Auntie Annie’s Ah Mei, who is 7 this year, is the third Ah Mei in our extended family. The first is Cousin Xiuwei, Da Yi’s youngest daughter, and the second is me.
Young Ah Mei has a love-hate relationship with me. She hates me, and I especially love to disturb her. Every time she sees me, she’ll make displeasure of my presence known – she’ll refuse to acknowledge me despite her parents’ coaxes, walk away when I talk to her and give me looks of askance when I offer her sweets.
But I know she is just shy, and being rude is her way of dealing with strange adults who try too hard. Just like how I grin like an idiot and keep very quiet when I’m shy. In my heart Ah Mei is a good kid, and I’m keen to see how she grows up and turns out.
Auntie Annie’s family came over today because Mum asked Uncle Loo to help with changing our lights. He has been a great handyman to our family and has helped us with our electrical, plumbing and painting works all these years. We’re very grateful.
So while her Daddy worked (Auntie Annie helped out, and I don’t know what Auntie Annie and elder brother Ah Heng did), Ah Mei busied herself with games on my computer. I was out for harmonica class in the afternoon and when I came back, they were about to leave. Auntie Annie told me Ah Mei left me a note at my computer.

Thank you for letting me to play your computer. First, I would bring back the piano to my home. If you miss your piano, you may come to my house to play with it.
From Rachael
I know Auntie Annie must have coaxed her to write the note. But isn’t that sweet?
(The “piano” in her note is actually a keyboard I bought, out of boredom, when I was living in Shanghai a few years ago. I’ve been wanting to learn, but I’m not musically inclined and am always too busy. So Mum and I decided we’d give it to Ah Mei who likes music.)