macq

I have to file this one under: Never Again...Not Even For Gloria...

First of all, last night was cold...too cold...especiallly too cold for opening my front door 10 times..
My next door neighbors are an elderly couple who are part of a traditional chinese family. They took in her father a few years before I showed up. I'm pretty sure it was her father, since she was the one who always doted upon him but I'm still unclear on that issue.

The woman is Gloria. That's waht it sounded like when I met her for the first time through her thick chinese accent...but since her english is much better than my chinese, I never questioned the pronunciation. She has always been Gloria to me. She introduced her husband to me when I moved in as "Husband"...I assume that's not his birth name.

We have always gotten along well and since I encourage her tending of a small patch of city owned land between our houses, she seemed to take liking to me right away. Her husband seems to ignore me most of the time.

Glorias' father died monday evening and I was witness to the pre-hospital care response, the coroner and the few family members that made it by that night. I knew the signs and went over to do the somewhat trite, "Let me know if I can do anything" routine. I spoke to one of Glorias' young relatives who speak better ENGLISH than I do...and she said she would pass on the offer. I assumed that would be that...Gloria and I have gotten along well but she has never asked anything from me...and I have asked nothing of her.

I have no idea what the tradition is or was, but last night I could see dozens of people (most dressd in black) going up and into Gloria's house. I assumed it was like the western style wake or people coming by to pay respects to the deceased's family. Afterr awhile, my doorbell rang and there stood Gloria (all dressed in black, complete with veil)...She apologized repeatedly but eventually was able to ask if some of the overflow mourners could sit in my front room as her home was SRO with several of the bereaved acitvely crying and shrieking...I could hear that part.

I told her of course and within minutes about 10 older men and women (total strangers) were sitting in my livingroom...I did have enough time to pick up my dirty socks off of the floor. They were all speaking chinese and most seemed oblivious to my presence. Since no one was talking to me and I could not speak to them, I just milled around trying to look sympathetic.

Eventuallly, some of this first group meandered out and more meandered in...these were mainly older folks that seemed to have a grip on things. They did have thier own drinks. I figured it out that Gloria was feeding them and providing alcohol. I suddenly felt that I was in the wrong house...I needed a drink as well..

Toward the end, a man who had been in the house since the first group and was sitting in MY chair, produced a bottle of whiskey and started refreshing whatever the others were drinking. This man introduced himself finally as "Homer"...again, I doubt this was his given name...but I say, "Go phonetic or don't go at all!!!"..
As the last group began to wander out and I tried to keep the door shut against the cold, Homer asked me for a glass...Okay great, now I get to wait on him as well as let him sit in MY chair...

He poured a stiff drink of the whiskey into a tumbler that I produced and offered it back to me...We toasted and drank...It immediately struck me that what I was drinking may have looked like the fine canadian whiskey that it was labeled as BUT it was not...sweeter...and very alcoholic, it was like drinking sweet everclear...I can only imagine that Homer was the proud producer of said beverage...thankfully, there was only a little left and Homer was tipsy...He did let me recycle the bottle at my house though.

I have not seen Gloria since but i am expecting some of her fine homemade chinese pastry in the near future...we shall see...