“Ugh... it hurts!” the child sobbed.
How strange! Who got hurt? Should we call an ambulance? How pitiful!
“Daniel, you’ve been crying the whole night. Aren’t you tired? Stop crying. Come here to Sister May May!”
But to her surprise, Daniel cried even harder. “Master doesn’t want me anymore... Ugh... Now that he has a new computer. He doesn’t need me anymore…”
“Oh dear, Daniel, crying for someone like that is a waste of energy! Humans are always quick to forget the old and seek the new!” Uncle TV, who had been woken up by Daniel’s sobs, remembered the cruel actions of the master and couldn’t help but get angry. He continued, “My enemy is called High-Definition! Hmph, if it weren’t for him, would my master have abandoned me? The moment he appeared, the master started to say I was old, with poor functionality, blind and deaf, just a useless old fool!”
May May said, “Uncle TV and Daniel, you are still better off than me. At least you were once appreciated by your master! But look at me, what’s wrong with me? I’m clean and simple. Though I have an ordinary appearance, I have a wonderful singing voice. Yet people didn’t value me, and now I’ve become trash…” May May lowered her head, feeling suddenly very self-conscious and helpless, but she wasn’t willing to give up.
They all said in unison: “Sigh, could it be that we really are trash?”
An old woman was wandering in the back alley, bending her nearly broken body to pick up all the discarded old appliances. She looked back happily and said, “Old man, this is quite a good haul!”
The old man sceptically walked over. “Really? Let me see!”
The old man looked at the collection, and he and the old woman exchanged a smile. Both wearing satisfied expressions.
Together, they pushed their handcart. They feel exhausted but feeling a kind of indescribable satisfaction.
The elderly couple made a living by collecting old electrical appliances. They passed by here every day, going through this area to reach Electric Street. This had been their routine for ten years.
The smell of pastries drifted from afar, spreading through the street. The old man told the old woman to sit down and wait for him while he went back to buy her favourite white sugar cakes. The old woman watched his frail back as he walked away and ran to buy the cakes. Sitting by the roadside, the couple enjoyed the delicious white sugar cakes while reminiscing.
“Old man, how many years have we been here?” The old woman seemed to be transported back many, many years…
The old man replied, “It’s been fifty years.”
“Sigh, the government said it would rebuild the area. All the old neighbours moved away, our children are gone, and now only we remain… I can’t leave, I can’t. This is my birthplace; I grew up here…” The old man mumbled, feeling reluctant to part with the old neighbourhood that was about to be demolished.
The old woman sighed, “Maybe our life will get better! In any case, I’ll stay with you because it’s here that we met.” She snuggled against the old man.
“So, the old man and old woman are this pitiful!” May May sighed inwardly.
“Ha ha, there’s hope now, there’s hope!” Uncle TV suddenly became excited. All his anger disappeared.
Daniel, confused, asked, “Uncle TV, do you have some brilliant ideas?”
“Heh, no brilliant ideas! We just need to be sold to Electric Street, and we’ll be saved!” Uncle TV patted his bald head.
May May suddenly understood, “Right! If we don’t need to end up in the garbage dump. We’re not trash. We still have value!”
Daniel agreed, “Yes! We’re not trash!”
Uncle TV analysed their situation, “May May, you’re the healthiest, so you’ll definitely be sold for a good price. This way, the old couple won’t have to worry about living expenses. Who knows, maybe you’ll even find a good master!” May May was immediately filled with joy.
Daniel quickly asked, “What about me? What about me?” But then, looking at himself, he whispered to himself, “I’m falling apart, full of defects. Who would pity me, such a poor and disabled orphan?” Thinking about his own situation, he felt the pain in his body and became saddened, shrinking into a corner.
Uncle TV kindly said, “Little pity, who says you’re useless? Your courage is still intact! Come, be a brave orphan! Death isn’t scary; give your courage to a computer in need. You can be reborn in another way! Everyone will die, but the important thing is to do something meaningful before you go!”
Daniel gathered his courage and said, “I’m not afraid! I’ll be good!”
May May asked curiously, “Uncle TV, what’s your plan?”
Uncle TV laughed heartily, “Ha ha, I’m old, really old. This is the age of the young people. There’s no place for an old man like me. I’ll just stay with Little Pity and hope that our parts will be useful somewhere.”
Daniel interrupted, “Uncle TV hopes that we can leave a legacy for humanity!”
“Buying old televisions, computers, radios... high price paid…”
The elderly couple diligently pushed their handcart toward Electric Street.
Everyone was silent.
