Someone long ago, who’d, shown you the ropes at the job you were transferred to work in, in a, foreign land, that you’d, remembered his, kindness, and carried that feel of gratitude inside of your heart, for all this, time…translated…
That winter, I was transferred to the field office in Shanghai, and, as I’d, agreed to my manager, J’s asking, I’d not thought things through thoroughly, I’d, just, broken off an engagement, going abroad to work, that’s, an, opportunity.
For my transfer, J had gone all out, in fighting for my rights, including the wages, the days off, the roundtrip airfare to and from Taiwan and China, the hotel charges, my apartment while working in China, even the moving fees, J worked really hard, to get these for me from the company; and privately, as big as opening up my account locally, setting up my travels, to getting me a good discounted phone cards, giving me the reminders of the weather changes, and the transportation means, J had told the coworkers, to watch my back. And so, before I flew out, there was, basically, nothing that I needed to, completely, it was like, getting a brand new workstation at work.
The weekend I’d arrived, J took me to a restaurant in Shanghai, it wasn’t too spacious, but the place was cleanly, delicate, with that feel of homeness. I’m not familiar with the styles of food, and, even if I’m usually a glutton, but back then, I’d, lacked the settledness to enjoy the dining experiences, getting stuck in the chaotic relationship then, it’d felt like I was a refugee, no matter where I’d, gone, and naturally, food didn’t, matter to me. I remembered that he’d ordered four entrees with a soup, and, I can’t tell you what the dishes tasted like, until many a year ago, I’d, read up on the field asters, in the cooking, then, the day I went to eat with J surfaced, back up again.
illustration from UDN.com
That was the very first time I’d had the vegetable, and before that, I’d never even, heard of it, J ordered the stir-fry of the vegetable, and, I’d recalled, having thee vegetable cooked with the bean curds, or other items. The bright and oily leaves of this vegetable was soft to the chew, and sweetened to the taste, and as I’d eaten it for that very first time, I’d, left that anchor of it being a good food, it was variety that’s found in the wilderness, but, the scent was warming, and not too sharpened, although it was a taste of the foreign lands, it’d tasted fresh, and familiar to me. Don’t know why, on that day, and many days that followed, J started sharing his own experiences, of living and moving to Shanghai with me, to encourage me on my, new start of life, and, it’d always, corresponded to the memories of the taste of the vegetable he’d treated me with that day at that diner.
And yet, no matter how good a work partner I had, it still wasn’t enough, to lift me up from my broken up love, and even if I’d, managed to work really well, when I was left alone, I’d, fallen back, into, the lows again, and, before long, it’d, affected my sleep patterns, to the point, of it affecting me at work, and after a few short months’ stay in Shanghai, I’d, quit my job, and came back to Taiwan.
As I’d decided to go, J was, shocked, disappointed, but he had to, accept it, on the one hand, he was too kind, continually staying in touch with me, asking me regularly how I was, on the other, I knew, that as I’d quit, he will be thrown under the bus, and get questioned by his own superiors of his, leadership skills—after all, just a few months ago, he’d, worked really hard, setting everything up for me, set up my transfer, and a few short months, like child’s play, I’d, ended it, and he was, in search of, another individual to take my place in the office, this would be, really trying for him, I’m sure.
And, it was, regrettable, I’d not, gotten to work longer with J, and now, we’re, blessed, to become, coworkers, once more, and even if our lives had changed since, that sense of gratitude I’d felt toward him did NOT get reduced with the time.
the dish made at home of this vegetable, photo found online
I’d recalled this last week, and I’d searched all around, for the field asters, and I’d, switched to the garland chrysanthemums, chopping it up, added in some salt, a bit of, sugar, sesame oils, and, mixed it all in, with my kids’ favorites, bean curds, it was, my altered version of the dish from before. Although, the dish wasn’t, “approved” by the chefs, but, it’d, fitted to what I needed right at this, very, moment.
And so what impressed you, wasn’t really the food, but the emotions that were, associated with the food item that your manager took you to the restaurant and ordered, and this showed, how this man had, done all he could, to help someone who was a partner in business with him, and, despite how the work didn’t fall through, the individual carried that sense of gratitude toward the manager who’d hired her at the office, who’d, taken her out when she’d had some troubles, adapting to her brand new work.
JUST the Unwinding of Thoughts 