open house
This may be the smallest home I’ve ever lived in, 120 square feet in all. But of the homes I’ve lived in, this is the one that best represents who I am.
1. Cheers to Mr. Tang, my landlord who charges me only $4000 for such a nice flat and never increasing the rent. His grandparents had bought this flat more than forty years ago, and since then, they had rented it out to different people. My landlord himself has never lived here.
2. Cheers to Master Chan, my personal handyman. He often forgets his appointments but always apologizes sincerely. He was quick to fix my bathroom when there was a massive leak and he said to me, “I’ll get this fixed for you as fast as I can. I know how you always keep your place spotless clean.”
3. Cheers to the laundry lady downstairs who charges me less than what her boss would normally charge. When I told her I was moving to the Gardens, she said that’s a good place and I shall enjoy it.
4. Cheers to the owner of Les Artistes Cafe where I can sit for hours with a rose milk tea and pick up some postcards made by local artists. The presence of her cafe steps from my home adds an artistic dimension to the community.
5. Cheers to the man who looks after the noodle shop across the street. Every day, he opens shop before I leave home for work. After I get home, he’s still working, counting dishes and doing the math in his head. He would stand at the doorway, watching the streets, observing the surroundings casually, and occasionally letting his eyes follow a pretty woman passing by. He keeps his change in a plastic bin. Many times I see him close up shop, pull down the barrier, and walk toward Tin Hau Station by himself.
6. Cheers to the quiet waitress at the Tak Cheong Noodles. She is always the one dispatched to make deliveries, white plastic bags tied around her fingers. I don’t know if she volunteered for these trips. She walks with a slightly hunched back; her eyes always seem to point to the ground. A greasy ponytail covers the back of her lime-green uniform.
7. Cheers to the unsmiling owner who guards the cash register at Ching Ching Desserts. His face is a constant non-smile, he wears Quicksilver tees, and he has trouble saying thanks when people pay. After midnight, he loads the day’s earnings onto his silver Mercedes and drives away. Many different couples have been seen having desserts right by the window, so close to my view that I could see if there are having red bean or green bean.
8. Cheers to the tall middle-aged man who serves at the HK-style eatery just beneath my apartment. He says, “Take your time” when he puts down my iced milk tea even when the restaurant is packed. And he always says, “Thanks, brother” when I pay.
9. Cheers to the cool shaved-head waitress at Cafe Essex. She looks like someone who can kill me easily in war games. She recognizes me as I always wear my baseball hat there on my days-off when I’m too lazy to style my hair and want a comfy quiet place to enjoy a full course meal that begins with soup and a slice of French bread and ends with a bowl of jello with condensed milk.
10. Cheers to the early-morning folks doing tai-chi at Victoria Park and to the one old man who prefers to sit on the steps outside the swimming pool every morning, combing his hair and trimming his eyebrows obsessively.
11. Cheers to the law enforcer at the Central Library Computer Lab. She is especially strong at telling off the noisy people and giving dirty looks to those who talk on their mobiles. She makes me run for my computer appointments because she would give my spot away if I were late even for one second.
12. Cheers to my hairdresser at Vogue Salon in Fortress Hill, a single father who loves talking about his two children’s homework, tutoring classes, and swimming lessons.
13. Cheers to the police on Electric Road seem to have a thing for checking my ID.
14. Cheers to the headlights of the taxi parked at the front of the queue every late night on Lau Li Street, so bright and ready at the street corner even in the wee hours.
15. Cheers to the acrobats who climbed the scaffolding to paint the exterior of the building across the street, giving me a fresh purple view.
16. Cheers to the Salvation Army Store on Wing Hing Street for taking my junk.
17. Cheers to the ground-floor unit of the Citicorp building where my dad had opened a Chinese restaurant back in the late eighties.
