Encounter My Countrymen at Rockport

               Encounter My Countrymen at Rockport

                   ----in McArthur Glen Design Outlet by YVR Airport

                Written by Charles Zhu

                March 20, 2018

    Nostalgic emotion was motivated with recognition of my customers’ strong accent of the Southern Chinese dialect.

    Yesterday I encountered three customers who, I judged, came from my hometown, the city of Heavengate, Hubei province, China. The story took place like this.

    It was a beautiful day yesterday. Brian Woods, district manager of Rockport, Charmaine, my colleague, and I, whose name is Charles Zhu, were working in the Rockport Outlet Store 1840, located near YVR airport in Richmond. On the early afternoon, I approached the customers quickly when I heard them talking about the waterproof Wayde Mudguard Oxford. With a smile, I asked in Mandarin Chinese,

    “Hello. Is there anything I can help you with today?

    “We are looking for kind of shoes which are waterproof and have a good walkability,” the old man replied.

      I got excited when I realised that he spoke the dialect of my hometown in China.

    “ Do you come from the city of Heavengate in Hubei province?”

    “ Yes. How do you know that?” he wondered.

    “ I was born in Heavengate. I lived there for eighteen years.  I recognized your accent,” I told him.

    “So you are an immigrant, aren't you? How long have you lived in Vancouver?” he asked with curiosity.

    “ I have lived in Vancouver for fourteen years,” I answered.

    “You had come here earlier than my daughter did. My grandson Xiao Ming studies in an elementary school in Richmond. My daughter accompanies him, taking charge of his daily chores. Last month my wife and I travelled to Vancouver and stayed with my daughter and my grandson.

    Heavengate! Heavengate! I have not visited my hometown since 2008. Right now the name of this heavenly city has brought me back to my childhood. An interesting story about the city of Heavengate has appealed to me since I was a child. The legend goes as follows:

    Seven hundred years ago in Ming Dynasty, a young scholar travelled a long distance to the capital of Ming Dynasty to participate in the Imperial Examination. He settled down in a small hotel. There he met with a beautiful young girl. He knew nothing about her family background. They fell in love and ate the forbidden apple. The young lady got pregnant and her belly became visibly larger and larger day after day.

    One day the girl’s parents found out her daughter’s secret and got exasperated with her. They asked who was the mischief-maker. As a matter of fact, the girl’s parents were neither common people nor ordinary officials in the government. Instead they were emperor and empress, who had established Ming Dynasty.

    The emperor was furious with the young scholar, who had committed such a crime. All the high officials kneeled down and requested the emperor to have mercy on the talented young man. In rage, the emperor announced:

    “He would be alive if the Heaven’s  gate were opened,”

    The young man kneeled down swiftly and reported to the emperor in a high voice,

    “ I come from the Heavengate, my majesty.”

    In ancient China, whatever the emperor said was law, which everybody had to abide by.

    As a result, the young scholar was permitted to marry the emperor’s daughter. He was also awarded with the title of top scholar among thousands of examinees.

    Even today the students from the city of Heavengate are always on the top rank among the examinees who attended the College Entrance Examination.

    Finally, my hometown customers purchased two pairs of shoes. When I was processing the transaction, The old man said,

    “I would like to boost your business because of our countrymen’s intimacy. My original plan is to buy one pair of shoes. I ended with purchase of two pairs. I feel happy today.”

    I saw them off to the gate of the store, watching them go away.

    I was exalted today! I enjoy serving the customers and making their purchase experience unusual and memorable.