HENEVER MY MOTHER talks about the good old Grandfather's funeral, P blowing dignified oomp-bahs on Polished brass, there were. over g@ hundred banner-bearers, each carrying a tall bamboo pole P Ghich was attached a long piece of coloured cloth. The floths had been respectfully Presented by the town's pbusinessmen, and the names of thei had been inspired by its Many possibilities. ‘The effigies of Sad tS inul-storied buildings, even a man tae taileoat gind top hat, were constructed of shimmering purple, wear ane, emerald, rose, and topaz acetate, Grandfather wouldn't have approved. He had been « plain cautious man _ tho dressed simply in black trousers and white open-necked We walked after the hearse in grand tne ion, stumbling Hong in our straw sandals, our heade covered with stawplaited mats, all four of his surviving sons, five daughters-in-law, twenty-five Srandchildren, sundry nephews,Lim, Se ok Lis nieces, cousins and kinsfolk by blood, by marriage and by custom. We wore new clothes the most bi was fresh and pungent and the seams st rustled like the Saragossa Sea, trampling behind the dead and. smelling as foul as a black tide. The women screamed andl wailed, the men paced solemnly behind, and we trotted as fast 3 , ig wherever the straw and clothing itched us The procession stretched for almost a quarter mile. 4 Grandfather's retainers, employees, tenants, customers: 4 suppliers, government officers he had bribed for business 4 favours, debtors, creditors, hangers-on, all walked with him tnder the imperturbable tropical sun, some waving palm fans, others reading the newspaper, eating melon seeds, or: gossiping, equal in our family. The evening Grandfather died and the coffin was sill being hewn, 2 our fathers, his sons, met to discuss how to divide the property ‘We will keep everything the way itis. The profits from th shops, farms, estates, and rents will be divided each mont 8 us.” First Uncle, the eldest son, sai 1 will continue to do so. You know I've been doing most of the work for the old man in the last five years " Third son, my father, didn't like the idea at all. He had been trying to build up his business as a middleman trading in rubber. The shop was not doing well because there was a glut of synthetic rubber and because of recent American quotas.) Father had bought a lot of smoked rubber last year and he =e couldn't find a buyer for most oft, The land behind our house was piled with tacky rubber sheets which smelled like mixture of putrefying fish heads, pig swill, and wet copra rotting under canvas. Although Mother didn’t complain, Spf the Kis Father was obviously unhappy about the rubber stink which filled every room in our house and about the low-class apparance of his yard. Father was a sensitive, dreamy man * who should never have gone into rubber trading. “I want my share of the property. We should sell everything and divide the proceeds among us. A little money every month cannot help me. “Third Brother is right,” Second Uncle said, beaming. “We would like our share immediately. But there are problems with the economy this year. It would be foolish to place the E properties on the market. We may have to accept a price less. than their value. A better method is to divide the properties among us. First Brother, being the cldest, will have the first choice of the parcels, I the second, and so on. In this way, we can each do what we wish with our share. First Brother can _ keep his business, Third Brother can sell his share, and I, = haven't decided what to do.” Second Uncle was the clever one in the family. Whenever the brothers played mahjong ‘ogether, he was usually the big winner, No one trusted him. “Both Second and Third Brothers are right,” Fourth Uncle added, “but 1 must stupidly disagree with Second Brother about the method of division. The properties are not all of equal value. The last person choosing will end up with the least. If we don't sell, then I would prefer to use a lottery system to decide who should choose first and who last. In this ‘way, we can try to be equal as the old man wished At this point, according to Father, the meeting broke up into shouting matches and only the presence of Grandfather's E body in the next room prevented them from pushing and hitting each other. Greedy and stupid men!” my mother fumed as she spread Planter’s Margarine and sugar over our morning bread. “You were right in insisting on your share. Even now, when people are hard up, your father’s lands and houses will fetch a good price. Think of al we can do with the money.’ “I can rent a warehouse to store the rubber,” Father _ murmured, looking pale and miserable. He had been eatingLi, Shey Gon i very little and had grown thin and worn because the stink of. the unsold rubber, he said, upset his stomach. e “And we can buy a larger house with six bedrooms, one for” each child.” e We all looked up when we heard this. “I don't have share a room with Fatty and Piggy?” “Who are you calling fat, you balloon! ‘Shut up, midget! I'll get you later’ "You boys are so rude. ‘Ooh! And you're so pretty, ugly! “Ma, he’s pinching me! “T have to go to work, the table. ‘Can I ‘Twant “Me too!” “Quiet! You must show proper respect for the dead. ‘ong-kong is just dead one day, and you're already actin, monkeys.” But we didn’t mind Mother's words; we were all too hap) at the prospect of having our own rooms and went off willin to school that morning. We came home excited. “Ah Chen told me Second called Father an ox. She says Father is so dumb he believes mice will buy his rubber. jong says he’s not supposed to talk to me. ungrateful hooligans and his father doesn’t want: uy influence him. : “I told Ah Leng you called his father stupid and on His mother says we're thieves. She also said Fat murder them just for the money.” “Is Father a murderer?” a Father was a hero. No one would blame him for Father said and lefi his coffee ink Father's coflee?” she was 0 flat and ugly. é Father didn't seem a violent man, but one could ni 196 Spitof he Kris the wok for their supper? After the funeral, First Auntie visited _ Rew enemy had appeared. Fifth Uncle’s chad included as a beneficiary, laim her share. Mr DeSouza, to make amends, A idow, whom no one had actually hired a lawyer to an establish " th an offce near Government House, appateny werner iat her children were entitl -fifth of Grandfather’ Boalt and the greedy upstart was suing the family, | SPotted her fora poisonous spider from the first,” First chem nt ftumphantly. “Any woman who would go to the ete with 4 man before they are martied is not to he ing six children in seven years! No ley pull her entrails up : hhich monastery will dare to pray for hore reich is as ravenous as a man-eater’s*. We clung to ier’ chair and hid under the table as First Auntie cursed “Perhaps I will ask her etn ae cat with us.” she finaly ventured. “The poor n are forever hungry, for they have little to eat at hemeLi, Shy Gat Li You know since Fifth Brother's death, they have almost nothing’ We shivered when we heard this. To be hungry and to have almost nothing! No wonder Koh and Seng and their two sisters were happy to help us finish our rice and soup. g cemning than to hire a red-haired devil to fight in court? “You must do at least that,” First Auntie urged. “She' But there are no white lawyers in town,” Mother hurting the whole family through her ridiculous suit. May 12 gp countered, fur rowing her brow. dic ifT go to a Serani ten-thousand devil to make trouble for f° “Yes, but he found one in the capital ci my own flesh and blood!” is supposed to be a golf-partner of the A Serani devil! Mother didn’t understand how Little Sist es to the racetracks with the Politicians. We have no could talk face-to-face with a Eurasian. It was all right to inst him unless we fight together: white people in the pictures where they were either punchi ©, Mother, however, wouldn’t promise to join ranks with her or lewdly kissing each other, but to do business with a Eurasiaife ich made all of us glad. Although we were afraid of Second who was, after al, almost a white man! Her financial problem indle's wolfish appetite, we didn’t care for Fourth Auntie were driving Fifth Auntie mad, Mother told us. We dutiful giher. She was so tightfisted that she had come to our house Promised we wouldn't bring our cousins home any longer, out any cakes or fruit for us. we also vowed among ourselves to take our morning bread = She's right,” Father said. “Til speak to Fourth Brother school to share with them during recess. Hyhorrow about getting a lawyer to represent us.” ‘Two weeks later, we came home from school and j We kept very quiet and raised our heads out of bed in Fourth Auntie, whom Father was going to murder, brayel * to hear more clearly. Often, when our parents thought sitting in the kitchen. She twirled her jade bangles a: were asleep, they would have long conversations on talked. Now and again they slid off her bony wrists and dals, villains, and escapades from their youth. Then, we would catch them nervously and push them