More than ten years ago, the elderly gentleman known as ‘Er Ye’ (二爷) or the ‘Second Lord’ within English translation was already in his seventies. At this time, however, his body was very tough, he moved vigorously, and when he walked his feet appeared to cleanly ‘strike’ the ground with a "boom-like" sound. As his teeth were white, hard and complete (something that baffled us children back then), he preferred to eat the harder type of fried popcorn – and would always consume a large amount without damaging his pristine teeth! People who knew ‘Erh Ye’ back then, were of the opinion that he must be a ‘long-lived’ person due to his obvious robust psychological and physical health!
Just over ten days before his death, his faintly observed that his speech suddenly became a little strange and difficult to understand. I remember that in the first months of winter of that year, Er Ye's son - Uncle Liang (亮) - (who was away from home at the time), asked someone local to provide Er Ye with extra winter clothes – but when he received the clothing – he avoided looking at the bundle and made no attempt to acknowledge the gift or to put-on the extra-layers. He merely picked-up the bundle and placed it onto a nearby chair – with his movements being both swift and precise – whilst remaining unrushed or unduly influenced by outside events. He then muttered ‘I no longer require clothing and have no reason to wear new garments!’ He then walked away complaining that his smoking-pipe was ‘dry’ and that he might need something useful – such as a pouch of ‘new’ tobacco! He then sat quietly for a long-time – with those present being astonished by his behaviour! The Mistress (二奶奶 - Er Nai Nai) of the house (probably ‘Er Ye’s’ ‘second’ wife) attempted to ‘break the silence’ by stating ‘Just look at all this “old man” nonsense!’ As far as every present was concerned, Er Ye was muttering ‘half-sentences’ and acting in an incomprehensible manner! The observable fact was, however, that Er Ye was quite happy and content.
Three days before his death, however, he became agitated with the Mistress of the house whom he said was not dedicating enough time toward his personal care. This was because she had given-up trying to understand his ‘half-sentences’ and often did not prioritise his needs or properly arrange his meals times. On that day, however, the Mistress heard that a visiting salesman was selling small native chickens in the village. There were not many pure native chickens left in those days, with broiler and egg-laying chickens of foreign descent had flooded the market. The Mistress still missed the taste of the native chickens from the old days. When she heard that there was a dealer selling these chickens, she happily opened the savings-box, found the right amount of money, and urged Er Ye to buy her a native chicken and raise it in their garden! The usually very diligent Er Ye, was acting uncharacteristically on this day. He sat motionless in his chair, not nodding but dozing off and looking indifferent to events. The Mistress urged him several times but he did not move. Then the Mistress became annoyed and shook Er Ye roughly by his shoulders demanding that he pull himself together! Er Ye angrily replied ‘I cannot eat ‘meat’ again – my time is complete!’ The still angry Mistress replied ‘Are you so selfish that you are about to die right away?’ She then ran outside to purchase a ‘new’ chicken! Without looking back
Due to the continuing anger between the couple – the Mistress stopped cooking for Er Ye and he went hungry! No one expected the demise of Er Ye to be so close at hand. In the morning three days later, most of the people in the village were still in bed, but this is exactly the early time that Er Ye used to rise in the morning! He would wash and dress, and then sit on a small bench outside his house and start the day by weaving a mat! Indeed, he was a recognised ‘Master’ of mat-weaving, and he would often walk down the mountain to chop bamboo and walk back again. His craftwork was sought-after far and wide but the local people were reluctant to ask him for mats. When Er Ye heard this, he stepped-up his individual output and made enough mats so that he could give them out ‘free’ to the local people! The Mistress soon started calling for Er Ye to get-up from inside the house – but her pleas were met only with silence. Local villagers then ran over to find Er Ye lying peacefully on his side in his yard - after having just passed away. Er Ye had fulfilled his intentions of ‘talking less’, ‘not wearing’ new clothes and never eating meat again! It would seem that some elderly people are able to ‘sense’ the approach of physical death and prepare themselves accordingly.
https://www.163.com/dy/article/GJ1SER890543VRV0.html
老人临终前,常说半头话
2021-09-04 09:51:51 来源: 五月读书汇
十多年前,那时的二爷七十多岁,身子板十分的硬朗,走路虎虎生风,直踩得地上“咚咚”直响,特别是吃那种炒的比较硬的玉米花时,他一次可以来个一斤多,直让当年我们这些小孩子们瞠目结舌,无不佩服他的牙齿。
认识二爷的人,都说按他目前的身体状况,一定是个长寿的人。
就在去世的前十多天时间里,我们都隐隐感觉他说话突然变得有些莫名其妙起来,让人听起来怪怪的。记得那年初冬,二爷远在外地的儿子亮叔,托人给二爷带回了几件冬天的衣服,谁知道,二爷接过后,拿在手上别说试穿,他硬是看也没有看,就“呼”的一下,丢在一旁的凳子上,嘴里咕嘟道:“我不要,我又穿不到了!”,说完,叨着他的旱烟袋走开了。一句话只说得在场的我们一头雾水,愣愣的半天没有反应过来。
二奶奶为了打破这僵局,笑着指着他离去的背影轻声地骂道:“瞧死老头子,尽胡说!”
不能仅这次二爷说了一句半头话,不久后,也就是在他
去世的前三天,他的一句半头话气得二奶奶有大半天懒得搭理他,还让不会做饭的他饿了一顿肚子。
那天,二奶奶听说村头来了一个卖小土鸡的人,当年纯土鸡已不多,洋系血统的肉鸡蛋鸡已冲斥了市场。二奶奶总还是怀念着当年土鸡的味道。一听说有卖土小鸡的贩子,她高兴地打开箱子,找出钱,催促二爷快去买些回来自己饲养。
平时很勤快的二爷这天却一反常态,坐在椅子上一动不动,还不是地点头打着瞌睡,一幅无精打彩的样子。
二奶奶催了好几次他也没有挪动身子。最后二奶奶发飙,连推带拉非让他去,没想到二爷竟没好气地白了二奶奶一眼说道:“我又吃不到了的,我卵得去搞!”
二奶奶一听气得七窍生烟,指着二爷的鼻子骂道:“怎么吃不到?你难道马上去死!”说完,不再理二爷,自己一个人“咚咚”地跑出门亲自买去。
为此事,二奶奶生了二爷大半天的气,硬是一句话也没有和他说,害得不会做饭的二爷饿了一顿肚子。
大家都没有料到,二爷的大限之期就到了,而且来得让人瘁不及防。三天后的那个早上,村里人大多都还没有起床,二爷闲不住,他有个早起的习惯,起来后没事,他就会坐在一个小板凳上,伏下身子,开始蹲在地上编织蔑席。
他是远近有名的蔑匠,大家都找他编织蔑器,后来年岁大了,左邻右舍也就不好意思请他,都纷纷从很远的地方请篾匠。但是二爷却不管这些,自己下山砍竹子,编织一些竹器,乐呵呵地免费送给大家用……
“快起来!快起来!老头子不行了!”二奶奶的惊呼声,清晨的寂静,将大家从睡梦中惊醒。
大家急匆匆地披衣下床,慌慌张张地跑到二爷院子里一看,只见二爷侧身卧在地上,很平静的躺着,就仿佛是在熟睡中……
二爷就这样走了。真应验了他的话,亮叔给他带回的新衣服他没有穿上,二奶奶买回的小土鸡他也没有吃到。难道在冥冥之中,二爷真的是已感知到了死神的到来?