CHASING LIFE

by Steve Jovanoski

  ‘No, I mean … ’ Dave was flustered.

  ‘I’m joking,’ the guy grinned. ‘I’ve been here five years now.’ He was handed a box of takeout food by one of the waiters. Another bistro staffer greeted him and they exchanged friendly words in French, shook hands and bid each other goodbye.

  ‘You speak French?’ Dave asked once the staffer left.

  ‘I know a little. My parents are French. What are your plans for tonight?’

  ‘I don’t know, to be honest. I’m by myself and never been to Hong Kong before. What do you recommend?’ Dave asked.

  ‘Well, this is the business end of town. It’s cleaner and wealthier and you’ll find a nice crowd here,’ the guy pushed back his chair and started to stand. ‘Listen, I have to go to work. I run a club myself. It’s just down the road off this street and into a little lane. I’m meeting up with my girlfriend and some friends later. Since you’re by yourself, come in for a drink. If you want, we’ll go out together afterward.’

  ‘Thanks for the offer. I might do that,’ Dave replied, pleased at the unexpected invitation. ‘What’s it called?’

  ‘The Base. It’s a little hard to find, but there’s a Lebanese restaurant on that lane and the owner knows me. Tell him you’re looking for Sam from The Base.’ Sam pointed to a side street a few blocks up the road.

  ‘Will do. I’m Dave, by the way.’

  ‘Okay, Dave. I’ll see you later.’

  The two men shook hands and Sam departed with a confident stride, answering a call on his phone as he went. He was a head taller than Dave and dressed appropriately for a club owner—all in black, with a crisp shirt, leather jacket, jeans and boots. Most likely in his late twenties, Dave guessed. Sam had longish hair, a fashionable growth of stubble, soft eyes and fine but masculine facial features. He was a rather good specimen, going by the women’s admiring glances as he left the bistro. Dave felt very much intimidated, even though Sam had been so friendly.

  The beer went down better this time, and he went for a walk when he was done. He took his phone out and dialled Amy’s number.

  ‘Hello, darling,’ his voice was chipper. ‘How are you?’

  ‘Dave! Hey, how was your flight?’ Amy’s voice came warmly over the phone.

  ‘It was good, yeah. How are you? Good to hear your voice,’ he said, a little too excitedly.

  ‘You miss us already?’ she teased.

  ‘Yeah, a little.’

  ‘So, how’s Hong Kong?’ Amy asked.

  ‘Well, it’s okay. Just checking it out.’

  ‘What’s it like? Tell me.’

  ‘At the moment, I’m in this place full of bars and restaurants. It’s pouring down rain and bloody humid. There are all these fashionably dressed people everywhere and I feel like a wet dog.’

  ‘And I bet you look like one too. Have you spoken to any of them?’

  ‘It’s hard. They’re all clustered in their own little groups. It’s amazing Amy, there are hundreds of bars here. Very upmarket crowd. They look snobby though. It doesn’t feel like I’m in an Asian country, with so many Europeans, and everyone seems to speak English.’

  ‘Start talking to them,’ Amy encouraged.

  ‘I don’t know. I feel kind of awkward.’

  ‘Make an effort will you? Get amongst it.’

  ‘Yeah, I should.’ Dave wasn’t keen on sitting by himself again. He checked his watch. It was 10 in the evening. He wondered whether to take up Sam on his offer. He seemed like an interesting character, so why not have a drink and a chat?

  ‘You just got there. Go out and explore,’ Amy kept pushing.

  ‘I will. Anyway, I’ll call you later. I just wanted to say hi.’

  ‘Have fun all right? And just relax.’

  ‘I will. Bye.’ Dave felt re-energised. Hearing a friendly voice made him feel better. He turned and walked back up the road toward The Base nightclub.

  The rain was relentless but at least slowing in pace. He jumped across puddles again along the footpath and ducked for cover as much as he could, but his clothes were still wet. A turn in the street revealed the lane that Sam had mentioned. Dave went down a set of stairs where tightly packed shops and more restaurants bristled with nightlife. It was buzzing with neon signs and chaotic with disorderly building structures. He couldn’t make anything out of it. Was this another market?