back. If. ourselves awake as late as we could, listening to them pushed hard enough, we thought, the bangles could slide Spering and chuckling, and, many times, as we tumbled the way up to her armpits, % ing already of drowsy Spo he ers “Only the devils know. He was affaid of the Serani, DeSouza, for he knows how the white court has its barbarie plavs which favour the red-haired devils. What is more : This lawyer, Mr Minister, and he “The younger members of the family must stick tog lEknown actors, gods, and demons she said passionately. “Second Brother is cunning like a:¥ pein our town twenty years ago. waiting at night for the careless person. He will eat us up Welll have to go to GS. Tan, I'm afraid. He's a good by one unless we band together. You know how dan; @ from High School days, and he'll charge a reasonable wolfish nature is. Such’ people are rapacious. They hr old times sake, but he has no experience with big their own children, they are so controlled by their ap “Most of his clients are immigrants from China Cannibals and murderers!’ ing for citizenship. He's become almost as much of a We pinched Little Su who had begun to wail at the’ fed cabbage as they. of being eaten, Rut'he knows the law, and he understands Chinese where they could safely observe Fourth Auntie’s skele Gilles better than a Serani or red-haired devil, You're and listen to her without Mother noticing, i good choice,” Mother whispered, “How did Second Brother find a whit ? heard the bed creak. “If I had the money, I'd find a Elawyer also,” 198is, Stir Goh Lin Spc te Reis “Once the case is settled, you'll have the money.” : Mother began to cry. ‘We won't need a lawyer then! No. With the old ai “You're young,” First Auntie continued after drinking her money, Ill start a grocery business. Il get rid of the rubber. “It’s easy to overlook your obligations. But the young open a nice shop selling tinned food, dried meat and vegetable ust support the old. As the Taoists taught us, the Heavens and sweets, Nothing fresh because fresh food rots if it d fs carried by the lowly turtle. What would happen if the sell quickly.” Father spoke confidently. “Everyone has to.ca lle refused to carry the Universe because it was tired or doesn't matter how bad the economy is; people can go with ferred to do something else? Tua Peh Kong, the Supreme shoes or cars and certainly without books. But everyone hag ity Himself, would no longer be safe. The moon and stars at. A grocery shop will doa splendid business.” Bould fall into the ocean, and the sky would crack open and “How clever of you! Of course, a business sclling foo ‘ts venom on the world." gowrong.” 2g Mother cried even harder. Little Su clung to her blouse, We secretly agreed with Mother. What a wonde #dAh Beng and I scowled at the thought of the wicked that would be when Father finally sells off the rubber fir can again eat our meals without having to hold our nés = First Aunt scowled back at us. “See how your children thought. A grocery shop selling swects! We dreai from your behaviour. Someday, you too will be old, and English Toffees, Cadbury Chocolates, chewy Allso1 want your children to carry you. How you'll curse them yellow Lemondrops. To be surrounded by tall fat: bot Af they disobey. May they be dead pigs, vile worms, striped Bullseyes, green mints dusted with confecti sgled at birth if they do so.” sugar, and gleaming black Licorice! Shelves full lother wiped her eyes with her sleeves, wafers, nougat bars, colourful rock candy, and b Eut,and told us to take her chocolate-covered Brazil nuts! Our stomachs began: t which started Su Ching laughing and Litle Su cr} Mother came out and shushed us. 2 A few days later, as we were having lunch, a hurriedly began to clear the table. “Your First Sther was sitting in Fourth Auntie's living room, drying coming up the road,” she explained. “I hope she's nage =c/e when Fourth Auntie broke the news. with me because your father went to a lawyer. I'm: You are, crying because you believe we shouldn't scold me for having such an untidy house. I'll m; elders, and there she was, the lying lizard, leading and Ho Beng will run to the store and buy some bis ithe time,” Fourth Auntie scolded, looking annoyed First Auntie was more sorrowful than angry. '¢ fidgeted on her hard wooden chairs. “What a state mind even before tea was served. “Tell me, why: } hair uncombed and blouse rumpled, and your Brother waste his money on a lawyer? Young pepy overexcited. And for what? First Auntie is a vulture. foolishly when they don’t save; besides, you dont dlscan smell a corpse from a hundred miles away and much to throw away. I'm thinking only of yours. ‘haroofeven while the man below is unaware he’s gave Little Sua utside to play. As soon as First isit Fourth Auntie in her large husband knows that as the eldest son, his rights: fs Nouknow she can’t be trusted. isn’t concerned. But I’m unhappy to see how est fyer? Who?” Mother stood up indignantly, and Little become.” 