In remembrance of Lau Oi Mei by Pak Shuen

I remembered vividly the few events with Lau Oi May. One time, at PE time, towards the end of the school session, a group of us were playing the basket ball, others were leaving the playground heading to those big steps platform beneath the grand Wooden-cotton tree. Lau Oi May stepped on the ball comming from behind and felt. She lay unconciously on the yellowish sand ground with us crowding around and looking at her. We were all very scared, maybe the then PE teacher were scared too (Mr. Chong ?). He sent us away and carried her up and ... I don't remember if the ambulance came then. That image of her with eyes half-closed did come back to me from time to time.

The other time, Au Wing Yee took me to Lau Oi Mei's home, maybe also with Au Fan Kai or the younger brother of Au(?). Au seemed knowing Lau and the familly very well. Maybe Au Wing Yee's elder brothers were schooling with Lau Oi Mei's brothers? It was near the Sing Ming school, big mension, spacious palor, huge garden, lots of fruit trees: Lai-chi, Dragon-eye, Yeung-tao, Pay-pa and Pun-paul. There were also flowers. We took off our heavy plastic sandles and flew them up to the top of the trees. The fruits would then fall with the broken branches. Fresh and delicious! We were all having fun and joy. That was an unforgetable afternoon. Lau invited us to come again. I might have met Lai Oi May's brother and sister that day or the other day. They were older than Lau. Lau and her sister look very much alike. Though Lau Oi May appeared much mature (to me and Au) she is the youngest (?) at home. She was generous and polite, this shows at her tiny age.

I didn't have much contact with Lau after primary school. It was 2003 (?) at our TPS alumli BBQ in the Tai Po Villa, Lau Oi May showed up. She did not age, looked younger than the thirteen years old girl in my memory, good looking with the same straight hair style, still pale. She talked as little and as much as she was at the primary school then. She mentioned briefly not being in excellent shape.

I would not expect to learn about her and talk about her this way. The little girl who once lightened up the other little girl's day is always there. She must have lightened up whom she loves and who loved her along the journey.

Suen Sai Lam