More from Ryu

 

‘You’re a very special person. That’s what Ma always used to say, but I couldn’t see what was so special about me. I wasn’t good at anything. In middle school I couldn’t do a single chin-up. I can’t swim. I’m nearsighted. I had more than a dozen private tutors and they all quit. I’ve got a sweet tooth … I felt sorry for Ma. She put up with everything my father did and never said a word, just went on mixing medicine all day. I felt sorry for her, but she was too ugly to love. Maybe I hated her. Maybe I hated her even more than him. It’s people like her who make things miserable for everybody around them, just suffering on and on. If you ask me, people who suffer all the time shouldn’t even be allowed to live.’

‘Anyone who’s had a visit from them has discovered an important fact about life: namely, that misery grows up all by itself, in a hidden place, without your even being aware of it, and then one day, suddenly, it knocks on your door. Happiness is just the opposite. Happiness is a cute little flower on your veranda, or a baby canary.’ You can see it growing, little by little, right before your eyes.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Vegetable People Practical

Single Text Essay Structure

COMPLETED VERSION Charles Perkins and the 1965 Australian Freedom Ride