200 201Lim Shir Ged Li Spf ie Kee “No!” Mother shooed us away, but we hid behind her chair and crept under the table. “Why would she do such an F unspeakable act? Who would carefor her children?” “Second Auntic chewed another biscuit and smiled. “Of © course, Fifih Brother’s widow did not consider these questions S before she tried to end her life. Her eldest boy came to my “jiouse crying. Apparently she tried to hang herself from a rope ‘ied to the cradle beam, but the rope was too long and she only ‘managed to give herself a good choking. However, she was ‘Old Mr Dass, the same man who drew up Grandfather's jut T thought he died last year.” , he was hospitalized for chronic kidney trouble. You: know how these Indians are. Either drunk on toddy or nea dying.” Mother shook her head disbelievingly. “But everyoné) knows he's senile, Why, he must be a lent seventy yea old.” “Eldest Brother had no choice. He's the only lawyer left it muite incapacitated and could hardly speak. Fortunately, the town.” Fourth Auntie’s face grew scrawnicr as Mother begat), gage children had too much good sense to call the police. What a to laugh helplessly. We giggled with Mother and tickled eacly sage scandal it would be for our family if the attempt had been other until we were gasping with laughter at Fourth Aunt who was wriggling her black eyebrows in disapproval. But Father didn’t think we were funny when Mothei described the scene to him. “The children don’t understane 4 how serious the situation is. C.S. told me it will be at leastaig year before the case is decided. In the meantime, he’s willing to wait for his fees until the estate is settled.” Father appea worried and perplexed. “Perhaps I should work harder a trading rubber. Mustn't be like the hare and the tortoise a reported.” “Why didn't she come to me?” Mother cried. “I would ave helped her.” f We shrank under the table, for we remembered we had © warned our cousins not to come near our house. It was many weeks since we had played with them in school. “She was foolish to begin the court suit,” Second Auntie said, ignoring Mother's tears, “and she deserves to be E punished. But she has punished herself already. She couldn't © tolerate the family’s bad feelings towards her, and neither can ‘went to the yard to check the ghostly mounds of rubber sheets jqge" my husband. In the last months, he’s been suffering from glued together under the rising moon. 43 insomnia, and his health is weak. We should reconcile our “Second Auntie’s here, Second Auntie’s here!” we igge: differences now. “What can I do, Second Sister?" Mother asked abjectly. ‘My husband has also been affected. He isn't cating and is as F. thin asa ghost.” to fetch Mother who was watching her favourite Chinese(ggge, Second Auntie spoke with authority. to stop the case, and we'll share the property according to towards Second Auntie whose pet she was; we all knew ura whatever means are agreeable, You'll see. By this time next month, we shall have everything resolved.” But Second Auntie did not understand the depth of plums for us, and for Little Su, a whole hati of oranges. _ Accepting her second cup of tea, she went straight to the point. “Sister,” she said calmly, “We must stop this family: Mr Dass's senility. ‘They pressed on with the suit, and a few months later a F judge decided that the property should be sold to the first 203 ill herself yesterday?”worth, and after Messrs DeSouza, Deel, Tan and Da together with their clerks and assistants, were paid, the fatal was left with a debt of $10,000. a Did the family receive anything from Grandfather's will, Well, Father and his brothers never became rich businessmiedé but my eldest brother, Ho Beng, is now a top lawyer with own firm in the capital city; my second brother, Ho Peng, is successful accountant, and I teach Economics in University. About once a year, around New Year season, mother, who lives with me, gets a longing to return to-t hometown to visit relatives and to talk about the good old! days. And that’s when I'm particularly reminded: ef Grandfather's funeral. 204