Dad, are you going to be okay?
I was 21 years old, that was the last words I uttered to my father, when he died at the hospital.
He let out a "Yes I'm going to be fine Son".
On the night of his funeral service, I saw him in my dream, He clearly said, "Always abide by the senses, of the heart, although sometimes it may cost you".
Virgin Atlantic flight 143, bound from LA to Seattle is now boarding, The gates are now open, please give way to Women with children, the elderly and persons with disabilities. Thank you.
I guess this is my flight, I handed the gate my boarding pass after the coach passengers arrived and embarked the jumbo jet Boeing 747. One of my main hobby is Flying first class, it's what my father dreamed of, but he never expected I would live my life this way.
I was raised simply, my Mother would fix me either steamed buns or green beans over warm rice for lunch everyday. The dumplings are only eaten on holidays like Chinese New Year, and the fish is served on the first day of the year .
年年有余 Nían Nían YôuYú, she said.
On this first day, "We eat fish". So year after year there will be leftovers my little Han Han (my nickname, only my Mother called me that). I understood her now, that there will always be something left like money, savings or rice by eating dumplings and fish on the first day of the New Year.
My chinese name is Han Jiang, named after the Han River, literally. As if my Dad and Mom saw my future. It would be a full and winding flow of life, perhaps of love, or they just wanted me to live long, never knowing how rough it could be.
By the way, in our world map it is in between the northern and southern China, that's why in Chinese we call it, "One river enclosed by Mountains", Liangshan Jia Yichuan. I was destined to always be in between.
I was single all my life. I was the smartest in class, and fastest in sports. Mostly I run the track, and I can say I am very easy on the eyes (a person who is Handsome or Beautiful - idiom), don't tell my Dad that. He will say you are the smallest dumpling, in the middle of bigger dumplings, or the one who is eaten by bigger fish like a shrimp. In short, he is the best, and I was only second to him. I believe that all my life, maybe that is the reason, I never met a girl to fall madly in love with.
Wait!, I need to board this flight, do you have any seats available?, said a loud female voice coming from the Check in counter of Virgin Atlantic.
I need to fly to Seattle to visit my father, and get to New York by 7am. "Yes Ma'am", the passenger check-in officer answered. There is one seat available. Oh great!, Nice, perfect timing. Thank you so much. I'll take it, the Woman sighed in relief. Yes, here are your boarding passes, for the first class ticket to Seattle and to New York, thank you for choosing Virgin Atlantic enjoy your flight.
I was in my seat, first class, settling myself in, checking my seatbelts and if there are safety gears like an emergency life saving floater and oxygen masks. I am a safety first guy, and have been a paranoid since, I rode a bike on my 8th grade. I tried riding it from a hill and just like that I broke my femur. Only took at least 8 weeks to heal. I am definitely never doing that again.
She was walking towards me, this Dark haired lady in a red suit. If she is not an actress, because she seems like one, or she's probably a lawyer. Would she be sitting right next to me?. It would be nice to sit with a pretty lady for once on a trip. Creepy, I am talking to myself again.
Excuse me is this seat taken?, Hi I'm Stella.
Harry, Harry Yi. I believe this seat beside me, "is actually available".
Mom, where is Dad?, as I got out of the car, I saw the light coming from the porch.
He is in the living room, waiting for you all day and night since you can't be here for thanksgiving, said Mother with her voice slightly cracking.
I went inside and saw my father. He is in a wheel chair. Oh God what happened? I hugged my fragile father, he is wearing my birthday gift to him, a shirt that says, the best Dad with an arrow facing upwards to his face.
Hello sweetpea, my Angel. Just your old Dad, day dreaming while driving.
He smiled and hugged me, like he didn't have anything broken but his legs.