WHEN IT'S TIME FOR TEA

There comes a time in everyone's life when they get to witness something which leaves them flummoxed. After which they can scratch that off, understanding that if it happens again, they still won't act appropriately or correctly. A grand mal seizure at the bakery. Chap fell forward barely missing the table edge with his forehead. Seemed slow motion. Kudos to Henry and another fellow for springing into action while the rest of us sat there looking stupid. Probably saved the chap's life.

After it was all over and the ambulance crew had taken the victim off to General Hospital, the old lady whom I've known for over a decade without knowing her name swept up the debris and mopped the floor. We were all rather glad Henry had been quick to act. It could have been far worse.

Then I reminded the Ah-Lam about my milk tea and egg tart. Which had been backburnered while things happened. I enjoyed my tea rather abstractedly. I had just gotten there and sat down when it took place. If there had been a violent incident or crime right in front of my face I would have done much the same.

Oh miss? Never mind the bullets, I should like a pastry.
As well as a lovely hot beverage please.

羊癎，腦癲癇，或者叫癲癇。

About all I know about epilepsy is that supposedly Julius Caesar had it, although modern scholarship seems to suggest a series of mini strokes instead. The Cantonese call it 'yeung gaan', 'nou din gaan'，or 'din gaan'. None of us could actually think of the correct terms at the time, and the three old geezers nearest sat as if petrified. I pensively filled my pipe at the far table. I could see Stephen near the door. He couldn't get past the emergency technicians, so he went to a nearby prepared food place and bought some stuff to eat in front of the teevee later, and when he returned the passage to the back was clear.
Shortly after that Robert arrived.

The other term which did not come to mind then was "blunt floor trauma". That is probably a good thing. It would have been inappropriate and undiplomatic at the time, and no one there would have understood or appreciated it. A silly word joke.

I have been known to say stupid things.

癎 ('gaan', 'haan') by itself means epileptic convulsion. But Chinese words are lonely, and feel more comfortably matched with another word. Hence goat twitching (羊癎 'yeung gaan'), brain madness fit (腦癲癇 'nou din gaan'), and insane seizure (癲癇 'din gaan').

The painting above has nothing to do with the foregoing at all.
We are in fact nowhere near Southern California.
In case you were wondering.



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