Leaving Madeleine - part 25

           AIR FRANCE FLIGHT 188 landed at Hong Kong International Airport shortly after 17:00.  I inspected my pants. Almost no trace was visible of my little adventure. As is custom, the moment the wheels touched the tarmac, a number of Hong Kong passengers unbuckled their seatbelts and attempted to retrieve their baggage from overhead compartments. A flight attendant chastised the perpetrators on the intercom and reminded everyone, for their safety, to stay seated until the plane came to a complete stop and the captain switched off the seatbelt light. As we arrived at the gate, the impatient got their wish and passengers scrambled to their feet like someone shot off a starter pistol. I remained in my seat and watched while nearly the entire plane stood in the aisle for ten or fifteen minutes, waiting for the gate to line up and for the flight crew to open the door.

Perhaps because we were at the extreme rear of the cabin, or maybe owing to pure common sense, my travel companion remained seated. When the line finally started to gain forward mobility, 44H rose to his feet, retrieved his luggage and offered me an almost imperceptible nod of recognition. I nodded back. Unable to suppress my joy, I may have adorned my nod with an awkward grin. With the exception of the crew and a few passengers requiring assistance, my companion and I were the last two to disembark the Airbus. I followed 44H to the customs line, which is where we parted. I observed his small, agile frame for as long as I could as he passed through the Hong Kong residents line. He never glanced my way again. I knew this was the last I’d see of him.

I mistakenly greeted the customs officer "good morning" in Cantonese. He reviewed the information I had filled out, stamped my passport, returned it to me, and motioned to the traveller behind me. All without saying a word. It was quick and easy as always. God bless the Hong Kong International airport. I said "thank you" in Cantonese and officially entered the country. The customs officer continued to deny my existence.

After numerous previous trips to the former British colony, I was familiar with the city and transportation system enough to get where I needed to go. Nevertheless, only once had I ever taken the train from the airport to Kowloon. Andy had picked me up with Calvin every other time, just as he did this time. What was different however was Brigitte had also insisted on meeting me at the airport. Both parties were waiting for me separately at arrivals. I spotted Andy and Calvin first, but Brigitte pushed her way through the crowd and sprinted and leapt into my arms. We kissed deeply. I heard Andy's voice shout, "Get a room!" Brigitte let go of my neck and turned.

"What’s up?" I greeted Andy with a hug.

"Welcome back, brother." Calvin said, as I embraced him last.

"Hello," Brigitte said.

"Andy, Calvin, Brigitte. Brigitte, Andy and Calvin."

"Shit," Calvin said.

"What?" I asked.

"We've met before," Brigitte filled me in. "At a party. For Nike or something."

"I don't remember," added Calvin. “Which party.”

"What is there, like nine million people in this city?" I asked.

"Seven million," Andy corrected.

"Fine. Seven million," I accepted.

"Well, nice to meet you again, and nice to meet you for the first time," Brigitte shook Andy’s and Calvin’s hands.

"Nice to meet you," Andy replied.

"Do you know how long we've tried to get this guy to move here?" Calvin asked.

"I guess I had better methods," Brigitte answered.

"No, he tried that too," joked Andy. Everyone laughed. "Tradition?"

"Yes. Tradition," I confirmed. Andy took my suitcase from me.

"Let's go!" Andy led the way.

"What's that now?" asked Brigitte.

"We have a tradition when I arrive in Hong Kong," I replied. “My first meal has to be a dong lai cha and tuoy dan tsi."

"Milk tea and a ham and egg sandwich?" asked Brigitte.

"You can understand that shit?" teased Calvin.

"I told you my pronunciation is perfect," I responded.

"May I ask why?" Brigitte pressed.

"You may," I answered.

"The first time this gwailo came here," started Andy.

"I didn't live here then," Calvin inserted.

"When he landed he was hungry," continued Andy.

"So he told me he was going to take me to the McDonald's of Hong Kong,"

"But we have McDonalds," Brigitte interjected.

"Whatever. That's not important," Andy waved her off. "So I brought him to a tsa tsa teng-"

            "I start looking at the menu, and he says, 'I'll order for you. I'll order you the most quintessential Hong Kong dish.' So I'm like, 'Okay, cool.' The waitress comes, he orders. Him and his cousin-"

"Cousin?" Brigitte stopped me.

"Yeah. Sorry, his cousin was there. She had a huge crush on him."

"Amazing," Andy said sarcastically.

"That's another story. Anyway, him and his cousin start washing the cutlery, which I didn't realize was a thing then."

"You have to," Brigitte affirmed.

"I know that now. The waitress comes with our food. Soup and noodles for Andy, some braised beef or something for his cousin, and-"

"And a ham and egg sandwich for you," finished Brigitte.

"Right. The most Hong Kong style dish ever!" I concluded.

"But no crust!" Andy added.

"That's what he said. He was staring at me with anticipation and was like, 'so?' And I say 'so what?' He's asks me, 'what do you think?' And I tell him, 'it's a ham and egg sandwich.' 'Yeah, what do you think?' he says. And I say 'it's fine but, I mean, I can get a ham and egg sandwhich anywhere.'"

