Ah Hoe came to see us at the temple about a week after Lao Lo's demise. He had been to China for the funeral and had brought back with him Lao Lo's ashes to be thrown in the river near his favourite fishing spot. It was the old man's last wish and Ah Hoe had dutifully carried it out.
He now came to request Head Nun to do some prayers for Lao Lo at his hut. It was by coincidence the "ghost month" (the seventh month of the Chinese lunar calendar) and he felt it was befitting for prayers to be done. Head Nun readily agreed and assigned two nuns to do the prayers.
So we were all gathered at Lao Lo's hut the next day. Ah Hoe had also invited a few villagers who had known Lao Lo and they were only too glad to be able to participate in the prayers. The nuns chanted in the morning and again in the evening and it was nearly seven when the prayers ended. Ah Hoe suggested that I stay overnight together with him and Ning at the hut but I felt I had better accompany the two nuns back to the temple since it was getting late.
It was a quiet evening with a gentle breeze and the nuns chatted non-stop as they walked back to the temple.
"Wish we could come out more often," said Nun No.1.
Nun No.2 shook her head and said Head Nun would never agree to it. "She's such a square," she added.
"She's only thinking of your safety, nuns," I chipped in.
"Oh, you're always defending her, Vege Cat! This place is quite safe, you've been up and down here hundreds of times!" said Nun No.1.
Even as she spoke, two hooded figures suddenly sprang out of the bushes and blocked our way. I couldn't tell whether they were ghosts or humans disguised as ghosts, but they were sinister enough to scare the wits out of us. We were caught totally off guard and it looked like we were in big trouble!
"Aiyee! Ghosts!" shrieked Nun No.2.
"Or Mi Tuo Fo!" screamed Nun No.1 and both of them promptly fainted.
As for me, my legs were shaking like jelly but I managed to gasp, "We've done nothing to you, let us go in peace..."
One of the hooded figures then said, "Boss, it's the busybody cat from the temple."
The one called Boss turned to look at me and said, "So it is. I hear he's some kind of hero. Hey, what do you say we have some fun with those two nuns? Then we can see what a big hero he is!"
The other hooded figure giggled and said, "Yeah, why not?"
"Leave them alone," I yelled.
"Ha, ha, ha," laughed Boss. "Do you think you can scare us? Now get out of the way!"
They were robbers alright. Ghosts wouldn't tell me to get out of the way, they would just walk right through me! Still I was powerless against them. I knew I had to play for time until help came, IF it came ....
"Look, these two nuns are children of the Lord Buddha," I began. "If you do them any harm, the punishment you receive will be monumental. You will either burn in hell for eternity or reborn as ugly loathesome creatures, despised and condemned by all...." I hoped that sounded scary enough to frighten them off.
But it wasn't.
"Children of Lord Buddha? Hee hee hee ....I haven't heard anything so funny in years ....." laughed Boss.
Then I suddenly heard a voice from behind me.
"Leave them alone," it thundered. I turned round and saw to my shock that it was ...... Lao Lo!
"Lao Lo?" I gasped. "But ... but ... it can't be ...."
"Well, well, where did you come from, old man?" said Boss. "You're a fool if you think you can stop us. We can break you into two in seconds!"
Lao Lo remained calm and whipped out a bag from behind him. "Look, I've got some money here in this bag. Take it and leave them alone." He then opened the bag and showed what looked like a hundred dollar bills inside.
"Da, run and take the nuns with you," said Lao Lo as he flung the bag onto the road. The two nuns had somehow recovered and the three of us ran as fast as our legs could carry us. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the robbers grab the bag and flee. When I turned back to look again, the road was empty, there was no sign of Lao Lo either.
We arrived huffing and puffing at the temple and immediately went in search of Head Nun. The three of us managed to gabble out our story and fell down exhausted. Head Nun raised an eyebrow, then said, "You mean you were saved by Lao Lo's ghost?" The three of us nodded dumbly.
For a while, she said nothing, then, "He was a good man. He would never want to see any harm come to his friends. I suggest you three go straight to bed. You've had enough excitement for today."
Meanwhile at the robbers' den ....
"Hey, Boss, let's count the money now ....."