18. Cheers to Tin Hau Desserts whose tables at the street corner made for a festive mood every night.
19. Cheers to Jam Bakery Cafe for the tall glass windows and delicious cakes.
20. Cheers to the obscure Taiwanese tea house on Whitfield Road.
21. Cheers to the fresh pineapple buns and egg tarts in the bakery downstairs.
22. Cheers to the bubble tea vendors that have opened and closed on Electric Road.
23. Cheers to the organic fruit and veggie vendor.
24. Cheers to independent fashion boutiques
25. Cheers to the trams.
26. Cheers to the Route 5 and 5x buses which are always empty at night. They may be transporting spirits.
27. Cheers to the nostalgic multi-coloured square tiles on the steps of the stairwell.
28. Cheers to the old lady who lives with her family one floor below me. She walks with a cane and is always slow to move up the steps, but she always moves aside to let me pass. “Sorry. You go ahead,” she would say. “You young people walk fast. I don’t want to slow you down.” I always told her not to say that and that it was great she made sure she got her exercise each day. Her family leaves the door opened when they play mahjong on the weekend. I love the sound of clashing mahjong tiles.
29. Cheers to the kids who live in the other flat on my floor. I love listening to their piano practice. I often find the practice a lot more captivating that the actual performance.
30. Cheers to my Room A neighbours, a very polite couple who have done extremely well in not letting me hear their lovemaking sounds. Cheers also to their white puppy.
31. Cheers to my Room C neighbor whom I’ve only run into a few times. On every working day, she leaves home exactly at 9am. She lives by herself and watches TVB programs after dinner.
32. Cheers to the little gecko I saw in my flat two weeks ago. Since the day I first moved in almost two years ago when I saw you in the stairwell, I had – so silently and nervously – anticipated the day you would visit my flat. Maybe you were a new visitor. Maybe you were here all along. Maybe you’ve. Maybe you’re still here. In any case, I must thank you for showing me how to let go of what seemed to be a perfect state, how it’s possible to say goodbye even to the things and places and people I love most and to a community that best represents me. As recent as two weeks ago, just before your visit, I was so convinced that the dream home was really forming itself and that a constant state of happiness and comfort was possible.
33. Cheers to Tin Hau, my forever favourite stop on the subway line.
1. Cheers to Mr. Tang, my landlord who charges me only $4000 for such a nice flat and never increasing the rent. His grandparents had bought this flat more than forty years ago, and since then, they had rented it out to different people. My landlord himself has never lived here.
2. Cheers to Master Chan, my personal handyman. He often forgets his appointments but always apologizes sincerely. He was quick to fix my bathroom when there was a massive leak and he said to me, “I’ll get this fixed for you as fast as I can. I know how you always keep your place spotless clean.”
3. Cheers to the laundry lady downstairs who charges me less than what her boss would normally charge. When I told her I was moving to the Gardens, she said that’s a good place and I shall enjoy it.
4. Cheers to the owner of Les Artistes Cafe where I can sit for hours with a rose milk tea and pick up some postcards made by local artists. The presence of her cafe steps from my home adds an artistic dimension to the community.
5. Cheers to the man who looks after the noodle shop across the street. Every day, he opens shop before I leave home for work. After I get home, he’s still working, counting dishes and doing the math in his head. He would stand at the doorway, watching the streets, observing the surroundings casually, and occasionally letting his eyes follow a pretty woman passing by. He keeps his change in a plastic bin. Many times I see him close up shop, pull down the barrier, and walk toward Tin Hau Station by himself.
6. Cheers to the quiet waitress at the Tak Cheong Noodles. She is always the one dispatched to make deliveries, white plastic bags tied around her fingers. I don’t know if she volunteered for these trips. She walks with a slightly hunched back; her eyes always seem to point to the ground. A greasy ponytail covers the back of her lime-green uniform.
7. Cheers to the unsmiling owner who guards the cash register at Ching Ching Desserts. His face is a constant non-smile, he wears Quicksilver tees, and he has trouble saying thanks when people pay. After midnight, he loads the day’s earnings onto his silver Mercedes and drives away. Many different couples have been seen having desserts right by the window, so close to my view that I could see if there are having red bean or green bean.
