The House of Life 1

by Vann Chow

  “To look for your Diary. I’m sure you will find it in the office, don’t worry.” He was starting to walk towards the front desk when Elise pulled him back around.

  “I think you are right. It’s probably in the office. I don’t want to ruin your dinner anymore. Let’s sit back down and enjoy the meal.” She gave Michael a big smile telling him that she’s okay. With a little pulling and pushing, Elise got Michael back to their own table.

  “Michael, I think I owe you an explanation of what just happened.”

  “You don’t have to say it if you don’t want to.”

  “I am so sorry about losing my nerves. It just happened that this diary was a gift from a very close friend of my grandmother, and he was, possibly, my grandfather, although the family tale that survived tells a different story,” Elise explained, sucking back the tears that threatened to come out as her voice trailed off when the thoughts of the giver crossed her mind. Nevertheless, before the surge of emotion could take over her, she decided that she should stay calm and enjoy the moment, the now, the happiness that was tangible, at least this time so she could repay Michael’s tolerance for her, instead of dwelling in the past and letting life flit by her. She recovered from the shock and continued. “I found it some time ago, tugged away in a forgotten storage unit at home. My parents had no idea where it came from, and they dispelled my theory about my grandfather, being a German soldier stationed in China during World War One and all. That was what I have realized after reading all my grandmother’s diary entries and the letters she received from the man, called Maximilian.”

  “Fascinating,” Michael searched now for a hint of Germanic features on the girl in front of him.

  “No one believes me, of course. It’s perhaps just the romantic fantasy of someone who wished for an extraordinary family history. My parents said we were one hundred percent Chinese. It’s all very foolish, isn’t it?”

  “No, it’s not. I promise I will help you search for it, Elise,” Michael pledged.

  Elise thought about the proposal and nodded a thanks to the man.

  On a mission to patch the damage she’s done to this date and to ratify the neurotic psychopath impression she made on Michael, she attempted to appear as cheerful as she could be. She liked the man.

  “Good choice of restaurant. Its view is beautiful.” She smiled at Michael.

  “It’s only because you’re here.” Michael said, letting the most private of all feelings he had now to be exposed to his seducer.

  “You don’t have to butter me up because I have no plan in paying for your meal.” Elise joked and she raised her glass up in the air. Following the cue, Michael clinked hers with his wine glass.

  Just then, a waiter in a spectacular white gown came over to their table and informed that there was a message for Michael and asked him to go to the front desk to receive it.

  He made a quick sip of the wine, put it down on the table and assumed a rather stern expression on his face that he had not shown Elise before.

  A message, again.

  The Dog at the Spanish Resturaunt

  “Ruff!” A lean brown dog grunted as it lifted itself up from the cold marble floors when Michael walked through the door into the waiting room at the anterior of the restaurant with two waiters, one tall, one short walking behind him.

  “The dog was carrying a note in its mouth when it walked in. We tried all we can to get it to leave but it won’t go.” The taller one said.

  “Yes, then our manager came in and said, ‘Ask for a Michael Siu amongst the customers.’ Apparently he has received a mysterious call from an unknown number telling him that they have sent a dog to deliver a message. We figure this is the same dog the guy was referring to.” The shorter one added.

  “Yes. This is my dog.” Michael looked at the dog and sighed. “My family has a weird habit of doing such things.”

  “Do they always send your dog for you? Don’t you guys have cell phones?” The shorter one inquired as he bent over the dog and tried to ruffle its hair. The dog dodged the unwelcome touch in a quick maneuver causing the shorter guy to lose his balance. The comical image seemed to elicit a chuckle from the animal, but they weren’t sure of it.

  “Umm…no, my family is very reluctant to use new technology.” Michael forced half a smile when he said that.

  “Now, listen. Although it is very amusing to see a dog delivering letters, the manager will go berserk if he sees it here. Please take your pet out of here as soon as you can and never do this again. It will disturb the other customers.”

