Chapter 44 Catalpa

I don't know why it's hard to see catalpa in Beijing now.This is an easy-to-cultivate tree that can grow straight up to 20 meters high and form a large green umbrella at the top. It is very suitable whether it is used as a garden tree or a street tree.In an old house in Beijing, I saw a door carved with catalpa wood and a grand chair made of it. I also heard that this kind of wood is particularly resistant to moisture, and it will not be deformed by rain or water.But it was when I was in elementary school that I formed a particularly deep impression on catalpa.Once, I walked under a big catalpa tree in Longfu Temple with my mother and sister. I looked up and exclaimed happily: "Ha! What a big morning glory!" My sister who was already in middle school rushed to tell me : "It's not the morning glory, it's the Datura flower!" Mom smiled and told us kindly: "The morning glory

Cowflower and datura are both herbaceous plants, where will they bloom on this tall tree.Yes, the flowers do look a bit like them, but look carefully for a while, can you see clearly?Its open flower tops are like two symmetrical lips, the morning glory is like a round trumpet, and the datura flower is like a funnel.This is catalpa flower.Very nice, isn't it? " The place name Longfu Temple is still there, but the temple has disappeared, and the catalpa tree next to the main hall does not know where it died.I will never forget that catalpa tree, especially the clusters of pink lips among its branches and leaves in early summer.Another unforgettable reason is that I was beaten under that tree.

When I was in elementary school, I had to go to school through Longfu Temple every day, and so did many other students.At that time, most of the halls of Longfu Temple doubled as warehouses, and there were stalls along the passages. It was a department store open every day.After school, running around the temple with a group of boys, watching the fun and playing games is the happiest thing.There was a boy in the class with a small head and big protruding ears. Because of the poor financial conditions of his family, he dropped out of school to set up a stall in the temple to sell socks.For a while, our boys who were still in school, led by the biggest "Iron Fist", always went to the sock stall to harass after school.Iron Fist is of course a nickname.Most of the boys in the class have nicknames and call them around openly.Boys also secretly call some girls nicknames, but they dare not use them publicly.Most of the nicknames are not very unpleasant, and I sometimes call them along.But the nickname "Iron Fist" gave to his peers who sell socks is "Bikidor", which means that there are two more ears than the thing in the man's crotch. He often starts to scream strangely when he is far away from the sock stand, no Few classmates agreed, but insisted on asking others to agree to him.I played peek-a-boo, photographed foreign paintings, and played glass balls with Tekken and the others. I was quite comfortable, but I was reluctant to make noises at the sock stalls.I remember that one summer, "Iron Fist" found out that I was determined not to call that nickname, so he forced me to come up to me and insisted that I call it that way.What he was thinking at that time, I still can't understand clearly, but as far as I am concerned, I am very clear why I can't scream. "Iron Fist" pushed me onto the thick trunk of the catalpa tree, grabbed my neck, roared, and forced me to scream. I was forced to look up, and I happened to see the clusters of catalpa tree flowers in full bloom. My mother's face overlapped with those flowers Then, I told "Iron Fist" out of breath: "My mother doesn't allow me to swear." salty...

I can't remember exactly how it ended that time.In short, I didn't tell my mother or the teacher about "Iron Fist" beating me. Moreover, "Iron Fist" still called me to play the next day, and I still played hide and seek with them.Later, at a class meeting, the teacher said: "No girl in our class swears or swears. Boys..." He named me and praised: "He never swears or does dirty work." I basically Such a language habit has been maintained.Now I don't mean to praise myself by mentioning this.I just recall my parents who have passed away long ago, especially my mother who lived with me the longest. Their requirements for their children that they must not swear or swear are fused in countless similar instructions.

In such precepts and deeds.It was only after I grew up that I realized that I had acquired an upbringing that respected every ordinary life. My parents are very ordinary intellectuals, and they have not made any achievements worthy of social memory throughout their lives.Many years have passed, and my temples have become gray. At an exhibition, someone suddenly called out my name. I looked at him for a long time before I recognized him from his pair of protruding ears that seemed to never change shape. After he held my hand, the first thing he asked was: "Is Auntie still healthy?" I didn't have time to answer, and he said again: "You forgot? I still remember, you said that your mother forbids you to swear. It's right under the big catalpa tree in Longfu Temple... I've been narrow-minded since I dropped out of school... If you had followed them then, maybe you wouldn't be able to see me today!" Ah, he recalled Thinking of my mother, in fact, they have never met before!Catalpa tree rowan tree flower, my tears are full of your brilliance!