daughter-in-law began to forget things, and we chat always say that they forgot to close the window, cooking forgot to put salt, forgot to turn off the gas. Later on, it got worse and worse, and it was only when she went to the hospital that she realized she had Alzheimer's. Now, all of us old neighbors have gone to the hospital. Now, all of us old neighbors no longer recognize each other, but recognize Old Zhang, and only listen to Old Zhang." Uncle Li said, put down his chopsticks, and then took a sip of wine.
I couldn't help but sigh in my heart as I listened. "No wonder old Zhang looks much older all of a sudden." "
? "Speaking of which, what happened when Old Zhang's two families were young is also a good story." Uncle Li clamped up the dishes, began to have a little smile, "Xiaofang when she was young, people look particularly pretty, and is the factory flower in the factory, working as an accountant, how many people chasing her. She a, always can not see, old Zhang chased her after a long time, the factory is well known, and then later heard that they became. We joked that such a pretty daughter-in-law, how to catch up, he just scratched his head and giggled."
? "There's still that part." I smiled back. By the time Uncle Li finished eating and left, it was starting to get late, and I was starting to sanitize and get ready to close the store.
? The next two months, every week, the store can still see the old Zhang with clean and tidy Auntie Fang appeared, order a few small dishes, a small wine, eat and help Auntie Fang slowly left.
? Looking at their departing figure, I can't help but think that the young couple in their old age, that's probably what they are talking about.
(4)
One evening in July, I just closed the door of the store, I heard a sharp gasp from a distance, it turned out to be the old Zhang, this time he was alone, sweat covered his face, face wrinkles in the sweat of the reflection more clearly visible.
? "Old Wang, Old Wang, have you seen my family's Fang'er?" Panicked at the same time old Zhang's voice actually brought a little bit of crying. "
"Old Zhang, don't panic, how did Aunt Fang disappear? You tell me."
? "I took her for a walk in the neighborhood park, met an old acquaintance to chat a couple of words, this is not, did not pay attention for a few minutes, turn around Fang Er disappeared!"
? "Old Zhang, don't be anxious, you alarmed did not, alarm police to help find, I then called on Uncle Li a few acquaintances, we scattered to you often take Auntie Fang to look for places!" I pacify the old Zhang, and then helped to report to the police, joined the search army.
I, Lao Zhang and the police looked all over the place where Auntie Fang often go, but found nothing. Suddenly, the old Zhang slapped his thigh, "Did ...... Fang Er go there!"
? So, the old Zhang took our party to the high-speed rail station. Sure enough, in the high speed train hall where people come and go to see a bewildered Aunt Fang.
? Waiting for Lao Zhang hurriedly walked to the side of Aunt Fang, Lao Wang heard Aunt Fang muttered under her breath, "Strong son on vacation, Strong son home, home ............ mom came to pick you up ... ........."
"Isn't this an old lady who misses her son? Old Zhang quickly call your son to come back, look at the old lady want to be like this, how not to come back, into what appearance?!!!" Police half blame half angry said. "
? "My family's strong son is just too good, the unit can not do without him, can not go. Too busy, too busy." Old Zhang slightly flustered explained.
? "Busy again can not forget their parents na." The police officer was a little helpless. "Qiangzi will be back, he'll be back later."
(V)
After sending the old Zhang couple home, I walked side by side with Uncle Li.
That said, it's true that I've never seen Old Zhang's son accompany the two of them. I agree with the words of the police, but the old Zhang son does not return may father and son have a very deep conflict, not good to solve, but their situation does need to be taken care of. Considering that Uncle Li is an outsider and is their old neighbor and old colleague, I always think that Uncle Li can help persuade the strong son to go home to see.
"Uncle Li, you say that the old Zhang family this situation, as his son should have returned home to see ah, perhaps the old Zhang reported the good news, you say the real situation, maybe the strong son will come back."
? Uncle Li's face suddenly froze.
? "...... Qiangzi ...... won't come back."
? "After all, it is a family member ah, can still be so cruel."
? "Keiko passed away in a car accident, just last year today."
I shuddered inwardly ............
? "On that day, Keiko called his family and said that he was at the high-speed rail station and would be right back. I did not expect out of the high-speed rail station, through the traffic lights, was not to see the lights driving a truck driver hit, passed away on the spot. Lao Zhang held back the sadness to deal with the aftermath, Xiaofang can not accept the blow, mental trance, and then became so."
? I finally understand, Aunt Fang why forget everyone everything can still remember the direction of the high-speed rail, because that is the direction of her son home.