In my eyes, my mother is as innocent as a kid; my father a true old man. Although both my parents are 56 this year, Mother does not have a single white hair on her head. In contrast, Father’s hair is almost all grey. Mother is active and energetic with a smile on her face. She likes to see me dressed in red. Anytime I am wearing that colour, Mother is all smiles as if all her troubles had evaporated. A tidy lady, she often dresses herself up and wears makeup.

Different from Mum, Dad is just the opposite. Buried in his own world, he is not very communicative. There is a remote expression on his face. He hates to see me dressed in red, saying I am like a girl in that colour. In daily life, Dad does not care about his appearance. You could say he is a slob.

Mum and Dad share the same bedroom, but they sleep on separate beds. Father is so unkempt that Mother does not seem to be intimate with him. Sometimes I ask Mum jokingly if she has ever kissed Dad. My question never fails to bring forth the same reaction from the neat lady. She makes a face to show that she looks down on her man.

As different as black and white as Mum and Dad are, oddly enough they seldom quarrel or fight. If Mother does lose her temper, which is rare, Dad just ignores her by watching his favourite TV shows. I often ask Dad how he has managed to live with Mum for so many years and why they have not got divorced. No answer from Dad! I assume they are still together because Mum is kind and enthusiastic in heart.

Mum runs a family restaurant. Our business is very good with loyal customers eating there every day. When her patrons leave at the end of a meal, she often gives them some pickles made by herself. In summer, if we have a watermelon, Mum will cut the fruit in half and share it with our neighbour. Thanks to Mum’s generosity, our family business has prospered.

These days, some people give very expensive presents but there is little love in them. Mother’s gifts to others are small and simple, but they contain her genuine respect and consideration. That is the reason why Mum is such a popular lady in the neighbourhood.