Grassroots figures
Text/Sun Guohui
The former has issued several folk figures on our Hada Street, such as the old Zhang Yao in the photo studio, the old card in the consignment shop, and so on. Now, before taking advantage of my Alzheimer's disease, I will recall a few "characters" among the grassroots people to feast on the middle-aged and elderly.
There is a master who repairs tap water fountain pens in the old yard on Erdao Street, surnamed Zhu, with a long and white face, but a slightly crooked nose. Do not smile, wear or put on a dark tunic, and have a neat and tidy demeanor. Sit in front of the wooden work table, on which two or three small pen repair machines are fixed.
Master Zhu studied at the "Jinxing Golden Pen Factory" in Shanghai, the largest in China, and was the first person in Chifeng to repair tap fountain pens.
He often went to Shanghai to buy "gold particles" to dip the nibs of his pen in gold. This was the secret of the smooth and smooth use of famous brand tap fountain pens such as "Parker", "Guan Qinming" and "Venus". When the original gold nib is worn out in writing, the remaining gold can be dissolved, and the "gold particles" can be dipped into a new nib, which is still smooth and smooth to use. The "Guan Leming" gold pen given by my old uncle, which I regard as a treasure, is a "gold particle" dipped in Master Zhu's small machine tool after making it bald. The dissolved gold is also bought according to its value.
As for the "tongue" under the tip of the pen, it is not like us who dragged it raw with pliers, which broke the sockets of the teeth. Another small machine of Master Zhu will easily remove the tongue of the pen completely, and then iron it with the nib of the pen. As for changing the pen bladder, it is easier to carve a name and inspirational words on the barrel of the pen.
I asked Master Zhu to fix my pen around 1959, when Master Zhu was about 30-40 years old. Now that I'm 80 years old, I'm afraid Master Zhu will pass away long ago.
May Master Zhu, who repaired the fountain pen for me, rest in peace!
Before his retirement, he worked in the cultural and historical materials department of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, enthusiastically studied Chifeng's modern and modern historical materials and photography, published "Chifeng Photography History" and held a solo exhibition of portrait photography, and his literary works have been selected by national and provincial newspapers.