The huge white signboard glared back at me as my friends chattered merrily around me. I had dreaded this visit ever since it was announced to us that we had to do community work for a month as required for our Scouting examination. I followed numbly as the cheerful matron led each of us to our designated elderly 'partners' for a long, long month.
"There you are, the matron stopped in front of a door. Your scout leader requested this special lady for you, good luck," the matron smiled and patted me on the back. Good luck?! What was that supposed to mean? My hand lingered on the cold doorknob. I took a deep breath, turned the door knob and stepped into the room.
A frail, stooped figure sat in a rocking chair beside the open window. Dappled sunlight danced on her silver white hair. "Hi, my name's Shung Yu." Her tiny head turned at the sound of my voice. "But you can call me Ah Yu." A sweet, old lady smile appeared on her lined face. "My name's Teresa." "Urn, I brought you some things," I said as I pulled out biscuits, sweets, jellies, candy bars and peanuts from my bag and placed them on the table next to her bed. Her eyes gradually became bright and she edged her rocking chair closer to me. She gathered up all the jellies I had brought and stored them in her bedside drawer. I guess I must have had a bewildered look on my face because she smiled that sweet smile again and motioned me to a chair. "Do you read, young man?" I nodded and she handed me an old, dog-eared copy of 'Little Women". "Chapter six, page 265." I turned to the page requested and started reading. Her book selection was very different from mine, and even though I tried my best I still got stuck in some places. "Use more feeling, boy," she paused with a slight frown. "I guess that's enough for today," she finally said.
"What do you usually do in your free time?" I said a little too brightly and I suddenly felt foolish. What else could an old lady do? "I read, stare out of the window and sleep," her whole fragile body seemed to echo the sighs that escaped from her wrinkled lips. But she brightened up. "Tell me about yourself, boy." Relieved, I told her about my family, my dog, Rover, school, friends and how I came about here. I was flushed and happy as I chattered on aimlessly. "What about you, Teresa? Tell me about yourself."
Dead silence.
Then the matron's head poked around the door. "Time's up."
"I have got to go now, Teresa, I'll see you next week." I packed up my things. She got up from her old, battered chair and walked me to the door, "Goodbye."
As soon as I got home, I rushed into the storeroom and searched frantically. Aha! I found it. Grandfather's old rocking chair. Hmmm, it was still good and all it needed was a bit of cleaning up.
I found myself thinking about Teresa all the time. The way her sweet smile was filled with sadness and happiness at the same time. And the smell of her body which reeked of something medicinal but with the undertone of sweet, pink roses. I even went to the library to borrow "Little Women: so that I could practise my reading. I even stocked up on my supplies of jellies!
Finally, the day arrived. As soon as the matron saw what I brought she crushed me in a rib-cracking hug. "Teresa will be so pleased...." she gushed. The door opened. "Surprise!" Teresa rose from her dilapidated chair. "Oh my, well I never, a... a... rocking chair! Thank you so very much!" Teresa rocked herself in her new chair as a feeling of satisfaction rushed through my body. "Look, I even brought you more jellies!" " Thank you, Ah Yu, this is one of the happiest days of my life!" Teresa's eyes sparkled and danced but suddenly, she went deadly pale and crumbled onto her chair helplessly. I rushed out of the hall and shouted for the matron. I stepped aside as a whole barage of people in white coats scrambled into the room and tried to revive Teresa who was now unconcious. "Matron. why did Teresa suddenly " I broke down. "She was overjoyed at your present. and I guess that was too much for her. Poor soul. and diagnosed with incurable cancer too." Cancer? Nobody told me Teresa had cancer.
I hate hospitals.
I took a deep breath before going into Teresa's room and the scene reminded me of the first time I visited her. Wires and tubes linked Teresa's weak body to blinking machines. My stomach lurched and my heart ripped with agonising pain as Teresa smiled weakly at me. Always smiling. She tried to get up. "Don't, Teresa." I handed her the flowers. "Oh, daisies, my favourite." The weak and fragile fingers caressed the tiny petals. "Look Teresa, I brought along your rocking chair," I said trying very hard to hold back the brimming tears, "so that you can you know, rock yourself just like you used to." I couldn't bear it anymore. Couldn't bear to look at that gentle face with the expressive eyes. "I've got to go home now, Teresa, I'll be back in half an hours time." I stopped at the door. "See you." "Goodbye, Yu." And I didn't know that that was the last chance I would hear her whispered words. I didn't know.
I had a quick bath, scribbled a note for my parents and rushed to the hospital with freshly-picked daisies in my hands. The elevator door opened and I hurried into her room, "Teresa, I brought you some " The room was empty. Empty as if no one had occupied it for a long, long time. I grabbed at a passing nurse, "Where's Teresa? Where's Teresa," I shouted, unable to control my emotions anymore. "I'm sorry, she passed away right after you had gone sorry," and the nurse hurried away to some unfinished task.
Gone. Teresa was gone.
I dragged myself over to the rocking chair which thankfully had been left as it was. There on the seat were the daisies I had given her. I picked them up and sat in the chair and rocked myself. The steady, creaking rhythm helped me to remember the few moments I had had with her. Her sweet lisping voice, the gentle smile, the lively eyes and her rose scent. I knew it would hurt in the long term for me to hold on to those memories but I had to grasp at whatever was left as I rocked myself in her chair, praying that Teresa was in a dream heaven, surrounded by her daisies and smiling, forever smiling . Suddenly I understood why I had been chosen to befriend Teresa.
Vocabulary
matron: an older married woman 已婚妇女
gushed ：to express admiration, pleasure 满口夸赞
agonising ： causing great pain or anxiety 引起痛苦的
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