by Greg Marine Hong Kong Restaurant
Although I didn’t know Zi well, his impact on my life is enormous. He will be missed 😔 He came into my life 34 years ago when he brought his family to Mooresville Indiana and opened up a Chinese restaurant. His food wasn’t the first time I had Asian cuisine. But that was when I fell in love with it. In fact, everywhere I live now, I must find my favorite restaurant…and it has to be Asian…LOL Zen is the most recent of such places…hehehe Yet, it isn’t the food that draws me to my memories of the past 34 years.
The Qiu family has been important to me all these years. I got to know Zi’s wife, Lisa, well. And their daughter Bing became a friend of mine in the late 90s. I still go to her new restaurant almost every time I visit my hometown in Indiana. We catch up on life every time ❤️ She and her mom always ask about my son and parents. They are sort of like family, in a way. We aren’t super close like I am with Cherie, Dan, and Tyrese. But they are the type of friends where you can just pick up right where you left off and it’s as if time hasn’t passed at all.
Sadly, the patriarch of the family has now passed. He wasn’t ill long, from what I gather. It sounds like it was a sudden illness and he didn’t suffer long. Yet, he was only 75. I feel as though he still had plenty of time left. In that, I am very wrong. Those who survive him are at a great loss in this season of their lives. I mourn with them. Not because I knew him well. Because I know them and I know their pain. I can feel it in their spirits this week. This is a very sad time 😔
I was looking forward to enjoying some of Bing’s food for my upcoming visit. I’m not sure she’ll have the shop open this weekend now. The ceremony sounds like it will be private only; which is understandable. They were never the type for all the hoopla or pomp and circumstance that brings a lot of attention. They are a private family until you truly get to know them. I’m grateful that I had the opportunity to know them ❤️
On the up side, I am so grateful to be heading to Indiana tonight. Malachi turns 21 tomorrow 🤩 I still remember the day he was born like it was yesterday…hehehe There were a lot of things about that day that weren’t good. But the joy of getting to meet Malachi for the first time overshadows that bad stuff every time.
I feel bad for our dog, at the time. The poor pup had no idea what was going on. I mean, I’m sure he knew a baby was being born. But he was stuck at home being cared for by others while we were busy bringing Malachi into the world…LOL The dog became very protective of Malachi once we were all at home and a family ❤️
Malachi’s 16 birthday was celebrated 5 years ago at Zi, Lisa, and Bing’s Hong Kong Restaurant. It was while restaurants still couldn’t really have dine-in patrons due to the pandemic. But they gladly hosted our large gathering to celebrate my son 🤩
We are celebrating him again this year at a restaurant. Just not Hong Kong Restaurant…hehehe This year, he chose Taxman Brewing. It’s a place I’ve been taking him on almost every visit for the past 4 years. I first took him to one of the locations near where I was temporarily living before my move to Florida. We had his graduation dinner at that location a year ago because it was on the way home from where his ceremony was being held. For this year, we will be at the main location closer to my hometown. He wanted his first drink to be there…hehehe
Including him, there will be 17 people in our party. I can’t begin to describe the joy that brings me. He is well loved and we are so glad he is in our lives. He’ll have 3 of his closest friends, plus 13 family. But here’s the thing, I had to limit the number…LOL That isn’t even everyone who would probably want to be there…LOL I could have probably rented out a large dining hall for this popular guy…LOL hahaha
It’s such a Blessing to be celebrating life in two ways this weekend. One that has come to an end. And one that has barely begun. Goodbye, Zi. I didn’t know you well. But I know your family. They are loved. You will be missed 💔 And congratulations, Malachi! You are amazing and I’m so proud of you and I love you so much ❤️ Keep GrOwING 🤗