8. Cheers to the tall middle-aged man who serves at the HK-style eatery just beneath my apartment. He says, “Take your time” when he puts down my iced milk tea even when the restaurant is packed. And he always says, “Thanks, brother” when I pay.
9. Cheers to the cool shaved-head waitress at Cafe Essex. She looks like someone who can kill me easily in war games. She recognizes me as I always wear my baseball hat there on my days-off when I’m too lazy to style my hair and want a comfy quiet place to enjoy a full course meal that begins with soup and a slice of French bread and ends with a bowl of jello with condensed milk.
10. Cheers to the early-morning folks doing tai-chi at Victoria Park and to the one old man who prefers to sit on the steps outside the swimming pool every morning, combing his hair and trimming his eyebrows obsessively.
11. Cheers to the law enforcer at the Central Library Computer Lab. She is especially strong at telling off the noisy people and giving dirty looks to those who talk on their mobiles. She makes me run for my computer appointments because she would give my spot away if I were late even for one second.
12. Cheers to my hairdresser at Vogue Salon in Fortress Hill, a single father who loves talking about his two children’s homework, tutoring classes, and swimming lessons.
13. Cheers to the police on Electric Road seem to have a thing for checking my ID.
14. Cheers to the headlights of the taxi parked at the front of the queue every late night on Lau Li Street, so bright and ready at the street corner even in the wee hours.
15. Cheers to the acrobats who climbed the scaffolding to paint the exterior of the building across the street, giving me a fresh purple view.
16. Cheers to the Salvation Army Store on Wing Hing Street for taking my junk.
17. Cheers to the ground-floor unit of the Citicorp building where my dad had opened a Chinese restaurant back in the late eighties.
18. Cheers to Tin Hau Desserts whose tables at the street corner made for a festive mood every night.
19. Cheers to Jam Bakery Cafe for the tall glass windows and delicious cakes.
20. Cheers to the obscure Taiwanese tea house on Whitfield Road.
21. Cheers to the fresh pineapple buns and egg tarts in the bakery downstairs.
22. Cheers to the bubble tea vendors that have opened and closed on Electric Road.
23. Cheers to the organic fruit and veggie vendor.
24. Cheers to independent fashion boutiques
25. Cheers to the trams.
26. Cheers to the Route 5 and 5x buses which are always empty at night. They may be transporting spirits.
27. Cheers to the nostalgic multi-coloured square tiles on the steps of the stairwell.
28. Cheers to the old lady who lives with her family one floor below me. She walks with a cane and is always slow to move up the steps, but she always moves aside to let me pass. “Sorry. You go ahead,” she would say. “You young people walk fast. I don’t want to slow you down.” I always told her not to say that and that it was great she made sure she got her exercise each day. Her family leaves the door opened when they play mahjong on the weekend. I love the sound of clashing mahjong tiles.
29. Cheers to the kids who live in the other flat on my floor. I love listening to their piano practice. I often find the practice a lot more captivating that the actual performance.
30. Cheers to my Room A neighbours, a very polite couple who have done extremely well in not letting me hear their lovemaking sounds. Cheers also to their white puppy.
31. Cheers to my Room C neighbor whom I’ve only run into a few times. On every working day, she leaves home exactly at 9am. She lives by herself and watches TVB programs after dinner.
32. Cheers to the little gecko I saw in my flat two weeks ago. Since the day I first moved in almost two years ago when I saw you in the stairwell, I had – so silently and nervously – anticipated the day you would visit my flat. Maybe you were a new visitor. Maybe you were here all along. Maybe you’ve. Maybe you’re still here. In any case, I must thank you for showing me how to let go of what seemed to be a perfect state, how it’s possible to say goodbye even to the things and places and people I love most and to a community that best represents me. As recent as two weeks ago, just before your visit, I was so convinced that the dream home was really forming itself and that a constant state of happiness and comfort was possible.
33. Cheers to Tin Hau, my forever favourite stop on the subway line.
posted by Adam C at
10:37 PM
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