  The taller waiter warned with a dangerous voice. “We might have to call the police next time.” Then he walked out of the waiting room, closing the door loudly behind him.

  “Hey, wait for me.” The shorter one stood back up and busted out of the door back into the restaurant after his companion.

  When Michael was sure that they were out of earshot, he spoke to the animal in Chinese.

  “How’d you know I’m here?”

  “The question is not ‘how’, but ‘why’. Don’t you want to know what brings me here? Perhaps you already know why, huh?” The dog replied in crisp Chinese. It continued when Michael did not respond as enthusiastically as it wanted.

  “So what’s with all the frolicking? You were supposed to supervising Black and White Commissioners today on their rounds. Instead you abandoned your post and came here to indulge yourself with the most common of human pleasures --- gluttony. Worst still, with one of your subjects. Did she know already?”

  Michael put his hands into his pockets, took in a deep breath, let it back out and said with a cracked voice, “No. But I will tell her.”

  “When? Brother, when? You are too tenderhearted! They should’ve given me the job that you didn’t want. But did they listen? No! They gave it to you, the eldest son. But who’s here to save your ass when you’re in trouble? That’s me! If I didn’t happen to run into Black and White Commissioners during my daily patrol, you’d be…”

  “About this post that you want so much, I’ll talk to the master about this,” Michael interrupted.

  “Well, I am sure if you don’t return soon to the mansion and report, he’s gonna wanna talk to you himself. Now go back in there, tell the poor girl the truth right this moment and just get the hell out of here, okay? The banquet is starting in a few hours. If you don’t get back there by…”

  “You talk way too much for a canine.” Michael said as he swung the door open and turning to leave the room. At his rude departure, the dog barked after him.

  “What are you still waiting for? You’ve been with her for the past eight, nine hours. How much more time does she still need? You cannot complete all of her death wishes even if you try to, you remember that!”

  Its advice stopped Michael dead at his track.

  “Just one more thing. There’s just one more thing I need to help her finish. Otherwise it would gnaw at my conscience forever. After that, I give you my promise, I will take her away.”

  “Gosh, what is it this time?” The dog asked in a softened voice. It sensed from the expression on his brother’s face that it might be something of extraordinary importance. “Let me help you, Mic.” It knew very well the consequence his brother would face if he could not make it back to the mansion in time for the banquet at the stroke of midnight. But given his temperament he wouldn’t give it up until that certain something he set out to do is completed.

  “A lost diary that belongs to the girl,” Michael said. “Her name is Elise…”

  “I know the name. Her name is the only one left on the list tonight that hasn’t been crossed out yet.” Michael had completely forgotten about the fact that everyone else had the list of all the souls they need to reap each day copied from the Book of Life and Death.

  “I’ll have Cowhead and Horseface to go work on it. Just concentrate on escorting her back to the mansion before twelve.”

  “Can I really use your men?”

  “Yeah, my
duty tonight was to escort that obnoxious slut to the mansion. One animal will do for a job like that.”

  “She’s your grandmother. Show her some respect.”

  “Step-grandmother. We are not blood relations, remember? Given all that she’s done for our family, I cannot even imagine myself smiling at her.” The dog barked farewell to him and slowly padded away towards the busy streets outside.

  “I know it’s hard.”

  The dog turned and snorted.

  “Ken, I owe you one.” Michael said.

  “Just get going.” And the dog sprinted into the street and disappeared into the crowds.

  Michael appeared flustered when he returned to their table and Elise couldn’t help but notice that something wasn’t exactly right.

  “What is it?” She asked.

  “Nothing.” And he lifted up the wine glass on the table for another mouthful.

  “How is possible that someone knows you are here with me?”

  “It’s nothing. Don’t worry about it for now.”

  “Nothing? ” Elise decided not to inquire further. After all this is the first time they’ve met and she didn’t want to appear nosy. So she switched topic immediately. “Tell me how’d you ended up in Bilious.”

