Memoirs of an Ice-Cream Lady (Part 40)
By Emily Ho
Editor’s Note: The author runs an ice-cream parlor on Hong Kong’s Lamma Island. When time allows, she draws caricatures and writes. The following semi-autobiographical anecdote blends fact and fiction.
The Earth Tumbled, Emily Cried
“Madam, are you the shop owner? We’ve received a complaint that you’re fundraising illegally outside here.”
A policeman had appeared at Emily’s ice-cream shop just a day after she placed a UNICEF donation box on a table outside. A few days earlier, a 7.2-magnitude earthquake had struck China’s Sichuan Province killing nearly 80,000 people.
“How can it be illegal to help UNICEF?” Emily asked the policeman. “And I have a document from UNICEF.”
Actually, Emily had displayed the donation box for a few years since she first sold UNICEF cards and gifts at Christmas time. She’d just moved the box outside to attract more attention and donations. But she hadn’t expected someone on Lamma to complain to the police.
“Sorry, Miss Ho, I’m just doing my job,” the policeman said. “May I see the document, please?”
While the policeman went to make a copy of the document, a UNICEF representative called Emily. “We just received a police inquiry about your donation box,” she said. “I’m sorry, but perhaps you’d best take the box back inside. My superior doesn’t want trouble.”
“Why give in because of a lousy complaint? Don’t people know the fundraising helps earthquake victims?” Emily asked.
“I understand, but please consider the circumstances. The police tell us that your table with the donation box is in a public area. That’s a grey issue.” The UNICEF representative tried to explain, but how could she persuade Emily or herself in such a ridiculous situation?
Emily still protested. “We need to stand firm. Once we remove the box, some people may be misled to think that I raised money without authorization. They may not donate anymore.”
Despite Emily’s reluctance, she had to move the box back inside. She knew the issue wasn’t about using a public area, but rather about a mean, narrow-minded Lamma Islander trying to “upset” her for unknown reasons.
As Emily removed newspaper clippings from the outside table, ones that showed Chinese children buried under rubble, tears trickled down her face like pearls falling from a broken necklace.
“Poor children in heaven, I’m so sorry I couldn’t do more to help your surviving families,” Emily whispered. “Maybe it’s my fault for offending someone here without realizing it. Believe me, I’ll find out who that person is and then do more so you can rest in peace.”
The mysterious complainer squealed in delight when learning that Emily had cried over the dead children. In a dark room amid smoke curling from a lighted cigarette, the culprit waited for another chance to “strike” at Emily.
ARCHIVES |
Who would expect Emily's UNICEF
donations box to attract police attention?
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