Class 1971
Articles and News of Class 1971
James and Grace (Melbourne) and Grace's Mom (Hong Kong) were in town at their first vegetarlin dim-sum lunch at 五台山,Woodbine, Toronto, hotsted by Edmond Wong and Chan Sui Man. Thursday, May 10, 2018. It was also Mr. Ho's first time at a restaurant after leaving Mon Sheong Private Care Centre on Monday, May 7.
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《To Diana of Merida》
Since the Romans’ reign,
You have braved the rain falling on the plain,
Your ruins are still standing tall,
Admired by tourists and all.
Through many more Springs and Falls,
May your remains remain in Spain,
Braving the thundering tapping and clapping,
Testament to the Romans’ pains!
[Amphitheatre and Roman Temple in Merida, Spain by Thomas Shum]
On Sunday, April 29, Ann and I went to the Toronto Strong Vigil. There were many people. As the Mel Lastman Squire was packed,people overflowed onto both sides of Yonge Street. Besides Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne, Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard and Toronto Mayor John Tory, many major religious leaders (including Catholic, Protestant, an Iman and a Hindu cop ) made speeches.
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(Front: Miss Chan, Mr. Ho, Mrs Eva Chan, Standing:Emond Wong, Fred Yip, Anthony Au, Chan Sui Man)
Dim Sum Vegetarian lunch at 五台山 Restaurant on Friday, April 27,2018 with a choice of Menu lasting more than 2 hours,
Edmond Wong, Fred Yip and Anthony Lee took Mr. Ho out for a dinner on Monday, April 23, 2018.
四月春花驕,噹哥定戒煙。
今天吸煙族,不許過城池。
第一天:週末星期五,醫生開了兩個星期的尼古丁「膏藥」藥方。我在韓國燒烤館向一家人宣告 breaking news, 我要戒煙。全家雀跃。在停車場猛抽幾口才開車。回家,兒子幫我貼上「膏藥」。
第七天:睡覺怪夢連連。晚上常常紮醒。食慾增加,打球有氣。
也曾嘗試戒煙,那是廿多年前的事了。停止吸煙一個月後,被公司派往煙草產地俄亥俄州出差。坐在禁煙區,與同事共進晚餐吃牛扒。禁煙區形同虚切,「扒」後一枝煙,感覺良好。一群人去看脫衣舞,那裡煙霧瀰漫,飲了兩啖啤酒,眼迷迷看舞嬢。此情此景,戒煙事己煙消雲散,戒煙人丟盔拋甲了。
彈指廿年過去,社會在進步,人們的生活習慣有了很大改變。抽煙對身體健康有害這一思維已經深入人的腦袋。香煙被看成毒品。另一方面,抽大麻煙證明可以治病,合法了。
二手煙是有害的,抽煙人成了不受歡迎的人。近日,所住小城立法,距離餐廳二十尺內禁止抽煙,結果抽煙人只能躲在屋簷下,草叢中,恐懼地抽煙,似是小孩子偷吃零食,怕被大人知道。作客友人家,走出門口抽煙,千萬注意環境衛生,煙頭不要亂扔。
祖地廣州,以前有煙民千千萬,現在不見了。二等茶樓的大廳爆滿,不見煙民,只有三幾位阿伯在洗手間門口抽煙。下一辈的子姪無人吸煙。同輩的全都戒煙了,連那位只剩四顆煙屎門牙的堂弟也戒了。
吸煙對自己的健康有害,對別人的健康有害。這是社會共識,不吸煙者是時尚人,吸煙者是反潮流。我從來不做反潮流,我愛跟隨大伙兒一起走。
好友聽到消息,多作鼓勵。有人更說這事「了不起」。兒子開出獎勵:「If you can quit, I pick a day on the weekend to play tennis with your friends.」。
今天去理髮。把戒煙事情告訴相識多年的上海理髮師傅 Jack。
壞人講「怪話」,他正經地說:「陳老板,你抽了一世煙,戒掉可惜。減少抽就可以了。更何況,學了的東西放棄多可惜。我們當年學抽煙是很辛苦的,又流眼淚,又咳...」
Jack 舞動理髮剪刀,繼續講道理:「我有個朋友,戒煙四年,體重增加四十磅!」
「嘩!」我不經意地摸一摸肚皮,Jack 沒說錯。
難忘一人,他享受香煙就像品嚐高檔茅台。那時候大陸物資貧乏,好多吸煙者要拾煙頭,把煙絲拆出,用煙紙再卷成煙。這叫「㩒蜢」。樓下林伯是㩒蜢人,瘦削矮小,臉色枯黃,煙精也。飯後一枝煙,他把卷煙抽至接近煙尾,長吸一口至肺俯,煙從口中緩緩吐出,雙指夾煙,慢慢地把手一翻,眼睛迷糊地看著指縫中點燃的巻煙,細心欣賞,長嘆:「好煙啊!」
我非梁伯。但戒掉煙會失去一種享受確是事實。清晨書房寫字,斜陽後院讀書,過往都有咖啡和香煙陪伴,現在少了一樣,令人不習慣。
Don April 15, 2018.
P.S 尼古丁貼藥似乎無甚作用。全靠意志力。