Whom will you choose - the man from a classier part of town or the childhood friend with his humble background?
Scene 6: Tai Yuen Street, Wan Chai
It is early evening and the street is flooded with shoppers. On both sides sit dusty old shops piled high with what seems to be junk and trash of a bygone era. The trained eye, however, knows better.
He is holding her hand. For some reason, she feels self-conscious. Which is strange. This is not the first time she’s held hands in public.
The embarrassment causes her to become impatient – ‘C’mon, hurry up. Have you found what you’re looking for yet?
He pouts and looks at her from the corner of his eyes. ‘Oh, don’t rush me. You know it’s not easy sorting out the good stuff from the bad stuff in this big, tangled heap.’
‘I don’t understand,’ she replies, tugging at his hand, ‘why are we sifting through old junk – ’
‘Inspiration,’ he replies. ‘This is where I sometimes get good ideas on what kind of game or toy we can create.’
She looks at what he’s holding in his hands. It looks like a miniature train cabin, one of those early prototypes created by the English who were railways-mad. ‘That’s quite a common old toy. I’ve seen them around in plenty of shops. What are you going to do with this one?’
‘I’m going to take it apart and see the mechanism inside. Steal some ideas.’
She takes the badly scratched and dented toy in her hands. ‘Oh don’t. If you look at it carefully, it’s quite pretty. The design is wonderful. See how they’ve got the handle to the cabin door with its black, metal trim. The detailing in this toy is simply first-class. If you take this toy apart, you’ll completely destroy it – ’
He grins. ‘But that’s me. I’m a toy designer. I take my inspiration from wherever I can get it. If I have to take things apart, I take things apart. And sometimes, if I have to destroy something in order to get at what's inside, so be it!’
‘How hard-hearted that sounds! Why, you’re a vulture, a cannibal, a shameless thief!’
‘Oh yes, that I am!’ He makes a face, pretends to swoop down on her. She ducks and runs out of the shop. ‘Oh you can run but you can’t hide!’ – he flails his arms, tries to grab her.
She squeals and dashes down the street – oof! – she bumps into someone.
‘Twinkle! What are you doing here? What a surprise!’
Mei Kuen is holding a huge bag of shopping. New clothes, new shoes, new make-up. She peers at Twinkle and then Jeff. ‘Oh, I see. On a hot date, eh? Why didn’t anybody tell me you’re back? I’m so happy for you!’ she squeals in delight and squeezes Twinkle by the waist.
‘Oh, hello Kuen Kuen. We’re just looking for some things for work. Not really a date, you know. It’s business as well.’
‘You can’t fool me – I’m got eyes in my head and I can see what’s going on ...’ Mei Kuen hugs Twinkle over and over again. ‘Don’t forget to send me a card when the big day comes!’
Twinkle blushes. ‘What big day? We’re just taking things easy, one day at a time ...’
‘Yes,’ chimes in Jeff, suddenly alarmed, ‘what big day? We’re still young – no need to talk about such serious things yet – ’
But Mei Kuen’s gone off into a world of her own. ‘Ok, I can’t stand around here chatting with you two anymore. I’ve got things to do. I must get home!’
‘Goodbye, Kuen Kuen. Send my warm regards to your parents!’
‘Ooh, I will, I will! Boy, will they be surprised to hear from you!’
Mei Kuen takes off, her bags and bags of shopping swishing around her legs.
‘Oh no,’ Twinkle groans, ‘if’s she’s about to do what I think she’s about to do, I’m going to have a headache ...’
‘What is Mei Kuen going to do?’
‘At the market, we have a nickname for Kuen Kuen. It’s FM88.1.’
‘Why FM88.1?’
‘Do you know FM88.1’s slogan?
‘No. What is it?
‘It’s 聲為民開 — we broadcast for the public.’
Jeff laughs. ‘Well, what’s wrong with Mei Kuen broadcasting our good news. We’re together after all, there’s no need to be ashamed.’
Twinkle looks at him, utterly taken aback. How can Jeff forget he has a friend called Chi Yat Po who may be sitting at home feeling bad about this?
