Chinese New Year Drama

Chinese New Year is probably the busiest time at the temple.  Many devotees come to pray and some bring gifts for the temple.  

This year, one generous devotee sponsored a steamboat dinner for us, vegetarian of course, for CNY eve. She ordered two steamboats which were delivered to the temple together with all the ingredients and as we number 12, we had two tables of six nuns each.  We were of course looking forward to our "reunion dinner" and around 6 p.m., we were all seated in the kitchen.  Head Nun as usual began with a thanksgiving prayer and soon we were tucking into the hot soup.

We were enjoying ourselves when suddenly the lights went out.  It is quite dark in the kitchen without any lights and APK hastily got up to look for some candles.  Electricity breakdowns do happen once in a while but nobody expected it to happen during CNY.  As we were waiting for the candles, we heard a sudden scream.  Then at the same time the electricity came back and we saw to our shock and horror that APK was grappling with a masked boy who had a small pen knife pointing at her throat.

"Don't move," he hissed menacingly.  "Give me your valuables and I shall let you all go!"

APK, brave as she is, retorted: "What valuables?  We're nuns, we don't have any!"

The boy hesitated, he looked about 14 years old and wore one of those blue surgical masks over the lower part of his face, like what everyone is wearing to protect himself from Covid-19.  APK, seeing him hesitate, quickly wrenched herself free, grabbed the knife and pointed it at the boy.

"OK, let's see who you are," she yelled and ripped the mask off the boy's face.  The boy, taken aback, turned to run but APK caught hold of him and twisted his arm behind his back.  She told me once that she had taken judo lessons when she was young, so now it had come in useful!

"OMG," gasped APK when she saw the boy's face.  "Head Nun, it's the boy from the orphanage!  Remember, the supervisor there told us the other day that one of them had run away.  I recognise him cos I had seen him before when I went to deliver old clothes there."

The boy now was shaking.  "Please .... please let me go," he begged.

Then Head Nun stood up.  "Look here, boy, are you hungry?  We've got plenty of food, come and join us."

APK stared at her in disbelief and protested: "Head Nun, he tried to rob us ...."

"Even robbers have to eat," replied Head Nun.  "Come, you may sit beside me."

APK reluctantly let him go and Head Nun led the boy to the table.  He was clearly frightened and surprised at the same time that he was being treated so kindly.  And he was indeed very hungry.  Soon he was gulping down the food in front of him while the rest of us kept a wary eye on him. 

When he had finished eating, Head Nun turned to him and asked him kindly, "Now, boy, we shall call your supervisor and ask her to take you back.  But first tell me, why did you run away?"

The boy hung his head, then stammered, "I ... I was so bored at the orphanage and tired of the same food everyday....we seldom get to go out and nobody really cares about us....I was so hungry these last two days with no money to buy food ..... please, don't punish me...I am sorry...." 

"You should be thankful you have a place to sleep and food to eat, even though it's the same everyday," admonished Head Nun.  "Do you know how many homeless and hungry people are out there in the streets?  If you were so hungry, you could have just asked us for food instead of trying to rob us!  Alright, just for tonight, since it's CNY eve and you have no family, I shall let you sleep here and you can go back tomorrow morning, ok?"

The boy's face lit up and he thanked Head Nun profusely.

"Head Nun, you must be joking," protested APK again.  "He ought to be punished, not pampered!"

Head Nun smiled and said, "Don't worry, it will be alright.  I shall have a word with his supervisor.  He's a good boy, he won't do anybody any harm."  She then gave instructions to one of the nuns to put a mattress in the spare room to let the boy sleep.  The young chap was so happy and grateful that he couldn't help crying.

"Vege Cat, I want you to sleep with him and keep him company," said Head Nun. Somehow I knew he wouldn't hurt me, so I agreed.  The boy was so excited to have a new friend and a new place to sleep that he talked non-stop to me the whole night and when he finally became tired, he fell asleep, a smile on his face.  I couldn't help feeling sorry for him, it must be pretty lonely living in an orphanage without any real family to care for him.  And I realised once again how lucky I am!

The next morning, the orphanage supervisor came to take the boy back, but first Head Nun made him promise never to run away again.  He nodded, hugged me and Head Nun and asked us to visit him soon.  (Later we heard that the management of the orphanage (prompted by Head Nun) came to review conditions there with the aim of improving things and hopefully all the kids will be much happier after their visit).

When they had gone, APK, still not satisfied, said, "Head Nun, you took a big risk.  He could have killed us all in our sleep, starting with Vege Cat."

"You're being overly dramatic," replied Head Nun.  "What did the Lord Buddha say about compassion?  The boy was lonely and afraid, he meant no harm.  All he needed was some love.  Now will you all start your prayers, it's getting late."

Even as she spoke, there came a big commotion from the back yard.

"Oh no, what now?" I gasped.  We all rushed to the chicken coop and found Bruce Lee sitting on top of a cockerel which we hadn't seen before.

"What's going on?" asked Head Nun.

"I found this no good bum making eyes at one of my hens," replied Bruce Lee, pecking the cockerel's head.  "So I pounced on him to teach him a lesson.  Nobody makes eyes at my girls, you dirty old creep!"

Some of the nuns started giggling, while Head Nun shook her head.

"Now, shall I bite off his comb and strip him of all his feathers?" growled Bruce Lee.  The poor cockerel started squirming and shrieking as he tried to free himself.

"I have a better idea, Bruce Lee," said Head Nun.  "Give him to me and I shall cook him for your dinner."

"Oh yeah?  Good idea," he replied and got off the cockerel.  Head Nun scooped up the frightened bird in her arms and made her way back to the kitchen.  

"I shall be waiting," shouted Bruce Lee after her.

Of course Head Nun let the cockerel go and I doubt we'll ever see him near our temple again!  As for Bruce Lee, he told his hens that they were going to have a big feast that evening and was angry with Head Nun when she "didn't keep her word" and made him "lose face".  He sulked for several days and refused to speak to her.

What a start to the new year - a young lonely robber and a jealous cockerel - but thankfully we have amongst us a heart full of love and compassion....