“But here they take the crust off for you!” Brigitte exclaimed.

“Exactly,” Andy said.

"But what about the tea?" Brigitte asked.

"The tea? Oh, I just ordered that on my own.”

“I see.”

“Now whenever I arrive my first meal has to be a tuoy daan tsi and dong lai cha."

Calvin piped in. "You can just say ham and egg sandwich and milk tea."

"I can’t." 
A trunk opened on a gleaming white Audi Q3.  “Where’s the Beamer?”

“Gone. Got this now,” Andy answered. He tossed my suitcase inside.

"I'll sit in the back with Brigitte," I announced. We all piled into the car. Brigitte spoke to Andy in Cantonese. He answered her. "What was that?" I asked.

"I asked him which tea café we are going to," Brigitte translated.

"I told her one in Kowloon," Andy started the car and we were on our way.

I felt good. Happy.

Following proper observance of our time-honored tradition, Andy drove us all to Calvin’s flat in Ho Man Tin. As we rode the elevator, Brigitte made a remark regarding the poshness of the  neighborhood. We exited on the third floor. Calvin unlocked and opened the door to his place. Brigitte removed her sandals.

“It’s massive!” exclaimed Brigitte, removing her shoes.

“She can stay,” Calvin remarked.

“What’s that? “ asked Brigitte.

“Calvin’s a little OCD,” I answered. "Your shoes." Andy and I removed our shoes. We stepped into Calvin’s expansive living room. An old couch sat in the left corner across from us. A Barcelona was against the wall directly to our right. Calvin had created a workstation with his computer and worktable nearly in the centre of the room. Some lights and a backdrop filled the corner directly to our left. Hallways ran off the center of either wall. The hallway on the left led to a bedroom, laundry room, and a bathroom. The hallway to the right ran past the kitchen, a second bathroom, and two bedrooms. The door to the furthest bedroom opened and a black Labrador ran out. Yumi, Calvin’s girlfriend followed. She wore short black shorts and a white tank top. She held her hands behind her back.

“Hello,” the girl said with a Chinese accent. The dog leapt on Andy.

“Hello, Brutus. Hello!” Andy tried to keep the lab on all fours.

“Hi! This is Calvin’s girlfriend, Yumi,” I introduced Yumi to Brigitte. “I’ve only met her on Skype.”

“Brigitte,” said Brigitte, offering her hand.

Yumi negotiated her hands behind her back. “Sorry! One second!” she said shyly. “ Oh shit! I get this for you! We get when we go to Thailand,” She handed me a beaded bracelet. “Welcome to Hong Kong!”

“Thank you.” I slipped the bracelet onto my wrist. “You didn’t have to do that.”

“Yes, I know,” Yumi responded.

“She was on a mission,” Calvin added.

 “I love it,” I assured her.

“Never take off,” Yumi said. I couldn’t tell if she was joking.

“So? What are we doing?” asked Andy.

“I just got here,” I replied.

“This is Hong Kong. Go, go, go.”  Andy was scratching behind Brutus’s ear.

“Let me shower first,” I insisted.

“Then what? Dinner?” pressed Andy.

“Yeah. Sure. Let’s go to the dumpling place,” I suggested.

“What dumpling place?” asked Calvin.

“The place with the roti and the noodles with the peanut sauce,” I explained.

“Are those fuckin’ dumplings?”

“You know what place I mean.”

“You always call it the dumpling place.”

“That’s how you know what it is. What’s it called?”

“I don’t fuckin’ know, but not the dumpling place. It’s fuckin’ confusing!”

“Alright, chill dude.”

“He has to smoke,” Yumi said.

“I do,” Calvin agreed.

“Cigarettes?” Brigitte asked.

“Weed,” Andy answered.

“And I have to shower,” I added.

“Okay. You smoke. You shower. Then we go eat,” Andy summarized.

“Are you okay going to the dumpling place?” I asked Brigitte.

“The dumpling place that doesn’t serve dumplings?” Brigitte clarified.

“Yes,” Calvin confirmed.

“Is it good?” Brigitte asked.

“It’s delicious,” I assured her.

“Yes, I’m fine. Are we going to go to my place later?” Brigitte asked.

“Probably after we go to LKF or TST.”

“We’re going out tonight?”

“Have to. Tradition,” Andy chimed.

“How many traditions are there?” Brigitte questioned.

“That’s pretty much it. Oh, and go to the jazz place.” I answered.  “But that can be anytime.”

“Very well. I want to go home and change before we go out out though,” expressed Brigitte.

“Okay, no problem.”

“And I want you to come with me,” Brigitte added.

“Okay.” I kissed Brigitte on the forehead. “What are you gonna do while I shower?”

“I’m going to smoke with Calvin,” Brigitte told me.

“Fair enough. I’ll be quick.” I rolled my suitcase into the bedroom next to Calvin’s. It contained a foldout couch and tatami mats. I grabbed a change of clothes, my toiletries, and went to wash away any remaining traces of Paris.