A WHOLE LOT WONG

At this point I am convinced that one of them simply likes to talk a lot. Not that he believes the data is earthshaking, or that anyone is necessarily listening, but the conversation makes him feel connected and expands his world. The other one is not very good at listening, and his contribution often boils down to asking for something to be repeated. There is a certain amount of deafness on each side. The third one doesn't come by very often, as he's still recovering from pneumonia quite a while back. But he likes to talk about food.

Old so-and-so (surnamed Wong) died last week. Who? You know, so and so. Wong. Oh, Dickie's friend. Dickie wong. Whose brother Raymond died four years ago. Yes, that one. Alfonse wanted me to let you know. I told him about my ankle. Alfonse? Yes, Alfonse Wong. Oh Alfie, I thought he had died. No, that was Betsie, they looked alike. I've been to Doctor Wong about it. Good thing I cancelled the trip to China this month. Weren't you going to go with Eric, Eric Wong? Yeah, I talked to him. He was shocked to hear that so-and-so passed away, he knew the whole family. Didn't he used to date Alice? Oh, Alice Lee! No, Alice Wong. Rupert's sister's classmate. Rupert Wong. He got killed in that accident. By the way, I hear that old whatsisface is in the hospital, had a stroke. Whatsisface? Yes, you know him! You mean Lum? Whatsisface Lum? No, I think his last name is Wong. Whatsisface Wong.

Yes, judging by that conversation, many members of the Wong clan are either sick, dead, or unknown. As well as their kinfolk and classmates. A whole lot of people named Wong. While that was going on, I was wondering what happened Jack. Whom I haven't seen in over a year. He used to go to the same Wednesday lunch place, always ordered the salmon.
His surname, à propos of nothing at all, rhymes with 'Wong'.

One of my mother's classmates at Mills was named 'Wong'.
Nice woman. Intelligent and talented.

Lunch was good. Fish. Not salmon. With broccolli, rice, soup, and milk tea. If you sprinkle a little salt on cooked broccoli it is sweeter and more tender. Smoked a Person sandblast afterwards. Before going to the bakery and listening in on the discussion of gone Wongs. Where I packed the Loewe & Co billiard (beautifully grained piece) for after tea.

If you know someone's surname, it probably means that they are important to you. My regular care physician as well as both cardiologists are 陳 though spelled differently.
The doctor who supervised the treamill five years ago was also thus appelled.

I should make it a practise to ask people's names. As a sign of consideration.
Too often I am blindly opaque to social niceties. It's a flaw.



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