  Anything there could be found on sale. From skinned and roasted ducks hanging in the open air to plastic toys, underwear, socks and fashion trinkets. He walked in another circle, fearing he’d lost his way again. He went up the road and back down and then stopped at the same spot he started from. He took a deep breath and tried to focus. Think man, he told himself. This time, he properly observed his surroundings. He was being distracted by everything going on around him instead of focussing on details. Must be a male thing, he thought. He could never find what he was looking for in the fridge. Julia would walk up to it and pluck it from under his nose—it was irritating.

  A sweet scent from nargile pipes was in the air and then Dave remembered the Lebanese restaurant that Sam had mentioned. He squinted and searched for the name amongst the many neon signs. Two middle-eastern men were smoking pipes outside a small restaurant nearby. He walked in and asked one of the waiters where The Base was.

  The man pointed toward a small alley on the opposite side of the street. The alley was no more than two metres wide but well lit, snaking around the back of apartment buildings where residents hung their clothes out to dry. A cat darted out in front of Dave, and he heard people talking in the flats above him. Where the hell am I going? he asked himself. Overflowing bins emanated the smell of rotten food mixed with chemicals and detergents.

  There was no one around. He looked over his shoulder nervously but carried on anyway until he found what he was looking for, right at the end of the alley. A sign for The Base was lit up above a large black door with a red carpet leading to it. The front did indeed resemble an entrance to a club. He was familiar with this setting—Melbourne was renowned for its alley clubs—but he couldn’t help but feel a little apprehensive.

  He entered cautiously and walked down the steps that took him below into the building’s belly. He opened another door and dance music blasted out. The venue was quite large and decked out with red lounge chairs within spacious cubicles. Rhythmic lighting beamed toward a small dance floor in the middle. A well-fitted and expensive-looking bar awaited him on his left and a DJ was elevated in a boxed area above to the right, bopping his head to the beat. Dave couldn’t believe this gem was tucked away in a stinky alley.

  When a busboy greeted him, Dave asked for Sam.

  ‘He’s in his office. I’ll let him know you’re here,’ the busboy said, and walked through the back of the club. Dave, realising he was the only patron in the club, sat at the bar and ordered a beer. The barman kept him company while he waited for Sam. He was around Dave’s age and more than happy to join him with a beer of his own. The alcohol loosened Dave up, and his clothes were drying at last. Sam came out of his office and joined in.

  ‘I’m waiting for my guy in charge so I can leave him the keys. We’ll take off as soon as he comes. How about another drink?’ Sam indicated Dave’s nearly empty glass.

  ‘Sure, I’ll have the same.’ Sam instructed the barman for two of the same and Dave offered him a cigarette, lighting one up himself.

  ‘Can we smoke in here?’ Dave forgot himself and felt embarrassed for lighting up.

  ‘Not really, but this is Hong Kong, and I own the place,’ Sam said, taking the cigarette from Dave and shrugging.

  ‘How did you end up here?’ Dave inquired. ‘It’s a pretty cool bar by the way.’

  ‘Thanks. I was an event organiser back in Australia, and I was bored with it. I had enough with the whole industry—it gave me the shits. My sister came here, and she told me about life in Hong Kong. She said, “There’s this bar I like. But I can’t get in. Why don’t you come and get a job there, then I can get fre
e entry?” I was looking for excitement at that time, something new. I felt stale in Sydney, and I needed to discover the world a little. So, I took off in search of something new. I had no idea where it would lead me but here I am.’ Sam smiled and lifted his glass.

  ‘Just like that?’

  ‘Yep. Dealing with people was my thing, and it felt natural. When I asked them for a job, they made me a barman. I’d never handled drinks in my life. I shit myself. I learnt everything on the job. A couple of years later I started promoting. I developed contacts, brought more customers and more money and then the owner offered me a partnership. I had money saved up, and I went for it. Five years have passed, and I’m still here.’

  ‘A risky move.’ Dave was impressed.

  ‘Sometimes you have to take a risk if you want to get somewhere.’

  ‘It’s pretty quiet tonight I see.’

  ‘The crowd starts coming in after midnight. It’s Wednesday today, but you should see it on the weekend. You can’t move in here then. This is a members-only club. We’re strict about who gets in.’

