In my eyes, my mother is like 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. When 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. In fact, he is slovenly.

Although Mum and Dad share the same bedroom, they sleep on separate beds. Father is so dirty 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 Mum. She makes a face to show that she looks down on Dad.

Although Mum and Dad are as different as black and white, strangely 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 bet 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, when we have watermelon, Mum often cuts the fruit in half and gives a half to 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.