Kwailan

The time is 2 hours before I leave
Penang for Copenhagen

I am about to say goodbye to my
maternal grandmother
(that's Nana to you)

my mother indicates for me to go in
apparently my grandmother is being whiny,
so neither she nor my aunt
wants to be seen by grandmother
lest she start moaning

I go in, hug her, tell her to take care
say goodbye
I feel really really bad for not taking her
for that drive
she hugs me, maybe she tears but
I refuse to see.

Mother and I get into the lift
"So what did she say?"

"She asked me to say a Hail Mary before
bed each night."

Pause. Raises eyebrow.

"Erm, do you know how to?"

"MOM!"

Laughter. Pause.

"Mommy ah, is the Hail Mary same as the
Holy Mary after that ah?"