Boss broke open the bag and out fell the money. For a few moments, neither of them could speak. What they saw was a pile of Hell money, not a hundred dollar bank notes. But then, they had no idea that they had bargained with a ghost and ghosts don't use worldly money. When the truth finally dawned on them, it was a long time before they had the courage to venture out of their den....
He now came to request Head Nun to do some prayers for Lao Lo at his hut. It was by coincidence the "ghost month" (the seventh month of the Chinese lunar calendar) and he felt it was befitting for prayers to be done. Head Nun readily agreed and assigned two nuns to do the prayers.
So we were all gathered at Lao Lo's hut the next day. Ah Hoe had also invited a few villagers who had known Lao Lo and they were only too glad to be able to participate in the prayers. The nuns chanted in the morning and again in the evening and it was nearly seven when the prayers ended. Ah Hoe suggested that I stay overnight together with him and Ning at the hut but I felt I had better accompany the two nuns back to the temple since it was getting late.
It was a quiet evening with a gentle breeze and the nuns chatted non-stop as they walked back to the temple.
"Wish we could come out more often," said Nun No.1.
Nun No.2 shook her head and said Head Nun would never agree to it. "She's such a square," she added.
"She's only thinking of your safety, nuns," I chipped in.
"Oh, you're always defending her, Vege Cat! This place is quite safe, you've been up and down here hundreds of times!" said Nun No.1.
Even as she spoke, two hooded figures suddenly sprang out of the bushes and blocked our way. I couldn't tell whether they were ghosts or humans disguised as ghosts, but they were sinister enough to scare the wits out of us. We were caught totally off guard and it looked like we were in big trouble!
"Or Mi Tuo Fo!" screamed Nun No.1 and both of them promptly fainted.
As for me, my legs were shaking like jelly but I managed to gasp, "We've done nothing to you, let us go in peace..."
One of the hooded figures then said, "Boss, it's the busybody cat from the temple."
The one called Boss turned to look at me and said, "So it is. I hear he's some kind of hero. Hey, what do you say we have some fun with those two nuns? Then we can see what a big hero he is!"
The other hooded figure giggled and said, "Yeah, why not?"
"Leave them alone," I yelled.
"Ha, ha, ha," laughed Boss. "Do you think you can scare us? Now get out of the way!"
They were robbers alright. Ghosts wouldn't tell me to get out of the way, they would just walk right through me! Still I was powerless against them. I knew I had to play for time until help came, IF it came ....
"Look, these two nuns are children of the Lord Buddha," I began. "If you do them any harm, the punishment you receive will be monumental. You will either burn in hell for eternity or reborn as ugly loathesome creatures, despised and condemned by all...." I hoped that sounded scary enough to frighten them off.
But it wasn't.
"Children of Lord Buddha? Hee hee hee ....I haven't heard anything so funny in years ....." laughed Boss.
Then I suddenly heard a voice from behind me.
"Leave them alone," it thundered. I turned round and saw to my shock that it was ...... Lao Lo!
"Lao Lo?" I gasped. "But ... but ... it can't be ...."
"Well, well, where did you come from, old man?" said Boss. "You're a fool if you think you can stop us. We can break you into two in seconds!"
Lao Lo remained calm and whipped out a bag from behind him. "Look, I've got some money here in this bag. Take it and leave them alone." He then opened the bag and showed what looked like a hundred dollar bills inside.
"Da, run and take the nuns with you," said Lao Lo as he flung the bag onto the road. The two nuns had somehow recovered and the three of us ran as fast as our legs could carry us. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the robbers grab the bag and flee. When I turned back to look again, the road was empty, there was no sign of Lao Lo either.
We arrived huffing and puffing at the temple and immediately went in search of Head Nun. The three of us managed to gabble out our story and fell down exhausted. Head Nun raised an eyebrow, then said, "You mean you were saved by Lao Lo's ghost?" The three of us nodded dumbly.
For a while, she said nothing, then, "He was a good man. He would never want to see any harm come to his friends. I suggest you three go straight to bed. You've had enough excitement for today."
Meanwhile at the robbers' den ....
"Hey, Boss, let's count the money now ....."
Boss broke open the bag and out fell the money. For a few moments, neither of them could speak. What they saw was a pile of Hell money, not a hundred dollar bank notes. But then, they had no idea that they had bargained with a ghost and ghosts don't use worldly money. When the truth finally dawned on them, it was a long time before they had the courage to venture out of their den....
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