Who would have thought that the city could offer a sliver of peace.
Temporary tranquility.
He walked through the Chinese market. He had a satchel in tow. The smells of different raw and roasted meats filled the air. The heat as of late had sliced itself through any sort of clothing. Lots of women parade by. Pretty, fair skinned, all dolled up. Can't tell if they're after peddling themselves on the streets, or simply after a fun night out. 50-50 chance of winning and losing.
Hong Kong on a Friday night could be a mixed bag. Through no fault of mine, I had left London, seemingly on a whim. I had learned many things on my travels- foremost of which being the need to always keep your eyes open to opportunity. Here, there, everywhere, could be a pretty neat story.
I first came to Hong Kong in 1989. This was well before the handover back to China. As a young boy, I had gotten lost near Ocean Terminal. I was afraid that I had lost my mom forever. I was fearful that the perfume and makeup section had kidnapped me from reality. Fortunately, I was young, innocent, and in hindsight, somewhat stupid. Yeah, stupid.
Sai Ying Pun. 2016. I arrived in the neighborhood on a rainy Thursday night. Lots of complaining from my companion. I had made it a habit to reflect on my existence during days fraught with inclement weather. I realized that I had never really seen Hong Kong, never really lived life. I had spiralled down a rabbit hole of infidelity. I had forgotten to be faithful to authenticity. I had forgotten how to embrace "moments" at different times of my life. I had tried. I had failed. I had failed. Perhaps, I hadn't failed as badly as I had assumed. Who or what would judge this, I wasn't sure.
Fast forward to an overcast day in a non-descript beach. I am not a fan of the beach, nor of the ocean. I am only here because of the people around me. I did choose to be here though.
While this is not such a bad deal, I once again find myself wanting. Wanting what, or who, I don't know. It's something I have to discover. Sans fanfare. Quietly. Without restriction. Without hesitation.
MC
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