Sunday, 7 November 2010

The Curiosity Gene

Saturday 6th November


Day 199


My father dips his chopsticks into the dish of deep fried king prawns swimming in a sauce of such sticky luminous orange that it offends my eyes. At his request, my sister and I are treating him to a day early ninety first birthday lunch at The Bird’s Nest - his favourite Chinese restaurant.


‘What’s the secret of your long life?’ I ask him.


He doesn’t hesitate.


‘Curiosity’, he says, ‘ and being interested in people.’


‘And believing you can change things - and doing something about it,’ I say.


Like planting a Peace Pole - and averting a war when it is uprooted.


I think this curiosity gene passed me by. But luckily I see it is thriving in his grandchildren.









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