Uncle Charlie's Letter

Yesterday I got a letter from my family, I thought it's another nagging letter from Grandma asking for money, but it was Uncle Charlie.

Ever since my mom has gotten terminally ill when I was 9, I have been taken back by Grandma and living with her and her sons in Hong Kong. I always had fond memory of Grandma, so I was just happy to be with her instead of my father who was distant and evil. Uncle Charlie is the best looking guy in the Chen's family, he just got the right combinations. Well arched eyebrows with a hint of white on his left eyebrow that he's got since he was in his teenage years, a pair of sideburns, nice eyes on his squarish face, chest hair, he looks very masculine. I adored him, he became a father figure for me. He taught me to rub whiskey on my chest to grow hair and it worked. We remain to be the only men in the family that has chest hairs.

The first one of two years were cute, everything was new to me. Of course, I've known them since I was born but I haven't really lived with them for a long period of time. The way the Chens work is that they pinch every cents and used that money to invest. We rarely buy anything new. My grandma will moan and groan when I need books or uniforms for school and don't even think about getting any plaything. Uncle Charlie is the same way but he spared no expense if I was to use the money to learn a skill. Each of the Chens have a way of life and they constant argue among themselves to say that their own way of life is The Way.

Uncle Charlie was The Prima Donna of that. He would throw a fit, literally throwing things, be it a teapot or a dish he didn't care, it was his way or the highway. Being the social retards that the Chens are, they were all single until their 40s. I wasn't the most obedient child either. Schoolwork in Hong Kong is severe, being from Paris and haven't had to go to school much because of my mother's illness, I was used to it. Having to study Chinese all over again added to the stress. I might even had ADD on top of it. I often not do 3 or 4 of the 12 daily assignments and say 'fuck it'. Many teachers take it as an personal insult and give me detention or hit my hand with a ruler or two.

Uncle Charlie would get furious at me, yelling and screaming and yes, domestic violence do exist but brushed it off and moved on. It does has a longer lasting effect though, I think my lack of confidence comes from the constant nagging and belittlement of Uncle Charlie. Sometimes it feel like no matter what I do, it will never be good enough.

Seven years ago he came for a visit and started neat-picking everything in my place. How I shouldn't pay to use the dryer and should instead hang up my wet clothes on a wire. Or I don't need to eat out or cook lavish meals from home, fry and egg and eat it with rice. Or why do I have to have so many CDs and movies, what can I possibly gain from that. He does that to everyone he knows. I was excited to see him at first, but I have had it with him after a few days of that and told him off. "I was happy for the years away from you, stop telling me what to do with my life!"

He got married 16 years ago and had a son. His wrote to me that he is now divorce and his new address. He now lives alone. I have known about his divorce for a while, the family talks. His wife told me last time when I have visited that she is not happy, even her young son had learned how to throw and break things when he's not happy. Too much mental anguish. In my uncle's letter he was dismayed on how people thought he deserved to be alone, and honestly I am one of them. But I know he has done well for himself. With all the money he saved, he paid two property in full without blinking his eyes. He didn't believe in paying the bank interest. The man paid for my college. He also asked me to write him when I have time, and I thought I had successfully avoided him for years.

I so didn't want to be like him when I grow up, but more and more I see traits. I see my pessimism on everything, I'm a stickler for rules and I want everything to be done my way. Without my uncle's thrifty ways, I can't possibly handle ending up on my own.