Happy so long as nobody mentions the name 'Jing Ko'
Scene 1: Hong Kong Airport
He is craning his neck. The crowd keeps shoving him and he struggles to maintain his spot at the front of the queue – Here, Ah Pa, hold my arm!
He grabs hold of his father, makes sure the man doesn’t get swept away – ‘Why is the airport so busy today?’
‘It’s the peak season. Everyone’s coming and going from their holidays. Chi Yat-Po, your Kou Kou is going to be so delighted to see you again – ’
He hangs on to his father’s arm. Every muscle in his body feels sore. He has slept badly, tossing and turning the whole night. In the middle of the night, he had a nightmare, sees Koon Sing coming after him with a brandished sword, runs like mad and falls off a precipice, but not before he first spots Twinkle standing in the background yelling for him. Don’t worry about me, I’ll be all right – he keeps yelling back, to reassure her, to stop her from rushing after him, but it seems like the more he tries to pacify her, the angrier Koon Sing becomes. It’s a bad omen, that’s what it is. Bad, bad omen.
This morning, he wakes up early and tries to keep to his usual routine – goes down and buys breakfast for himself and Ah Pa, exercises a bit on the balcony – the fresh air always does him good – reads the papers, he enjoys sports, comics and the local news – and has a chat with Ah Pa. After that, he goes down and washes his pick-up, his trusty old pick-up which he has had for five years years.
Five years, has it been that fast? Seems only like yesterday, he was saving every penny, scrimping here and there, in order to accumulate enough for the second-hand pick-up. One of these days, he’ll save up and get his old dad a better apartment. Yes, that’s his next project. An apartment with larger rooms so they’ll have more space and live comfortably. Maybe one with a nice view of the city, instead of their present apartment which has no view at all, hemmed in on all sides by old buildings, which are studded with ugly, old air-conditioning boxes and bamboo poles bearing loads of washing. Yes, that’ll be his next secret project. But he’s got to make a little more money first. Got to figure out a way to make those whelks and mussels around his fishing float grow more profusely to meet the increasing customer demand for these delicacies. Got to manage the timing right. Yesterday, a restaurant wanted to know if he could supply 50 kilos of whelks and mussels a week during the peak tourist season. He did not know the answer, told them he’d have to go do a bit of calculating first, investigate if the timing of the whelk and mussel harvest season is right, before he could give an answer. Of late, his fish and shellfish are fetching high prices – with more and more seafood restaurants opening in the harbour area.
‘Son, stop daydreaming and help Kou Kou with the bags!’ – oops, Chi Kam Kiu has arrived and she is staring at him with those beady eyes of hers, grinning from ear to ear, her arm looped around Greeny’s.
‘Chi Yat-Po! Aren’t you glad to see your aunt, you silly boy?’ She gives him a hard hug, knocks the wind out of him. ‘Hey, I’m gone a few weeks and you’re looking so tired and haggard. Languishing without me, are you? Is my vegetable business still on its feet or have you manage to drive it to the ground?’ – she pinches his cheeks, pokes him in the stomach. He jumps away, he’s ticklish.
‘Kou Kou, stop teasing me! Otherwise, I won’t carry your bags!’
‘Hah, see if you dare! Don’t want your presents, do you? Anyway, if you won’t carry my bags, someone else will – ’ she grins at her husband. Greeny gets the hint, picks up the largest suitcase and puffs up his chest.
‘Wife, this way – follow me …’
They walk past the long queues.
‘What did you get me, Kou Kou? Something expensive and very nice, I hope!’
‘Cheeky. I got you a teddy bear, a pink one with big blue bow, for you to hug when you go to sleep – ’
‘Hey, that’s not funny. I’m not a little boy anymore!’
‘No, you’re not. You’re not. You’re my grown-up nephew, a man. And I’m very proud of you. So, Chi Yat-Po, tell me – how’s your love life these days?’ Chi Kam Kiu catches him by the elbow.
He makes a quick move, shakes her off, and walks quickly ahead – ‘Quick, everybody – this way, before the traffic jams starts and we are stuck here!’
‘This Chi Yat-Po, always so shy when asked about his love life - incorrigible – ’
Greeny pats his wife on the back. ‘Josephine, this is Chi Yat-Po. Like you’re always telling me, he’s one who is fond of keeping things to himself. Be patient. When he’s ready, I'm sure he'll tell us what's on his heart.’
‘He’d better. Life is too short for this kind of dilly-dallying. You better be a good influence and teach him that!’
Greeny gives one of his slow smiles. ‘If a duffer like me can find romance, surely Chi Yat-Po will do better.’
No comments:
Post a Comment