EileenChang
WhenIgotofftheplaneinTaipeionmywaytoHongKong,IdidnotexpecttoseeanyoneIknew.IhadaskedtheChusnottomeetme,knowingtheywerebusyjustthen.Butitwaspossiblethattheywouldgetsomebodyelsetocomeintheirstead,soIwasnotsurprisedwhenanefficient-lookingmaninneatwesternclothesapproachedme."YouareMrs.RichardNixon?"HesaidinEnglish.
IhadseenmanyphotographsoftheblondeMrs.NixonandneverimaginedIresembledher.Besides,heshouldbeabletotellafellowChineseevenbehindherdarkglasses.Butwithawoman'sinabilitytodisbelieveacomplimentaltogether,nomatterhowflagrantlyuntrue,Irememberedthatshewasthin,whichIundoubtedlywas.Thentherewasthoseglasses."No,Iamsorry,"Isaid,andhewalkedawaytosearchamongtheotherpassengers.
ItstruckmeasalittleoddthatMrs.NixonshouldcometoFormosa,evenifeverybodyisvisitingtheOrientjustnow.Anyhowtheremusthavebeensomemix-up,astherewasonlythisoneembassyemployeetogreether.
"DidyouknowMrs.Nixoniscomingtoday?"IaskedmyfriendsMr.AndMrs.Chu,whohadturnedupafterall.
"No,wehaven'theard,"Mr.Chusaid.Itoldthemaboutthemanwhomistookmeforherandwhatajokethatwas."Um,"hesaidunsmiling.Thenhesaidsomewhatembarrassedly,"There'samanwhoisalwayshangingaroundtheairporttomeetAmericandignitaries.He'snotquitesane."
Ilaughed,thenwentunderFormosa'shugewaveofwistfulyearningfortheoutsideworld,particularlyAmerica,itsonlyfriendandthereforeinsomewaysafoe.
"Howdoesitfeeltobeback?"Mr.Chuasked.AlthoughIhadneverbeentherebefore,theyweregoingalongwiththeofficialassumptionthatFormosaisChina,themothercountryofallChinese.IlookedaroundthecrowdedairportanditreallywasChina,notthestrangeoneIlefttenyearsagoundertheCommunistsbuttheoneIknewbestandthoughthadvanishedforever.ThebuzzofMandarinvoicesalsomadeitdifferentfromHongKong.Afeelingofchronologicalconfusioncameoverme.
"Itfeelslikedreaming."Andtakinginallthefamiliarfacesspeakingthetonesofhomeland,Iexclaimed,"Butit'snotpossible!"Mr.ChusmiledruefullyasifIhadsaid,"Butyouareghosts."