Goodbye, uncle and family (native prose)

Family love is a poem under construction. Even if you stay away from it, cool it down, neglect it, and try to forget it, it is still there, still at the entrance of the village you left. When you look back and feel compassion, it will grow vigorously like saw grass everywhere, even more lush than before...

Uncle, my home is in the village where I went to junior high school. , Dasuji Village, Dasuji Township, he is a rural doctor. I don’t remember exactly how many years he has been practicing medicine, but he has been running his own clinic since the day I went to junior high school in the countryside in 1987. He is tall and his face is very thin and dark, even his lips.

Speaking of which, my aunt and my mother are cousins. My aunt’s father is my mother’s third uncle. I call my third uncle grandpa. Moreover, it is said that the marriage between my mother and my father was arranged and arranged by my third uncle and grandpa. At that time, my grandfather thought that my father's family was poor and did not even have parents, so he was unwilling to marry my mother to his father. In the end, it was my third uncle and grandpa who took the lead. Work, insisted on this marriage.

So, in terms of blood relationship, the relationship with my aunt’s family is actually not that far away! From the mother's side, they are considered cousins. In our generation, we are considered two cousins ??with our aunt’s children. In the past, when people rarely came out, this was a close relationship. Although there used to be sayings in rural areas, "A kiss is not as good as an uncle, and pork is not as delicious as pork", and "A kiss between two aunts is not considered a kiss. After the aunt's death, the root is broken, but a kiss between an uncle is a kiss, and the broken bones are connected to the tendons." etc., but None of this is unique, the key is to get along and get along.

In the past, most of the people on Zhangjiakou Dam came from Shanxi. Some came through the west entrance, some fled famine, and some moved to live with relatives, etc. In this case, the accent will be slightly different. Generally speaking, they all belong to the accent of the northern part of Shanxi, which is divided into East Road and West Road dialects. For those who come from Yanggao County, Shanxi, the final sound of the speech is slightly upward, which is different from that of the East Road dialect. The first two are slightly different. People habitually call them "Yanggao Pianer". This statement actually has a certain ambiguity, that is, they are joking that they are stingy, but in fact they are not.

Most of the accents in Dasuji Village where my uncle lives are "Yanggao Pian'er", which also gives people a certain stereotype. It seems that the people in this village are a bit stingy. I heard people in the village say this when I was a child, and I also had a habitual belief in my mind.

I remember when I was a kid, my second brother and I went to Dasuji Village to press oil and grind flour in the winter. We always ate at my uncle’s house, steamed flower rolls, boiled yams and gourds, and stir-fried shredded potatoes with pancakes. My uncle was busy. When it comes to treating people, my aunt's family is very enthusiastic and always treats us well. My aunt came back very late and repeatedly told us to eat well and not to be hungry. The eldest brother and the second brother were in junior high school in Dasuji Village, and they often went to their uncle's house for dinner.

At that time, entertaining relatives was nothing more than a good meal with all your money. This was already a deep and deep friendship. Because for people at that time, they relied on the sky for food, and food was not very abundant. Eating was always the first priority, long before dressing. When relatives come, it is a great kindness to be able to take care of a good meal.

My uncle’s family has two daughters and a son, both of whom are older than me. In their eyes, I have always been a child, so during the years I went to school in Dasuji Village, their family took great care of me. Among them, the one who impressed me the most was my uncle who was a doctor. He really saved my life.

Half a year ago, I got in touch with my cousin and added each other on WeChat. And I vaguely remembered wrongly, "My cousin is working in the county hospital now!" During the short chat, I also mentioned my aunt and uncle. This time when I was returning to my hometown, I was passing by Dasuji Village and when I was buying paper money for visiting graves, I unconsciously asked one more question, and then I learned from others that my cousin worked in the health center in this township. I am ashamed to say that I left school in 1992 and have not seen my cousin, aunt and uncle for nearly thirty years. During this period, I have never come back to visit them. "How are the two elders doing? How are their health?" I was a little excited. This rare opportunity, I wanted to meet them from the bottom of my heart, talk and talk together.

My cousin was just as excited as me when he learned that I was back. After answering the phone, he was waiting for me at the door of the health center, stretching his long neck.

When we met again, my cousin was already old. He was no longer the upright, tall young man in my memory. His face was obviously darker, and his speech was not as sonorous as when I was studying in the village. I asked him his age again. , already in his fifties. But the enthusiasm was still the same as before, even more so. I was so busy pouring water and asking questions.

Chatting with my cousin also reminded me of my childhood...