  Something in this question apparently threw him off somehow. His forehead furrowed tightly as if it was a very difficult question.

  “Elise, I need to tell you something. I don’t really work for Bilious. I am…how should I put this…I am following you.” He said.

  That made Elise laughed. “Stalking me?”

  “Up till today I’ve not seen or used a computer before.”

  “How convincing. So what is so special about me that you are decided to follow me?”

  At this point, a bead of sweat was dripping off his forehead. Images of Elise crying just a moment ago flashed in front of his eyes. He looked down at this watch for time. It was still eight. We still have time, he said to himself. Still four hours to the banquet.

  “I was just joking.” Michael finally relinquished. He lifted his glass to his lips and downed another gulp of wine. “I was just messing with you.”

  As the course of the dinner progress, Elise found herself really enjoying herself with her new friend. The spark she thought she had seen in Michael’s eyes earlier was starting to blind her beyond reason. She touched her burning cheeks with her the back of her hand trying to cool herself down in vain.

  “You can’t hold your alcohol, can you?”

  “Busted.” Elise didn't think she could distinguish whether her face was red because of the wine or because of being ambushed by this charming person before her eyes.

  “How are you feeling?” At this sincere question, Elise admitted that she was suffering from headache. “Headache?” Then Michael summoned the nearest waiter to their table. “What kind of fruit juices do you have?” He asked.

  “Let’s see…apple, orange, pineapple, carrot, pears…you can order mixed drinks with fruit juice, too. We are doing a promotion on…”

  “That’s okay. I know what we want. Give her half a glass of fresh squeezed ginger juice, a teaspoon of honey, two tea spoons of white vinegar and three ounce of Kudzu and a pinch of this.” He pulled out a ziploc bag of curry-looking powder from his computer bag. “Fill the rest of the cup with hot water.”

  At this extraordinary order, the waiter who was already lost at the Kudzu part was completed dumbfounded and just stood on his spot stunned. Seconds later, he recovered himself and said,

  “Is this some kind of joke sir?” The waiter was now eyeing this preposterous customer skeptically.

  “I knew you would say that.” He wasn’t joking. “It’s a joke, alright. Now give me the check, buddy.” The befuddled waiter walked away to grab their bill, cursing under his breath for the troublemaker and secretly rejoicing the fact that there were only a few more hours till his shift ended.

  “What happened to my remedy?” Elise asked playfully.

  “You’d think they can do anything for you in a place like this. They sell you five hundred dollars a bottle of wine but they don’t have three dollars’ worth of ingredients to mix an organic drink.” He put the bag of suspicious powder back into his computer bag with care.

  “What’s that?” Elise asked.

  “Ground red Peony roots, licorice, ginseng, and some other Chinese medicinal herbs you’ve probably never heard of. Family recipe against alcohol intoxication,” he winked at her.

  “Why would you keep such thing with you?!”

  Michael hadn’t thought of that before. He cracked his brain for a decent explanation but he failed miserably. What kind of person in their right mind would have raw Chinese medicine in their computer case?

  “You said you want to know who I am, didn’t you?”

  “Yes….what kind of secrets are you hiding from me?” She asked.

  “Let me confess now. I am the son of a Chinese pharmacist. I have drunken more herbal medicine made from the guts of unidentified insects and animal than you could have possibly imagined. How about that?”

  “You are kidding me.”

  Michael shook his head to indicate that he wasn’t lying.

  “You’re saying the recipe is real.” She questioned.

  “Yeah. I have a couple more up the top of my head for common maladies.” He said with an air of confidence.

  “It doesn’t sound too convincing to me, I have to tell you. Even if the bartender can whip that up for you, I probably wouldn’t drink it.”

  “I can show you the pharmacy. Can you still walk?”

  “To be very honest with you," Elise said "I'm a little bit drunk. But yes, I can still walk.”

