Ning came running into the temple the other day, grinning from ear to ear.
"Da! I've got good news!" he cried.
"Really? What's the good news?" I replied.
"Mi Mi has at last accepted my proposal of marriage!"
I was flabbergasted. I knew Ning had secretly loved Mi Mi since she started Tom's Home for stray cats and in fact he had proposed once but was turned down by Mi Mi. This news certainly came as a surprise!
"That's great, Ning! I'm so happy for you!" I said, hugging him.
Ning went on to say that they were planning a simple reception the following weekend and of course Head Nun, Ah Hoe and I were invited to witness the wedding ceremony. He then ran off excitedly, probably to the Long Tails Club to tell his friends.
When the wedding day dawned, I got up early as I thought Mi Mi might need some help at Tom's Home. Head Nun said that although she would like to attend the reception, it was too far for her to walk and asked me to hand over a present for the bride and groom. When I arrived at Mi Mi's place, Ah Hoe was already there trying to control the kittens who were all so excited that they could not keep still.
Mi Mi greeted me with a radiant smile. She was carrying a cushion with two wedding rings and looked so lovely with a string of flowers around her head. "I'm so happy for you, Mi Mi," I said to her. She smiled and said, "Thanks, Da."
The reception was to be held at 10 a.m. and in a short while a few of Ning's friends from the Club came trickling in. We expected Ning to come any minute but by 10.30, there was still no sign of him.
"Oh he stayed up all night with us drinking," said one of his friends, laughing. "He probably has a bad hangover and can't get up!"
But half an hour later, still no sign of Ning.
"Oh dear," I thought to myself. "Hope he's alright. Maybe I should go down to his place and get him." I told Ah Hoe and quietly slipped away. But Ning was not at his place nor was he at the Club. I began to panic, where had he gone and what was I going to tell the guests?
I hurried back to Tom's Home and told Ah Hoe that I couldn't find Ning anywhere. Ah Hoe was very worried indeed and since the guests were getting restless, he suggested to Mimi that we start serving them refreshments. An hour later and still no Ning. His friends were beginning to snigger and call him names. Finally after eating their fill, they decided to leave.
I ran to Mi Mi and gasped, "Mi Mi, something must have happened to Ning. Hopefully he has not met with an accident last night, drunk as he was."
Mi Mi smiled. "Don't worry, I'm sure he's alright."
"But if he's alright, why hasn't he turned up?" It was a stupid question and I wished I had shut my mouth.
Mi Mi smiled again and said, "Look, don't worry about me, I'm alright. I'm not going to kill myself or anything like that. I know and understand Ning and I don't bear any ill feelings towards him; if you should find him, tell him I've forgiven him."
She then gave orders to the kittens to help clear the tables and clean up the place.
Head Nun saw my crestfallen face when I returned to the temple and asked what happened. After hearing the whole story, she shook her head and sighed. "Poor Mi Mi! Vege Cat, you had better go find Ning quick!"
That night before I went to bed, I prayed to Lord Buddha to help me find Ning. The next morning it suddenly dawned on me that he could be by the river near his mother's resting place. Now why didn't I think of that before? I thanked Lord Buddha for answering my prayer and hurried to the river.
Ning was sitting there staring into the waters of the river.
"Ning! Are you alright?" I cried.
For a while he didn't answer me, then he turned to look at me, his eyes red and puffy from lack of sleep.
"It was all a mistake," he muttered. "You know me, Da, I'm a wanderer, a good-for-nothing bum. I had no right to ask her to marry me. I'm not one for staying at home and raising kids or helping with the housework. I'll only be a burden to her ..." and he broke into sobs.
"Ning, it's alright," I said. "Mi Mi does care for you, that's why she agreed to marry you. She has asked me to tell you that she has forgiven you and you're always welcome at Tom's Home."
"Huh! You're saying that just to make me feel better. I'll never be able to look her in the eye again. I think it's best I disappear altogether from her life!"
"Ning, please don't do anything foolish," I pleaded.
"Go away, Da," he growled. "I want to be alone."
There was nothing I could do or say to make Ning change his mind and go home.
I didn't see Ning for several weeks after that. Some said they saw him wandering in the next village and trying to steal food. Others said he had taken up with a gang of thugs. Whatever it was, I prayed to Lord Buddha that He would take care of him and guide him home one day.....
