Farewell Scenes
An article on this week’s Post Magazine with the title “Gone for Good” discussed the recent goodbye scenes at Chek Lap Kok Airport as people – mainly young people – left Hong Kong for London, probably for good. Similar stories had been aired on TV last week as people tried to beat the UK deadline for entry under the LOTR scheme, or “Leave Outside the Rules” under which border officials may consider granting BN(O) passport holders six months stay while they apply for the necessary visa to stay. The Post Magazine story appears to be saying that these people leaving Hong Kong will benefit the countries they eventually settle in and will be Hong Kong’s loss. I have a different view though. I have seen emigration from Hong Kong from the 1960’s. Some of my Wah Yan classmates left before they finished secondary school while a lot more left to study overseas after graduation. Still a lot more left after graduation from HKU. I won’t attempt to fathom why my friends or friends of my friends had chosen to emigrate in those days and I would never be judgmental on their moves or motives. I have certainly lost contact with many of these friends – some of whom were rather close friends when they left Hong Kong – but that is life. Are the recent emigration phenomena any different from the ones we had had before, as the Post Magazine story seems to imply? I don’t think so. But time will tell. Hong Kong must learn to move on. I am a diehard Hong Kong person and I have never contemplated emigration even when all other members of my family had been granted green cards and when all the members of Rosita’s family had emigrated. After Rosita died, a close relative had offered to put me up with jobs and a second career but I had never given any serious thought to the idea, even when my two children were already planning to stay there for good.
Still on farewell, those of you who have read that part of my autobiography on my skiing career might remember a Jim Moore whom I referred to as our favourite ski instructor, who first brushed up Su’s skills and later helped me gain more confidence on the slopes. We last met in the 2019 skiing season when we promised Jim and his wife Joan that we would celebrate with them on 6 April 2020 when Jim would turn 80. We had planned a few trips to Vancouver including one which spanned from 23 February to 9 April 2020. We tried to make contact with the Moore family before we went off on a side trip to Yellowknife, but we failed to make face to face contact. Over the phone, we found out that Jim was not well, but we were content to meet them later in April. As it turned out, the Covid-19 struck and the ski resort in Whistler was closed by mid-March 2021 so that we couldn’t meet up with Jim in April.
A few days ago, Su had a hunch and decided to find out more about Jim’s conditions. This was what she found from Google –
MOORE, James (Jim) April 6, 1940 – June 2, 2021: It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of James (Jim) Moore. Jim was born in Salford, UK, and passed away in Squamish, BC. Jim will be dearly missed by his wife Joan, daughter Nicole (Scott), son Daryl (Sophie), and grandchildren, Peter, Leo and Teddy. Jim had a warm smile, a great sense of humour, and a genuine love of people; he was a fixture in Deep Cove and Whistler (and finally Squamish), where his vibrant energy will be missed. In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to the Sea to Sky Community Hospice. Or go for a ride with a friend or loved one. Jim would like that. A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.
Su tried to make contact with Joan and Daryl, but was unable to get any response. As things are what they are, we are unlikely to be able to do any travel for the rest of the year; so we have to leave things as they are and pray for Jim’s departed soul and his surviving family members. Such is life!
Still more on farewell, I bid farewell to my dear old Lexus two days ago and it would be another ten days before my first electric car would be ready – there are a lot of paperwork and processes to follow. Yesterday, I gave my diehard petrol car friend those jump start cables and a brand new multi-functional 12V vehicle jump starter. At the same time, I mentally said farewell to petrol vehicles, which I have been operating since 1970, or over half a century.
Looking back all these years, I can recall many interesting and exciting episodes intertwined with people and events that can fill at least a good chapter in my second memoir, but this would be another story.
I hope to talk to you again soon.
