I remember Dad telling me one day they were aboard a boat in Hong Kong harbour or perhaps off the coast in Repulse Bay. Not sure about the exact details, but I think it was something to do with Granddad Bob (Dad and Bob's father, and my grandfather that alas I never met - one of the major drawbacks about being a late-born accident). Anyway, it was a Sunday, and being British, time for a roast beef lunch with all the trimmings. I am assuming that there would have been at least eight adults (my parents, Bob and Mo, Ted and Jan, plus the grandparents), plus say the same number of kids. Whichever way you look at it, a lot of people. So no doubt the roast was enormous, perhaps more than one, plus a boatload of potatoes, onions, carrots, gravy, etc. Maybe even a bit of Yorkshire pud for good measure!
This photo is of my Dad (left), Uncle Bob and his dear wife Aunty Mo at a banquet in Hong Kong. I am sure this was in my lifetime, so must have been in the early 80's. Dad's collar attests to that! Still, if anyone in the family reading this has a take on that, please comment. I can recognise the cigarettes Dad was smoking - Silk Cut - and of course the customary end-of-banquet fried rice, just in case someone hadn't had enough to eat. Those two aspects tell me this was in HK. Dad was no doubt having a crack before Bob employed his usual ensure-there-is-no-wastage technique haha!
Anyway, back to the Uncle Bob story. Being a big family affair, everyone took turns and grabbed some roast, veggies and gravy etc, before sitting down to eat. According to Dad, being a big buffet style meal, most took a modest portion, with the intent of going back for more. Uncle Bob patiently and magnanimously waited for everyone to serve themselves. He then asked to the crowd-in-general words along the lines of "has everyone got their meal?" - frankly I can't remember all the specifics, but I do remember being spell-bound by Dad's re-telling of the story, even after the 100th time. Having received a response to the affirmative from everyone present, Bob then took a plate, and - moving slowly, but as deliberately and unstopping as the movement of continental crust - proceeded to serve himself.
First of all, he built a moat. For the construction of this castle, some external protection was required. So he ringed his plate with all the remaining roast potatoes. He then filled the void with the remaining meat and other veggies, before drowning the whole thing in gravy. He then took his customary position - he frequently pulled up a chair at the buffet table itself - and polished off the remainder of the repast.
This was the most detailed story I knew of , but cousin Phil tells a few in his writings, and my brother Peter also has many a story to tell. Mate if you end up reading this and care to comment below any of your memories, I'd love to read them. I know of one, of the all-night mah-jong sessions in the old days, prior to Bob giving up on his vices (and kudos to him for being able to!) . Apparently he could consume untold quantities of noodle soup, pausing only to raise the empty bowl and utter the word "again" to the wait staff. All the while no doubt, while holding his side and moaning. Dear old Bob was one of those fellows who seemed to be dying for the best part of 40 years. I don't mean to sound critical - I loved old Bob and he was a true character and gentleman.
I'll write this last section with Uncle Bob in mind, but frankly it relates to the Brown family as a whole. Dad used to describe family yum cha lunches in Dixon Street Sydney, or in Hong Kong itself, as massive affairs. Those were the days when all baskets were served courtesy of a trolley. And when the Brown family was in town, well I am told it often resembled Custer's Last Stand. The Browns in the middle, surrounded by circling yum cha trolleys! Empty baskets piled metre-high around the table. I still indulge in yum cha these days, with my beautiful family, but it is a lot more circumspect. I kind of hold a torch to those old days, and hope if we meet in the next life, I can partake with the Browns, and have an epic yum cha, of Custer proportions!
Had to include this pic - dear old Uncle Bob with my Dad and Aunty Kath! I think was early 90's vintage, or sometime in the 90's anyway. Aunty Kath is still around, the last of that generation. I'll write more about her and the rest of my Dad's generation, in another post.
Now, this post would be incomplete without a reference - and a very fond one at that - to Aunty Mo. She was Uncle Bob's wife, and is in the photo at the top of this post. She was Macanese I believe - part Portuguese and part Chinese. A beautiful woman, both inwardly and outwardly. Alas I only have a few memories of her, from when we visited from HK in the early 80's and stayed with them in Tomakin, on the NSW southern coast.
The main memory I have of Aunty Mo is her telling me scary stories. If my memory is correct, she basically recounted seeing either the first Friday The 13th movie or the first Halloween movie, I'm not sure. But I remember sitting at her feet in the Tomakin house, while she recounted stories. She has a husky, deep and kind of whispery voice that made me spellbound. I loved her stories and I loved the time she put aside for me, even with such a household full of people. I only have a few memories of you Aunty Mo, and your legendary husband Uncle Bob, but you shall both live on forever in our hearts.
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