It was the graduation exam for the fifth grade of primary school to enter junior high school. Students from all primary schools in the township They all came to Dasuji Township to take the exam. Before leaving, my mother brought me steamed potato stuffed buns at home, packed in a cloth bag. After the math class in the morning, Jing, the head teacher Zhang, and other students, as well as the principal of our elementary school who appeared later, debated the answer to the last big question. Finally, I learned that I was the only one in the class who got it right. Teacher Zhang, who cared about me, also wanted to nag at first, but later approved and approved, and gently stroked my head. At this time, the participating candidates were all led by their fathers, mothers, brothers, and sisters, and went to the streets in the countryside to buy something to eat. I was the only one who had no one to accept me, and I felt inferior in my heart. I hid in the gang behind other people's schools. To put it bluntly, it was a place where naughty students would soak their urine during recess. The smell of urine was very strong, but I couldn't care less. I have to take the Chinese test in the afternoon. Hiding here, others won’t find me “secretly” eating the steamed buns I brought home. It’s not that embarrassing. At least that's what I thought at the time.

Just when I found a place where the smell of urine was slightly lighter, I untied the cloth bag and took out the bun to eat, my cousin found me. He knew that I was coming to take an exam, so he asked his family to prepare a meal early, and he was outside the exam room before the bell rang. When he found me, he had already walked around the campus several times, looking anxious. When I saw my cousin, I looked embarrassed. I wanted to refuse, but before I could open my mouth, my cousin was holding my big hand and walked towards my aunt's house.

At that time, my cousin was still very young, not yet married, very tall, seemed to be wearing glasses, and elegant. My aunt's family lived behind Dasuji Village, which was a long way from the school where I took the exam, but I followed my cousin very quickly. I was young and had a strong self-esteem. At that moment, I was also saying loudly in my heart Other students said, "Humph! I also have someone to take care of the food here! No worse than you!"

After a while, we arrived at my aunt's house. While my mind was still immersed in the morning exam and staring at the full-length mirror on the wall in the room, my cousin picked two cucumbers from the yard and washed them clean, one for him and one for me. However, this " "Toy" confused me. "I've never seen this before, what is this? Is this edible? How to eat it?" I wanted to save face, so I picked up the cucumber and was too embarrassed to open my mouth to ask. It just made me feel more embarrassed and burdened, and I didn't know how to deal with it.

Fortunately, I soon saw my cousin eating it directly, and my hanging heart dropped a little. This scene was like the first time I ate crabs at the dinner table with my friends. I couldn't tell the difference between crab roe and crab white, and I was at a loss when I held it in my hand and couldn't eat it. More than thirty years have passed since this incident, but I still remember it vividly. When I met my cousin this time, I accidentally told it again. It can be regarded as letting go of the "embarrassment" at the beginning. At the same time, I once again infinitely cherish the pure and simple brotherhood at that time.

When I was in junior high school, I often went to my aunt’s house to have dinner. But what I remember most is the two times my uncle "rescued" me...

One winter in my second year of junior high school, I lived at a cousin's house. I don’t know whether it was because of a bad stomach or a cold. In short, I just fell asleep at night when I suddenly woke up with pain. Vomiting and diarrhea, stomach cramping and pain, as if being twisted and pierced by a thick needle, sweating profusely, and feeling like I was going to die. When I was extremely weak, I tried my best to call my cousin-in-law and asked him to call a doctor for me. After I finished speaking, I fainted. I don’t know how long I was fainted, but I felt like someone was injecting injections into my butt, and then inserting acupuncture into the holes of my knees and the outside of my calves. At the same time, someone was shouting my name with words that sounded like "sheep high slices." , "Third little boy, wake up! Third little boy, wake up!"

Slowly, I woke up. Although my body was still weak, I could still see clearly through the light of the yellow light bulb. I was kneeling on the kang and it was my uncle who gave me acupuncture. "It's his old man. He took the trouble to come and see me in person at such a late hour!" At that moment, my heart suddenly felt at ease. I also took a long breath, feeling that I "can't die" this time.

I heard my uncle say, "Third Xiao, you have acute gastroenteritis plus typhoid fever. It's quite severe! You almost fainted just now!" After a while, I heard my uncle say, "Third Xiao, please fight. After taking this injection, the vomiting and diarrhea will stop, and the stomach pain will slowly dissipate, but remember not to drink cold water anymore! Remember to go to your aunt’s house for dinner tomorrow morning!”

< p> After staying for a while, my uncle touched my forehead and felt that my fever had gone away, so he safely carried the medicine box and left. By then, it must have been very late. I didn't even say "thank you" until today. But from then on, I knew that my uncle's medical skills were very high, and I respected him from the bottom of my heart.

