Ming visited Anthony yesterday and once again wasn’t recognised. I am so proud of the way Ming is handling this. Instead of feeling hurt and upset, Ming just goes with the flow and has fun with Anthony anyway.
Ming: Do you know who I am?
Anthony: Well, you seem like a very nice bloke.
Ming: Yes, Dad, but do you know WHO I AM?
Anthony: Aren’t you the hairdresser?
Ming: No – I’m your son – I’M MING, DAD!
Anthony: Yes, that’s right.
Ming has the same booming voice that Anthony used to have. He also has a similar gait and the other day as he suddenly appeared in my view through the front window, I thought for a split-second that it was Anthony. The nostalgia was unsettling, but also quite pleasant. He loves the stories I tell him about how Anthony used to be before and just after Ming was born. These stories have helped Ming to cope with Anthony’s ill health over the years, especially lately. Ming has very few childhood memories of having a father who was robust, gregarious, the loud, life-of-the-party, generous host because he was a one-year-old when Anthony suffered his first cancer – kidney cancer.
One of the most wonderful things for me is to see so many of Anthony’s qualities embodied in this larger-than-life son of ours. Ming is full of humour and a kind of boisterous grace. To hear him tell me about how fantastic his visit to Anthony was yesterday is like a gift.
Two very nice blokes.
jmgoyder 
You must be so proud.
Yes and so grateful that Ming has come through his adolescent anger about Ants x
yes, and ming is one way that anthony’s legacy will continue )
A beautifully constructed post, an happy snapshot constructed from a sad landscape.
Thank you!
Nice thoughts Julie 🙂
I am glad that Ming is doing well.
A Ming AND Anthony story. What a gift these stories are for Ming. And it seems Ming has love for his parents coursing through him. What a gift you both are to him I’m sure.
Like father, like son both nice blokes
what a lovely post.