Rooster and his wife (公雞和他老婆 )
There was a couple who both used to work in the factory, the best I can gather, both are good productive workers, and are both from out of province. They have a young daughter and is being taken care of by the man’s mother back home.
Factory work life is not easy, China is called,” Factory Of The World” – To qualify for this title, most factories start at 7:30 am, lunch at 11:30 am for half an hour, there is a 10 minutes break in the afternoon at 3 pm. , then dinner at 5:30pm.
Most nights there will be overtime until 9 pm. With the odd weekends off once or twice a month, depends on the production schedule. Some months you might need to work 30 days straight.
This is not to say that people are chained to their work stations, far from it, they are free to go for a bath room break, or sneak in a cigarette. People do get tired after hours of focusing on their work under the bright fluorescent lights.
Rooster and wife Lin both worked under one roof, sending monies home to their family back home and all was well, until one day his mother fell ill from a stroke, the old lady was paralyzed and no longer able to look after the granddaughter.
Rooster being the son, and the lesser of the two bread earners combined. Husband and wife team decided he would go home and look after his mother, and wife Lin would continue working to send monies home.
Rooster’s male pride was hurt, and with a nick name like Rooster is not without its humorous reasons. If you know what I mean. Anyway Rooster got a computer from his darling wife as a pacifier, and went home to be a good son and a real father figure.
Rooster soon grew discontent with the day to day humdrums back home, and wanted to come back to work (and join his wife.) soon after.
However, Lin would have nothing to do with Rooster’s gesture, and told management that if they hire him back, she would quit, presumably go home to look after the kid and mother in law.
Lin is a good worker, quiet, and her production is precise and timely with minimum supervision. After management spoke with Rooster gingerly, he was coaxed back to his stay home dad role for now. Another crisis averted.
Families’ in China sacrifices a lot to get ahead, with all those single occupant vehicles rushing to work in the mornings, as much as I am disgusted with their driving manners, wanton disregards of other people safety and welfare.
After so many years of with outs, all of a sudden everything seems within reach and within their sight, who wouldn’t want a piece of the pie after all.
For the time being, Rooster stays home, and Lin keeps on working.
P/S : For the record, a compromise is reached of late, both will work in the factory for now, Rooster has promised to control his temper and his unfound