[Tales of Happy World] My Grandmother’s Hands

After my mother passed away, I was left in the care of my grandmother. My grandmother started selling wild herbs and roots so she could help my father take care of the family. She searched the mountains for wild herbs and roots all day, and then she spent the rest of the time cleaning and trimming them…

In the wee hours of morning, she sold wild herbs and roots at an open market located 2 miles away.

"You should try these herbs."

"I’ll give you a good price."

However, business was more often slow than good. I hated being alone in the house and I hated the herbs even more. It was because everyday after I finished my homework, I had to help clean and trim all the herbs and roots. The herbs and roots would dye my fingertips and nothing would get rid of the stain.

Then one day, something horrible happened.

"You must bring your parents on Saturday."

"Oh no…"

They wanted to discuss our upcoming entrance to junior high school. The only person I could take was my grandmother. Old shabby clothes… Her crooked back… Black stains under her fingertips… More than anything I hated the thought of my teacher seeing her blackened fingertips. After thinking about it all day, I finally brought it up.

"Grandma, you have to go to my school tomorrow."

I had told her but I secretly hoped she wouldn’t come. I was so distressed, I fell asleep without dinner.

The next afternoon. I was called into my teacher’s office and that’s when I began to cry.

"Grandma…"

"Ji-Young, if you want to be a good granddaughter, you’re going to have to study very hard…"

My teacher with tears welling in her eyes was holding my grandmother’s red swollen hands. My grandmother knew I was embarrassed of her... So she spent all morning soaking her hands in bleach and cleaning her fingers with a wire brush. Until the skin on her hands split like a turtle shell and bled.