  ‘It pays to know the owner,’ Dave said and Sam grinned. ‘So how is life in Hong Kong? What is it about this place that made you stay?’

  Sam looked down and creased his eyebrows, as if the question required a carefully chosen response. ‘I have no plans on going back home anytime soon. There’s a lot of money to be made in Hong Kong, and I can enjoy life while making it. This isn’t one of the wealthiest cities in the world; this is the wealthiest city in the world. When Forbes magazine releases its rich list, I always laugh at how wrong they usually get it. There’s a plethora of millionaires right here.

  ‘When the Chinese make money, they reinvest it to make more money. But that’s not visible on the surface. By looking around, you’d think they blow it all. It’s a highly conservative multi-layered society. It’s not easy for an outsider to understand the dynamics of Hong Kong culture. Even after five years, I’m still discovering the correct social norms. No matter how many generations a Westerner lives here, they’ll never be considered one of them. We’re only permanent citizens with a Hong Kong ID card. If you take a little time to look around, you’ll see what I mean. It’s not just monetary wealth I’m talking about.’ Sam’s eyes were serious. Dave could tell he knew what he was talking about.

  ‘Are they generally friendly people?’ Dave asked.

  ‘Spiritual and superstitious people, but yes, they are friendly. Don’t believe rumours.’

  ‘What rumours?’

  ‘Some say that Hong Kong natives are cold and withdrawn. That’s usually the impression of those who come here for a day or two and think they’ve seen it all while dropping in for shopping.’

  ‘I haven’t experienced any of that yet, especially on Lockhart Road.’ Dave rolled his eyes and shook his head.

  Sam laughed. ‘That’s okay. How did you decide on going there?’

  ‘It was recommended to me.’

  ‘So, do you feel like it’s rubbing off on you?’

  ‘Yeah, I feel like a bit of sex has stuck to my clothes.’

  ‘Everyone goes there eventually,’ Sam replied. ‘It’s like a rite of passage for newcomers. Don’t worry about it—you might end up there again, so don’t bag it.’ Sam took a drag and casually reached into his pocket for his phone.

  Dave noticed the no smoking signs and grinned. Oh well, he thought to himself, when you’re in Hong Kong and you’re the owner, you’re king. And this king has style, he thought. Sam was cool and controlled. Dave could tell he would have been the kind of person that was liked by everybody in school, admired by the popular and loved by the nerds. As Sam took a slow drag of his cigarette, looking like a character in a dimly lit scene from a 1960s detective movie, Dave felt nerve-racked just being around him and hoped he wouldn’t embarrass himself.

  ‘I’m sorry, Dave,’ Sam apologised. ‘Excuse me for a minute.’ He turned his attention to his mobile, said a few quick words, then hung up.

  ‘All good?’ Dave asked.

  ‘Yep. That was my girlfriend. We’ll meet them at a bar down the road called Serene. She’s with her friends. We’ll take off as soon as my head barman comes to replace me. He should be here soon.’

  ‘Where’s your girlfriend from?’

  ‘New York. She’s Vietnamese. We met here.’

  ‘How interesting. That’s cool.’ Dave immediately felt a bit naïve, like a little boy happy to be playing with the big kids.

  Sam’s phone rang again and he spoke to someone Dave guessed was an employee. ‘Okay,’ Sam said. ‘We’re good to go.’

  After Sam handed the barman his keys, they were outside and back in the rain again. Both lit up another cigarette. Dave looked down at his clothes and felt underdressed compared to Sam and the other people along Wyndham Street. Had he been in Melbourne, he wouldn’t get near a nightclub door—and he guessed it would be the same here.

  ‘You reckon I’ll be right like this, Sam?’ Dave gestured down at his jeans. ‘I didn’t expect to go clubbing when I took off.’ Sam hardly flinched and kept walking without a thought.

  ‘You’re good, mate,’ he said, as if the idea hadn’t even registered. There was something about meeting an Aussie compatriot in an unknown country. It placed Dave at ease. Despite the fact that he’d just met him, Dave felt like he could trust the man like one of his mates. He wondered whether he would do exactly the same and welcome a shabby stranger if the roles were reversed. Somehow it felt like an unwritten rule that you look after your own. It was an obligation, an understanding and no words or explanation was required. But it was a trust Dave felt he had to show he was worthy of. His night had turned around.

