#098/100 Ancestors

My grandmother and me browsing through some old family photos. From four and a half years ago.

After I wrote about my ancestors calling me through my genie in this post, they gave me a couple definite kicks. First the Fok Luk Sau statues got knocked over and, after I put them back in their places as if nothing unusual had happened (after all, it was hard to tell and I'm not a 'suspicious' person), my phone slipped out of my tight jeans pocket during a 5-minute taxi ride. 

Excerpts from my phone conversation with Grandma the next day:

Me: Grandma, do you believe in spirits....like getting messages from the other side?

Grandma: I believed in dreams.

Me: A friend of mine...it's hard to explain but let's say she can see things...She told me my ancestors are looking for me. I've also got signs in my daily life. 

Grandma: You mean your friend is a nun at a temple or something?

Me: She's a spiritual medium...Last time I said I needed those photos of your parents to write stories...The truth is I need their photos to communicate with them.

Grandma: That is really...strange. Did your friend tell you what your ancestors are trying to tell you? Have you got any ideas?

Me: No, that's something I have to find out...I guess it's just that they're looking out for me but I haven't paid any attention to them. Now they want me to get to know them. 

Grandma: Ancestors...Shouldn't it mean your grandfather's parents? 

Me: That's the Chinese way of thinking...In the West, and in the other world too, things aren't defined that way. I'm guessing it's your mother coz my friend said she saw a woman. 

Grandma: What if it's your grandfather's mother?

Me: I don't think so...Grandpa and I don't get along so great! Plus there're no photos of them that we can get hold of...What do you think we should tell your family? That I need the photos for writing or to communicate with Ancestors? Are they superstitious? 

Grandma: They're more superstitious than me, but still...

***

Five days later:

Grandma: We don't have to visit my family home anymore. My niece brought me the photos already! She took some shots of the portraits in their living room and made some copies.

Me: What? How did you do that?

Grandma: I said I wanted the photos for myself.

Me: I never knew you'd be so cunning...Okay, maybe I did. You stole those photos of Grandpa and his girlfriends from when he sailed around the world.

Grandma: He went to take a shower and I snatched them...

***

I'm getting those photos on Monday, which means I won't have a chance to post them on this blog before our 100 Days are over. And who knows if they want to show their faces to strangers? It's probably bad enough that I'm telling on them here already!