*Tik Tak Tik Tak*

If you're wondering what sound is that, it's the sound of me playing with the abacus. ;)

Long story.. After my paternal grandfather, Yeh Yeh passed away recently, my relatives had been eyeing on his abacus. Coincidentally, Mum went back to my maternal grandfather, Gong Gong's office in Pudu yesterday to visit the staff there. She remember he used to keep an abacus. Since the abacus is a very "hot item" back in Dad's hometown, she asked for it. The clerk found it and handed the abacus to Mum. I'm now keeping it in my room. Hehe..

If you asked why, it's coz I feel that the abacus is something very personal to me. One, it's something very precious to Gong Gong. He had been using it practically his whole life, doing calculations for his business and personal expenses. It was like his life depended on the abacus. So much of calculations that the rods were already loose. Two, Yeh Yeh used to teach me how to use the abacus when I was very young. I remember going back to visit him, I would see Yeh Yeh sitting on the wooden chair with the abacus on the table in front of him, and he would go *tik tak tik tak* on it. Being a very curious person then, I would sit by him, watched him do that. One day, I asked him what was he doing, he told me and then taught me how to use it. Simple addition, like, 1+2.. 8+9.. 27+34..

So, having the abacus with me now, it will always remind me of it being Gong Gong's precious asset and that Yeh Yeh was the one who taught me how to use it. ;) It's like, a memory of both of them. If I haven't had the abacus now, I wouldn't think that I would remember how to use it. And so, last night, I was happily calculating away with the abacus. *grin* I'm sooo gonna treasure that forever!!