Shengliver’s Note: It warmed up an adolescent’s day.

 

The weather has been behaving unpredictably since last winter. This spring is no spring at all. Rather it is a long tail of its wintry sibling, trailing well into March and April. Except for a couple of sunny spells, it has been overcast, drizzly or nippy most of the days.

The Chinese New Year holidays saw a number of unusually warm days. The vagaries of the weather misled Ming the Chinese teenager into believing that it would be sunny and balmy in the new term, so when he returned to school at the end of the holidays, he left behind his winter wear at home in Zhuxi and took along only his school uniforms, which are intended chiefly for autumnal and spring weather.

At such temperatures as we have had so far, the boy suffered like hell. It was OK in the classroom, for over 70 students kept the room warm despite poor ventilation indoors. In the dorm, he felt the bite of the chill. Anyway, he was nice and warm under the quilt during the night.

Ming suffered the most on the weekend, when, no classes to take, the classroom building was closed. He usually went to the reading room in the library to do his homework. With few souls there, he couldn’t help shivering at the desk, teeth chattering.

One Sunday, Ming could not stand it any longer. The teen decided to go and shop for a sweater. He visited a lot of stores in the neighbourhood, only to find most garments on sale were too large for him. He came back empty-handed, as shivery as ever.

His wearing so little became a laughing stock among his mates, who said Ming wanted to show off his figure to the girls. Their jokes pissed Ming off.

Another Saturday evening while Ming was trembling, wringing his hands frequently in the reading room, a reader at the next desk noticed it. He asked Ming why he was not wearing something warmer. Ming gave the explanation, ready to be ridiculed once again.

This boy called Frank was Ming’s former classmate in middle school. In high school they are in different classes. They were not on good terms in middle school. Actually, in Ming’s memory they were rivals back then.

Frank did not tease Ming. Instead, he said seriously that he has an uncle living in town. He would ask his uncle to help get a sweater for Ming if he did not mind it.

Ming could not believe his ears. Their middle school ding-dongs still fresh in mind, Ming took Frank’s words lightly, never expecting he would mean it.

One morning during a break the next week, Ming was doing his schoolwork in the classroom when he heard his name called. He glanced out but found no one there. So he ignored it. After a while, his name was heard again, and his classmates urged him to go out.

Ming walked out into the corridor, where stood Frank, who is of average height, and his uncle, the latter carrying under his arm a new sweater in a package. The adult asked Ming to try it on, and the garment fitted him like a glove.

The incident touched the teen. It occurred to him that he had misjudged Frank. The sweater warmed up Ming. What Frank had done for him made Ming’s day. This spring no longer feels as frigid as it is, with the warm garment on.