  Chapter 9

  What happened en route to Serene was quite unexpected. Nearly every other person who passed by them greeted Sam. Couples invited him over for a drink; women kissed him on the cheek; and even the Frenchman from the bistro did so in typical European style as they went by again. Farther down the road, a cluster of girls came out of a venue to say hello. Sam responded genuinely each time. He knew everyone’s name and greeted each person appropriately: American guys with a bear hug; Europeans with a welcoming kiss on the cheek; and conservative Asian girls with a limp handshake. It was like walking down a red carpet with a celebrity.

  ‘Mate, is there anyone you don’t know?’ Dave asked, trying not to sound too awestruck.

  ‘It’s a great part of the job,’ Sam brushed it off and started pointing at bars Dave could visit, giving him a brief history of the owners and a rundown on the type of places they were as if he were a tour guide. They walked into the lounge bar called Serene. The place was packed but mostly with guys. Sam turned around and looked at Dave.

  ‘It’s a sausage fest here—girls get free wine and champagne so they can draw a crowd. We’ll go somewhere else soon.’ He led on further inside through the crowd until they reached the bar where two attractive girls sat. They greeted Sam with beaming expressions. Judging by the passionate kiss one of them laid on Sam, Dave realised this was the girlfriend, Carla. She stood confidently, like a woman aware of her own beauty. She wore a sexy black dress that complimented her curves. Her curly shoulder-length hair swayed across her face every time she turned. It reminded Dave of a hair product commercial.

  Sam introduced Dave to the two girls, Carla and Erin. They were both of Asian appearance but Erin was more of a mix. Erin’s eyes were closer to European, brown and alluring. Sam gave the girls a brief story of his encounter with Dave at the French bistro.

  ‘What brings you to Hong Kong, Dave?’ Carla asked in an American accent while twirling her fingers in Sam’s hair. Her slightly slurred words and red face betrayed her tipsy state. Carla had a friendly look about her with glowing cheeks, which could possibly be due to the wine, Dave thought. Everything about her was womanly, from her voluptuous figure to her mannerisms. Dave could see why Sam had stuck with Carla out of the many potentials at his disposal.

  ‘A holiday,’ he r
eplied almost hesitantly. It was a question he struggled increasingly to answer.

  ‘In one word how do you like it so far?’ her companion Erin asked.

  ‘I guess I’d have to say “interesting”,’ answered Dave.

  ‘That’s boring. Surely you can come up with something else,’ she tilted her head up and looked directly at him.

  ‘Take my seat, Dave,’ Carla said as she got up and wrapped her arms around Sam.

  ‘Are you sure?’

  ‘Yes, just sit down,’ Carla insisted. Dave obliged and adjusted himself in the seat next to Erin and for the first time looked her over properly. An electric pulse surge through his body as if he was zapped. Erin sat cross-legged in hipster jeans and an elegant white shirt opened halfway down her chest. The simplicity of her clothing was stunning. Wavy brown hair rested over her shoulders and back, giving her a fresh and carefree look. But it was her eyes. They were unusual. There was so much depth in them he felt lured to them like bait. The situation Dave found himself in was almost alien. It reminded him of the first time he’d met Julia in the café.

  ‘“Surprising”, perhaps?’ Dave suggested.

  ‘That leaves it open to interpretation. Not fair,’ she toyed and gave him a cheeky smile. Erin took a ladylike sip of her champagne and her pinkie finger went up in the air.

  ‘It’s your fault,’ Dave challenged. ‘You said one word.’

  ‘I want you to choose another one by the end of the night.’

  ‘I’ll see what I can do. Would you ladies like another drink? My shout,’ he added.

  ‘We get ours for free, you poor guys look after yourselves,’ Carla mocked.

  ‘Fine then, we’ll do that.’ Dave ordered a couple of beers and clinked glasses with Sam. The two couples distanced themselves slightly, another unspoken gesture that Dave picked up on. Sam and now Carla had vetted him. He was allowed access to her friend, after her approval of course. It was so slight and subtle that he nearly missed it, just a momentary unspoken look between two females that said ‘he’s okay’.

  ‘Where are you from?’ Dave asked. ‘I detect an American accent.’