Hong Kong
I Lurve Chinese New Year, coz unlike Christmas the whole city is actually celebrating. Everyone is on holiday, people are out on the streets hanging out, visiting family, having dinner. It’s pretty cool. Everyone 16 to 30 is in CWB going to the flower market, being squished and buying white and yellow mini daffodils, yellow fruits called “Five generations” on branches, purple and white orchids, little orange trees, loads and loads of flowers and stupid plastic toys.
Tomorrow people will be dressed their best, all the little kids will be in red, pink, yellow, blue traditional Chinese outfits and most of us will be wearing some red in our clothes. It’s so fab. Every where is red banners wishing good luck, prosperity, better health, good schooling, booming business, family reunion, happiness and good fortune. Plus all the mini-orange trees, peach blossoms decorated with red lai see packets, ribbons, and gold and red paper.
Tonight at the flower market which you have to go because being around people means the opening of the year and picking up some luck, I managed to lose my family within like an hour, just around midnight which also coincided with all the phones in this city refusing to work because the network is sooo busy. I try calling but cannot. So I go spend ages on picking the perfect mini orange tree and then walk around the millions of people, wait under the giant peach lights and monkey characters.
At about 2am I go to the police booth, cuddling my orange plant and try to ask them to announce my cousin’s name.
Me: Hi, I have lost of my little-sister-cousin, can you call her name?
Cop: (Looks me up and down.) And how old is your little-sister-cousin?
Me: Emmm. Twenty… three (She’s actually twenty seven, but even I knew how ridiculous it sounds.)
Cop: So you think she’s old enough to find her way home on her own?
Me: Yes.
Cop: So you don’t need to ask us to call her on the loud speaker system don’t you think?
Me: Well. I heard you yell out other adult’s name.
Cop: Yes, but they are old people.
Me: I lost my aunt too, and she’s in her seventies! (She’s actually in her sixties).
Cop: And who is she with?
Me: My little-sister-cousin.
Cop: Who is, how old?
Me: Twenty… three..
Cop: Seems she’s pretty well looked after then.
Me: Hmmm. Yes.
Cop: Call her again.
Me: Our phones aren’t working.
Cop: Nobody’s phone is working.
Me: I just wanted to hear you say, “Lo Bu Kei Siu Peng Yau, Lei Biu Gei wen gen le,” (Lo Bu Kei Little kid, your older-sister-cousin is looking for you.) I thought it would be funny.
The Cops looks at me. I grin. He’s not going to partake in my private-public joke for sure.
Me: Kung Hei Fat Choi La.. (Congratulations on Prosperity)
Cop: Sen Len Fai Lok. (Happy New Year.)
🙂
You too.
I am going to eat too much in the next few days.
Yan Sham-Shackleton Online 