Rice文章 mary loh chieu kwuan.docx
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Rice文章 mary loh chieu kwuan.docx
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Rice文章marylohchieukwuan
Rice
1Fluffy®whiteflakesinaporcelainbowl.Steamrisesandwithit,theparticularfragrance.Likeakindofincense,itwafts®andweavessomany,manymemories.
2“Riceisserved...Comeandeat,”Macallstonooneinparticular.Withtheregularityofclockwork,dinneratourhouseisalwaysservedat7:
30p.m.,andwearegatheredatthetablefordinner.Themealiseateninreverent®silence,slowlyandwithmeaningfulsilence.Theplatesareemptiedandquietlywecollectthedishesforwashing.Thisgraduallychanged,bitbybitaseachofusgrewbusywithworkthatkeptusbackattheoffice.ButthisIlongrememberofafamilyritual:
wehavealwayshadricefordinner.RicewasservedevenwhenwehadturkeyatChristmas.Pawouldalwayshavehisubiquitous®bowlofriceandMawouldalwaysserveit.
3Mataughtmehowtocookriceattheageoften.
4“Okay,onemilktinfullforfourpeople.Emptythetinofriceintothispot.Now,pickoutallthesandandunhusked⑤riceandifyouseeanylittleblackcrawlingweevils®,pickthemoutandsqueezethemtokillthem.
5“Nowfillthepotwithwater.Youputbothhandsinthepotandrubthegrainsofricegentlybetweenyourhands.Nowpouroutthewaterandbecarefulthatnotasinglegrainofricespillswiththewater.Riceisprecious,rememberthat.
6“Fillyourpotonceagainandrinsethericeonemoretime.Thistimethewatershouldbe:
almostclear.
7Putyourhandthere,flatonthetopoftherice—nowfillthewateruptotheleveloftheknuckleofyourfinger.Toomuchwaterandyou’llbeeatingporridge.Toolittle,you’llbeeatinguncookedgrainswhichtastelikesand.
8“Letthericeboilforfiveminutes.Stirandlowertheflame.
9“Stirtomakesurethatthericedoesnotsticktothebottomofthepot.Coverandletitcookoveraslowflameuntilthewaterdriesup.Turnoffthefire.Thericeisnowreadytobeserved...”
10Thereaftertwiceaweek,untilIwenttouniversity,Ihadthedutyofcookingriceforthefamily.
11“Ma,pleasecomehome…”
12“Ic...can’t.Id..don’twantto...”
13Thecarsroaredpastusandbeforeus,theirheadlightsblindingus.Therehadbeenabigfightathome,overwhatIforgetnow,butPahadsaidsomething,somethingaboutdutyandresponsibility.Maansweredback.Paraisedhisvoice.Soontherewasshoutingandmoreshouting.Aplatewasthrown,thecrashingresoundingthroughthehouse.Morecrashingsounds,moreshouting.Wecoveredourears,tryinginvaintoblockoutthenoiseandconfusion.Eventhen,IheardPasay,“Go.SeeifIcare—theclothesyouwear,theroofoveryourheadandthefoodyoueat,everythingyouhaveyouowetomeandyoubloodywelldaretoanswerback..."
14Suddenly,therewasasilence.
15Maranoutofthehouseintotherainynight.
16“Comehome,please,Ma…please,Ma.”
17“Gohome,yougohome.YourMawantstodiehere.”
18“Please,Ma,Idon’twantyoutodie.”
19“Gohome.Theothershavetoeat.GohomeandserveyourPahisrice.”
20“No,Ma,Iwon’tgohome...Iwon’tgohomewithoutyou…”
21“Gohome,Itellyou,gohomeandserveyourPahisrice.”
22Westoodthereforthelongesttime,thecarshootingustowarnusfromstandingtooclosetotheedgeofthepavementIdidnotdaretoletgoofherhand.Myhandshurtfromholdingherhandsotightly.Slowly,bitbybit,Icouldfeeltheslack,thetensioneasing.Bothofussobbedinsilence.Ma'sshouldersdroopedandslowlyIwasallowedtoleadherhome.Weleftthemainroadandslowlymadeourwaythroughthequietsuburbanlanes,thewindingalleysandfinallyreachedhome.
23Pasatstone-facedbeforethetelevision,hisfacegrim,hislipssetinastraightline.Herefusedtosayaword.IledMaintoherbedroom,closedthedoorandwentintothekitchen.Liftingupthecoverofthepot,IspoonedthethickwhiteflakesintoPa'sbowlandsetthebowlonthetable.
24“Pa,timetoeat.”
25Silence.
26“Pa,eatrice.”
27“Don’twanttoeat”
28Thebowlofricesatontheendofthetable,gettingcolderandcolder.
29Afterthat,withoutfail,dayafterday,forasmanydaysastherewereinayear,MawouldplaceasteaminghotbowlofricebeforePa.Evenifshehadtogooutforhermahjonggamesintheafternoon,shewouldreturnintimetoservethebowlofrice.Ifshewasgoingoutintheevening,shewouldwaittillPahadfinishedhisbowlofriceandhadlaidasidehischopsticks.Onlythenwouldshepickupherbagandleaveonheroccasionaloutings.
