Lesson 6 Walking

Mo Huaiqi

My mother, wife, son and I took a leisurely stroll in the open country.

Mother initially did not want to come out. She was old and in poor health. After walking a fair distance, she would get tired.

I said that would be more a reason to walk more often.

Mother nodded in agreement and went to grab her overcoat.

Now she listened to what I said, just like I listened to what she said in my childhood.

The weather was great.

Spring arrived too late this year - really late, and some elderly people couldn’t stand the wait.

But spring finally came nonetheless. Mother had braved through another harsh winter.

Amid early-spring in the south, this wild open field was scattered with patches of fresh green growths of various sizes. Some were darker in color and some were lighter.

New sprouts on trees were getting dense. Irrigation water in the field was bubbling noisily.

All these reminded people of one thing – life. 

Mother and I walked in front while Wife and Son followed behind.

Suddenly the little fellow shouted out: “The front is mother and son; the back is also mother and son.” We all laughed.

Later a disagreement popped up. Mother wanted to take the main road because it was flat and smooth. Son wanted to pass through small path because it was fun.

However I had the final say

Mother was old and she had been accustomed to listening to her brawny son for quite a while. Son was still small, and he was used to obeying his towering father. As for Wife , she followed what I said outside of the house.

For an instant, I felt the gravity of responsibility.

I tried to think of a way that could please both sides, but I couldn’t. I wanted to break up the family into two groups so that each could have its own way, but finally was reluctant to do so.

I decided Son’s preference should take a back-seat because I would have more time to keep him company. I said: “Let’s take the main road.”    

Mother patted little grandson’s head and changed her mind, saying: “Let’s take the side road instead.”

Her eyes followed the small path where there were golden vegetable flowers, two neat rows of mulberry trees, and a rippling crystal-clear fish pond at the end.

“You’ll give me a piggyback at those spots where I can’t get through.” Mother said to me.

In this way we headed toward the vegetable flowers, mulberry trees and fish pond under the sun.

When we reached a certain place, I crouched down and carried Mother on my back, and Wife also bent down and picked up Son on her back.

Even though Mother was tall and big, yet she was skinny and naturally would not be considered too heavy. Although Son was chubby, nevertheless he was little and of course light.