Thank you, for being part of my youth

Author：Judith Lau

I believe it is not by accident that people who come into our lives have something to teach us.

 

I got to know Lucy Rao on our walks back to our homes from class during my first days as a freshman at Taida in 1956. Lucy was originally from Indonesia and during her high school at 一女中 and later at Taida, lived with her grandparents whose house was not far from my first house in Taipei.

 

Our conversations on those walks were the usual chatter about classes and the professors but I gradually learned to trust her as she never said anything negative nor an unkind word about anyone. I met Julie Chiu, Lucy’s high school classmate, Frank Sit, Joni Amaury and some other Indonesian school mates through Lucy. Lucy and I even travelled to Taichung and Sun Moon Lake on a group trip during our freshman winter break.

 

Lucy had an easeful manner and an unruffled calm which made her a wonderful friend and travel companion. She emanated a gentle kindness that always sweetly lifted my spirits.

 

Towards the end of the first semester, our final exams were scheduled and I was in a conundrum as to how to take the required non-English exams as I could barely read and write a few words in Chinese. In class, I automatically translated the Chinese lectures into English notes.  Fortunately, several professors who taught in Chinese addressed my dilemma by allowing me to write the answers in English. But other professors required writing in Chinese only. The administration (Prof Ying perhaps?) offered that the only solution was for me to take an oral exam in Chinese, face to face with the professor. To verify my answers, someone (certainly not the examining professor) would have to transcribe my answers. I doubt that Taida had ever then encountered a problem student like me.

 

I had several new friends at Taida but the person who immediately came to my mind was Lucy. Tentatively, I asked whether she would transcribe my answers in the presence of the examiner and Lucy unhesitatingly agreed. The inconvenience to Lucy and logistics with the professors’ schedules were complicated but Lucy never showed the least impatience. She was always on time outside the professor’s office with a reassuring smile at my embarrassment. She never made a teasing comment and never spoke about her sacrifice of time and effort to anyone. It was only at a class reunion organized by Bea at Marjorie’s home in LA that I publicly thanked Lucy.

 

Lucy came into my life at my time of difficulty bearing her unique gifts of character and friendship which taught me what genuine kindness and unfaltering integrity means in a human being. I know she bestowed that same generosity of heart and soul on all who were privileged to know her. I will ever remember my Taida classmate, my friend, Lucy - 饒仕蓉!

 

左起:田之雲        丘蕙萊      饒仕蓉      邱墨荷      張  曼    (6/14/1985)

                             饒仕蓉  Lucy (Front row: L1)            (7/19/2008 at Amy's residence)

饒仕蓉 Lucy (Back row: L4)            (8/17/2015 at Yuk-mei's residence)

饒仕蓉 Lucy (Back row: L4)                   (9/19/2015 at Amy's residence)

 with Lucy at Lunch You Organized