I am thankful that you have taken care of me since young and taught me Cantonese. You and Grandma are the closest grandparents that I have, and both of you will stay in my heart forever.

When I was born, you gave up smoking because you did not want to harm my health. I know that giving up smoking was a difficult task, especially since you were a heavy smoker. I am glad that you gave up smoking, if not I might not even see you today.

As a small child, you doted on me and bought sweets for me to eat. Fetching me from school was like a daily habit of yours, and you did it with pleasure. Whenever I got into the car, your face would light up. Even when I was grumpy, you would never fail to cheer me up. On the way home, you would teach me new Cantonese phrases, constantly conversing with me in Cantonese so that I would be able to speak the dialect.

Before fetching me from primary school, you will unload the groceries that you bought, and order me to help carry them in. Instead of helping, I would ask Aunty Lenny to bring the groceries in. You would then tease me for being lazy and I would come up with silly excuses such as having muscle ache. Whenever I did well for my examinations, you would give me fifty dollars and commend me for the hard work put in. When I was in Primary One, I was second in class and you encouraged me to work harder so that I would be first in Primary Two, but I let you down. I played so much that I did very badly. I knew you were disappointed in me and I felt guilty, making me even more determined to do better in Primary Three.

When my father was retrenched during the SARS period, you stood by me and comforted me. I feel secure whenever you are around; you are like the blanket that protects me from harm, constantly keeping me safe.

Whenever you asked me how to use a particular feature of the computer, I would always pretend that I did not know how to use it. You understood that I was not free to teach you, and you would not put it to heart. I am sorry that I lied to you. I tried teaching you once, but you could not understand, most probably because I am a horrible teacher.

I am proud that I have you as a grandfather because you are cool! You know how to use the computer, you listen to the MP3, and even though you cannot speak English, you can speak Cantonese, which is the coolest dialect! I always wonder what would happen if you passed away, and I know that regardless of what happens in the future, I will treasure you now, because the present is gift and the future is a mystery.

Love,
Claudia