30Ihateeatingwhiterice.Whitericeisbland①andboring.Ithastobemademoreinteresting.Withavarietyofotherdishes.Onehardlyeatsriceonitsown,tosavoritsfull-bodiedflavor,simplybecauseithasnone.Itisastaple,astomachfiller,littleelse.[makeconcessionsforbrownrice,whichIcatsparingly,moreasahealthladratherthanasrealfood.Iam,myMasays,“western-educated,”andpreferhome-mosek.Pastaisadefinitefavorite,Allkindsofit,fromcapellinitoIettucinetolasagna,smotheredwiththickcreamysauces,andyes,Ilovecheese--theBleuswiththeircoloredbluegreenridgesandsharp-smellingBrieswhichtumMagreenwithdisgust.ParmesantoastshadmeturnedoutofthehousebecausenoonecouldbearthesmellofthecheeseIwaseating-whichisacontinualjoketomyneighborswhoseeroefittinginthegardenintheevenings,chewingonfoul-smellingtoastedbread.Ofcourse,Ilikebreads,French,Danish,Manoucherdeli-stylesandwicheswithpickles*andrelishes,sandwicheswhicharesolargethattwohandsarcrequiredtogripthebreadtogetherwhilelargemouthfulsarechewedvigorouslyandthenswallowed.Yes.don'tforgetsalads.Iamtheresidentrabbitintheoffice-pleasepassthegreensover.Healthycrunchylettuceswithloadsoflovelydressingsmakemyday.Butrice...Icannottakericetwomealsinarow.I'drathergohungry.
①bland:
nothighlyflavored,mild,tasteless.
31IrememberthatMawasveryparticularthatweneverwastedanyrice.Notasinglegrainwastobeleftontheplateorelse,everysinglegrainleftwouldappearmuglymarksonthefaceofoureventualintended.Certainlynotwantingtomarryanymanwithascarredormarredcomplexion,wefaithfullycleanedoutplatesandthroughourdatingyears,everycloseencounterwithmenwithchronicacneresultedinrealguiltthatperhaps,justperhaps,thismightberetributionforthatoneplateofricewehadnotfinished.//
32WhenIwenttoUniversityanddidPhilosophy,thelogicofthisunderwentsevereexamination.Didsome,say,scientistsinChina,gatheruptwoseparategroupsofwomenasatestcaseforthishypothesis?
Didtheyforceonegrouptofinishtheirplatesofriceclean?
Andtheother,not?
Didtheythenobserveandtracktheprogressofbothgroupsthroughlifetillmarriageanddeduceconclusively,baseduponempiricalfindings,thatgirlswhodidnotfinishtheirricewouldmarrypock-markedhusbands?
Whydidthisruleneverapplytomen?
Ordidit?
33Ihatethatbowlofrice.Ihatewhatthatbowlofricemeans.
34Iremembermygrandmother’sfavoriterice-bowl,theonefromwhicheachnoondayandeveningshewouldlifttoherfaceandshovelthewhitericeintoheropenmouth.ItwasItcreamywhitebowlwithaswirlofblueoutside.Itwasgrandmother’sspecialrice-bowl,onewithwhichsheassociatedfondmemories,memorieswhichshedidnotsharewithanyofus.Iremembergingerlyhandlingitwhenwehelditoverthebasinofsoapywater.Myoldersisterwouldcarefullyrinseit.wipeitdryandputitintothegreatwoodencupboard,onlytotakeitoutagain,atthenextmealtime,toscoopthesoftwhitegrainsgentlyintothebowl.
35Itwasanaccident!
Wedidn'tmeanforittobreak,Grandmother'spreciousbowl.Itwasanaccident,thebowlslipped!
Weclutcheddesperately,ourfingersbarelymissingtherimandfindingonlyemptyairThesilenceinthekitchenreverberatedwiththecrashasthebowlshatteredintoathousandpieces.Welookedshamefacedateachother,beforeGrandmothercameburstingin.
36Weleftthehousethatday.Pa,Ma,mysistersandmybrother.Insilence,wegatheredupourbelongingsandsteppedthroughtheoldgateofthefamilyhomewithoutabackwardglance.Irememberthelastwordmygrandmothersaid,awordwhichIhadheardhermutterunderbreathforsolong:
fan-thong.
37InCantonese,afan-thongorvesselforriceisusedasanepithet.Itimpliesthatapersonthanareceptacleofrice,thatallthericethathasbeenconsumediswastedandthereforesuchapersonisuseless.
38Weneversawmygrandmotherafterthat,notevenwhenshepassedaway.//
39SoImarriedBrianWorth,anEnglishmanwhoseideaofgreatcuisinewasbangersandbeansandwhosefacewasassmoothasababy'sbottom,thoughhesworehehadchronicacneduringhisteenageyears.Asidefromhiswit,hisloveforthesamekindofmusicandwritersdrewuscloser,makingusmorethangoodfriends.Whenheproposed,Ithought,whatarelief,Icanhandlebangersandbeansandtheoccasionalsteakandpotatoes.Heck,IcouldevendoaturkeyatChristmas,completewithcranberrysauceandpudding.Iwon'thavetoservehisriceeveryday,sevendaysaweek,everyweekoftheyear.
40Therewasricesprinkledatourwedding,insteadofconfetti.Aswerandowntheaisle,thericewasscatteredlikerain.Afterwards,likemonkeys,BrianandIpickedthericefromeachother'shair.Thesprinklingofricewassymbolicoffertility,justasinSingaporetheyhadforcedustodrivearoundwithapairofchickens,onemaleandonefemale.Intheheat,onepoorchickenexpired,leavingtheotheronealonetoweatherthestormsofmaritalpompandceremony.Th
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