"Da! I've got good news!" he cried.
"Really? What's the good news?" I replied.
"Mi Mi has at last accepted my proposal of marriage!"
I was flabbergasted. I knew Ning had secretly loved Mi Mi since she started Tom's Home for stray cats and in fact he had proposed once but was turned down by Mi Mi. This news certainly came as a surprise!
"That's great, Ning! I'm so happy for you!" I said, hugging him.
Ning went on to say that they were planning a simple reception the following weekend and of course Head Nun, Ah Hoe and I were invited to witness the wedding ceremony. He then ran off excitedly, probably to the Long Tails Club to tell his friends.
When the wedding day dawned, I got up early as I thought Mi Mi might need some help at Tom's Home. Head Nun said that although she would like to attend the reception, it was too far for her to walk and asked me to hand over a present for the bride and groom. When I arrived at Mi Mi's place, Ah Hoe was already there trying to control the kittens who were all so excited that they could not keep still.
Mi Mi greeted me with a radiant smile. She was carrying a cushion with two wedding rings and looked so lovely with a string of flowers around her head. "I'm so happy for you, Mi Mi," I said to her. She smiled and said, "Thanks, Da."The reception was to be held at 10 a.m. and in a short while a few of Ning's friends from the Club came trickling in. We expected Ning to come any minute but by 10.30, there was still no sign of him.
"Oh he stayed up all night with us drinking," said one of his friends, laughing. "He probably has a bad hangover and can't get up!"
But half an hour later, still no sign of Ning.
"Oh dear," I thought to myself. "Hope he's alright. Maybe I should go down to his place and get him." I told Ah Hoe and quietly slipped away. But Ning was not at his place nor was he at the Club. I began to panic, where had he gone and what was I going to tell the guests?
I hurried back to Tom's Home and told Ah Hoe that I couldn't find Ning anywhere. Ah Hoe was very worried indeed and since the guests were getting restless, he suggested to Mimi that we start serving them refreshments. An hour later and still no Ning. His friends were beginning to snigger and call him names. Finally after eating their fill, they decided to leave.
I ran to Mi Mi and gasped, "Mi Mi, something must have happened to Ning. Hopefully he has not met with an accident last night, drunk as he was."
Mi Mi smiled. "Don't worry, I'm sure he's alright."
"But if he's alright, why hasn't he turned up?" It was a stupid question and I wished I had shut my mouth.
Mi Mi smiled again and said, "Look, don't worry about me, I'm alright. I'm not going to kill myself or anything like that. I know and understand Ning and I don't bear any ill feelings towards him; if you should find him, tell him I've forgiven him."
She then gave orders to the kittens to help clear the tables and clean up the place.
Head Nun saw my crestfallen face when I returned to the temple and asked what happened. After hearing the whole story, she shook her head and sighed. "Poor Mi Mi! Vege Cat, you had better go find Ning quick!"
That night before I went to bed, I prayed to Lord Buddha to help me find Ning. The next morning it suddenly dawned on me that he could be by the river near his mother's resting place. Now why didn't I think of that before? I thanked Lord Buddha for answering my prayer and hurried to the river.
Ning was sitting there staring into the waters of the river.
"Ning! Are you alright?" I cried.
For a while he didn't answer me, then he turned to look at me, his eyes red and puffy from lack of sleep.
"It was all a mistake," he muttered. "You know me, Da, I'm a wanderer, a good-for-nothing bum. I had no right to ask her to marry me. I'm not one for staying at home and raising kids or helping with the housework. I'll only be a burden to her ..." and he broke into sobs.
"Ning, it's alright," I said. "Mi Mi does care for you, that's why she agreed to marry you. She has asked me to tell you that she has forgiven you and you're always welcome at Tom's Home."
"Huh! You're saying that just to make me feel better. I'll never be able to look her in the eye again. I think it's best I disappear altogether from her life!"
"Ning, please don't do anything foolish," I pleaded.
"Go away, Da," he growled. "I want to be alone."
There was nothing I could do or say to make Ning change his mind and go home.
I didn't see Ning for several weeks after that. Some said they saw him wandering in the next village and trying to steal food. Others said he had taken up with a gang of thugs. Whatever it was, I prayed to Lord Buddha that He would take care of him and guide him home one day.....
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