吻别 (Goodbye Kiss) in Penang

Its still Ching Ming and i do my duties for my grandparents and aunty. Its been a long time since i did it for my grandparents since i have not been in Penang during Ching Ming time. The Chinese are a superstitious lot, you only go pay your respects either during death memorial day or Ching Ming. This Collumbrian is at Mount Erskine, which is a really old cemetery. I wasnt quite sure where the turning was except that it was on the right hand side. As you passed through the arch gates, on the left is the place where everyone will gather around to have a drink and eat after the ceremony. Chinese belief again, you must eat before you leave the premises. Reason, i don't know. After that its the Crematory which i remembered well. The lift doors that open up and the coffin pushed in. Through the door, i saw three lift doors, i suppose functional reasons so that if there happens to have a need to allow 3 families to do their rites, it will be available. In the Collumbrian, downstairs its not lighted, its dark, with light coming in only through the windows. Since its been that long ago, i had to call to ask for their Collumbrian lot numbers. My grandparents used to be side by side each other on the ground floor, then my mum and aunty said that the lot which my grandmother was in was not good because its under a pillar. So they spent RM900 to relocate her and had to leave the previous lot empty. You can't sell or donate it to anyone else. And my youngest aunty who passed on a number of years ago is upstairs in a different lot. My mum told me to offer prayers to the God before i go and pray before my grandparents and aunty but i told her, i wldnt be doing that becos i am going to just place flowers and say a few words in my heart. My grandfather lot was easy to find..behind the plastic cover, was his urn and next to it a photo of him, smiling as i remembered him. He really used to pamper me and my brother, giving us toys and sweets, taking us to see the movies when we were young. Later on when i studied in penang, he used to ask my aunty to come over and check on me with some food..which of course all my friends used to come and ask to share with me. Next to his photo, a little toy vespa, which is the bike he used when he was able to. Penang is one state full of motor bikers. He was one of them. After that, looking for my grandma's lot was a challenge. The alphabet was easy but then there are so many numbers. Plus the Collumbrian for the lots reach up to almost the ceiling. For someone as petite as me, it was a strain to try and locate. Finally i got it. Next to her, was a box of the rice powder in the small square box, yellow base with a picture of a chinese lady on it. Ya, she used to love that i suppose. Then upstairs to look for my aunty. It was airy and much much brighter. Except now the lot numbers run into 4 digits. That plus unless you have been there at least once, you wldnt be able to figure out the sequence around the pillar blocks. It took me a few minutes before i cld get to find her lot correctly. In fact, i felt like i was in a maze, going round and round. At least her lot was not as high as my grandma's. In my heart, i say hello, wish you are well and that in the next reincarnation, all is better. Or if possible that they have reached Nirvana. And of course, a goodbye. As all Taoists and Buddhists wish for. I sincerely hope so.