  There he looked at his watch again. It’s about 8:15 pm. “Hey, what’s taking them so long?” Michael looked around the restaurant for their waiter to bring them the check. “If you have no problems walking, let’s go.” He raised himself from his chair at once and pulled out a wedge of one thousand dollar bills from his wallet.

  “Don’t you want any change?” Elise questioned. She didn’t know what to make of it, however, she rose immediately to follow him as he snatched her handbag from the chair and started to leave. He tossed his head back as they walked by the next table to tell the busy waiter serving other customers, pointing his finger at the bill on their table as he went by and whispered, “That should cover it all and some.”

  “There won’t be much leftover anyway. The wine we had was a Roda I Reserva from 1995.” He stopped and turned towards Elise and said, “Oh, just so you know, that “gold-cow”, it’s not my money anyway.”

  “Okay…” Perplexed, although it was not her business to argue with someone how to use their money, Elise asked again if he wanted the change.

  “Indeed, given the price tag of their menu and their inept services, they are making a hell of a profit for what little effort they put in but don't worry about the money. I received plenty of these papers every day with nowhere to spend. Anyway, let’s take off. We will get you some nice desserts at the pharmacy, okay?”

  Elise smiled. Dessert! They are going for desert. Pictures of chocolaty mud pie, volcano cake, intoxicating tiramisu flowed before her mind’s eyes. As if knowing what she was thinking, Michael corrected her.

  “Well, we are getting traditional Chinese desserts.”

  “ Oh, right. The pharmacy,” Elise said, remembering that Michael had told her his father is a Chinese pharmacist. “Ahh, one of those hip little joints that do all the traditional dessert with some kind of special twists or something, like red bean soup yogurt, or like green tea jelly and stuff?”

  “Well, you’ll see.”

  “Running a family business, huh? Sounds really incredible. So what are you doing in Bilious Electronics!?” Elise exclaimed.

  “I told you already that I was just stalking you.”

  “Haha. Very funny. You should be somewhere grinding herbs and preparing potions with, you know, vinegar and bamboo shoots! ”


  “I’ve done enough of that this past month.” Michael said.

  “Lots of people getting sick lately? Summer in here is always unbelievably humid. But that’ll just mean more business for you, right?” She commented.

  “Not that…” He replied thoughtfully, “It’s just…Well, you are right. Summer is definitely a high season.”

  “I still can’t believe I know someone who works in a Chinese pharmacy!” Elise blurted. “Chinese pharmacies are so rare these days in Hong Kong. All those rent increases to force out old tenants to make way for extravagant new malls and grandiose entertainment centers and apartment buildings for all the hip, young couples who decided that they want to go to work out in their own private gym than running in the public parks…” Elise complained, getting more and more fired up by the minute as she bumped repeatedly into strangers on the streets they weaved through the ocean of Friday evening crowd in Tsim Sha Tsui towards the MTR station.

  Tonight it looked as if destiny was trying to be their matchmaker. Some kind of cosmic force had been drawing them to each other and it’s manifesting itself when the crowd around them were squeezing pass, pushing them closer into each other at every step.

  “Hopefully we don’t get squished into apricot jelly.” Michael said as he warded off the opposing human traffic around them like a knight who’s pledged his life to guard and protect the precious lady. His moist palm then landed on Elise's waist as his cheeks were flushed with the color of nervous happiness. Elise smiled at her guardian as they trudged down the street. If Michael could read her mind, he would’ve been more confident.

  Basketball Game

  While Ian was lying comfortably on the blue bean bag in the middle of his room watching a comedy show on television, his cell phone went off.

  “Wasup, dawg?” A masculine, energetic voice came through to his ear.

  “Hey, you!” Ian immediately knew it was Chad Chan, his best friends from college. “How’ve you been? When did come back to Hong Kong? Dude, I miss you. I called you a couple times last week and you never picked up. Mickey and I….”