Later, there was another time when I had finished my high school entrance examination in 1992 and went to the county town to take a physical examination. I was led by a teacher from the school and stayed in the county government guest house. During this period, I had constant diarrhea because I drank the herbal tea water provided for free in the room. After I returned home, I took medicines, injections, and tried all kinds of folk remedies that people in the village told me, such as eating boiled eggs dipped in alum, etc., but they all had no effect. Later, I had pus and blood all over my body. The strength is gone.

This situation has continued for nearly a month and has not stopped. At that time, my family and I were worried that we would not be able to successfully go to the provincial capital to enroll in school, and we were very anxious. When I was helpless, I finally thought of my uncle in the village of Dasuji and placed my last hope on him.

My father was too busy with farm work, and he couldn’t ride a bicycle. In the end, I, who didn’t have much strength, rode or pushed the bicycle for seven or eight miles. , arrived at my uncle’s clinic. My uncle sat upright and took my pulse, looked at my tongue, pressed my stomach, rolled my eyelids, etc. Finally, he prescribed three sets of traditional Chinese medicine for me, wrapped them up, and asked me to drink them after I got home.

It’s really magical! After drinking three doses of medicine and two doses, the diarrhea I had been having for nearly a month actually stopped, and I no longer have to run to the thatch frequently. After drinking it completely, and with my mother cooking a few nutritious meals at home, my body and strength gradually recovered, and I was able to run and play again, and go to herd the cows in the grassland.

Perhaps, this minor illness is no longer a big deal for hospitals in contemporary big cities. But in the backward rural area of ??Bashang at that time, that was a sign of the kindness of the doctors. It was treating illnesses and saving lives. Especially for me, it was life-saving and of great significance!

Since then, I have been carrying my baggage and carrying my youthful dreams to the provincial capital. Nearly thirty years have passed.

Now, I have entered my forties, and it no longer matters how well my dream has been realized. Haolai has also married a wife and given birth to a son. His son has gone to college and is even taller than me. . In such a long time, I have not called my aunt, uncle, and cousins ??once, nor have I gone back to visit them once. Occasionally I would go back to my hometown to visit the graves and pass by, thinking about this and worrying about that, but I was always in a hurry and never stopped. But as I grow older, I occasionally recall with my own conscience the simple grace of my uncle and his family.

After chatting with my cousin for a while, he also understood my mood and knew that I couldn’t wait to see my aunt and uncle, so he drove the car and led me back to the old house. This is my uncle. A place where the family has lived for nearly sixty years.

The yard is still the same old yard, and the surrounding area is still built with adobe, but the apple tree where my classmates and I passed by and rushed to pick the red apples is no longer there. My cousin told me that The apple tree has also fulfilled its mission. Just like a person in his twilight years, it can no longer bear fruit. The family had cut it down two years ago.

As we were talking, my cousin smiled and praised me for my good memory, and we went into the house together. My aunt and cousin were both at home. Since I was already bald and unshaven, my cousin asked my aunt to identify me. My aunt came closer and took a closer look. I could see that my aunt was also much older. I also came closer and looked deeply. I called out "Auntie" deeply, and at the same time, my aunt also recognized me. She held her weather-beaten hands tightly and refused to let go for a long time. She looked at each other with tears rolling down her face. The family warmly invited me to the Kang, poured tea, and talked about what I was like when I was a child.

Not long after, my uncle also came back from outside on a tricycle. I sat next to my uncle and I could see clearly that my uncle was really old, even though his skin was still very dark and his lips were also dark. , took off the woolen hat, and saw that not much hair had fallen out, and not many teeth were left.

And I heard that this old man is already eighty-two years old, five years older than his aunt, but he still insists on going to free clinics. Now his waist is not very good and he cannot sit for too long. When I expressed my apology for not being able to come back to visit for many years, especially when I talked about the time when my uncle treated me and saved my life, I couldn't help but choke up. My uncle also waved his hand and said grandly, "My child." , that’s what it should be! Moreover, after so many years, it’s rare that you still remember that my uncle is already content with the past, it’s not worth mentioning anymore!…”

This is family affection, this is kindness. It does not need explanation or many words to express it. Remember in your heart that you can continue it at any time if you can come back to see it. As an old man, it is rare to see a younger generation, and my eyes well up with tears; as a younger generation, I can relive the warm years of my youth, chatting with the old man about daily life, sitting on the kang and having a meal together, which makes me feel happy. Time is waiting quietly outside the yard, letting the family love flow between each other, so warm! Especially for me who is getting older, I can truly understand that "Yang Gao Pian'er" does not mean stingy. I can also remember the apple tree in the yard of my uncle's house that was once full of fruits, and I can say to my uncle face to face. A word of thanks that had not been spoken for many years was regarded as a wish granted, and it was really worth it!