Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction 12 | Page 354

The New Tales of Old Shanghai
Po Leung Kuk Choi Kai Yau School, Li, Yau - 12
I
n the half-lit bedroom, my grandma was telling me a bedtime story.
“My dear, there was this girl, Mei, who was 8 years old, just like you. She was an orphan. It was 1935 and
she worked in Majestic Hotel at the Bund of Shanghai. Her job was to polish shoes, so she met a lot of different
people.”
“What fascinated her was the dresses of the foreign kids. Mei would gaze into the crowds around the Bund.
With their elegance, they immersed into the magical surrounds of dusk.The red sky flushed like the rosy cheeks of
a newborn baby. The flame of the sun fading out and marking the end of the day. The clouds flew past as if the
birds were migrating from country to country. The docking ships were bees over a blossom flower.”
“Night fell and the crowds disappeared. Silence and the stars filled the Bund. It was finally time for Mei to
rest.”
It was way past bedtime, yet I was still wide awake and insisted to listen to the story. Grandma took a deep
breath and continued. “So, the next day, Mei woke up before dawn. She was a diligent girl. As she prepared the
shoe polishing materials, a cute, charming western boy in his smart outfit, carrying a pair of worn leather shoes,
approached her. Mei took a deep breath as her cheeks turned red. Her heart thumped wildly. Their eyes met and
somehow they felt an instant connection between them. Mei, and the boy, blushed. “
“Excuse me. Could you please help me polish these leather shoes? “ The boy seemed to glow and Mei just
couldn’t leave her eyes off him. The boy was a beacon in a stormy sea.
“Usually, only adults will bring their shoes here, so are you helping your dad?” Mei decided to break the
silence. The boy whispered in Mei’s ears,”I accidentally spilled paint on my dad’s shoes. He has a bad temper. I
decided to polish his shoes without letting him know.” That was how the boy and Mei started to talk to each
other.
“What’s your name?” the boy asked.
“Mei.”
“Nice to meet you. I’m Peter Palmer and I’m 10. How about you?”
“I’m 8.”
“Actually, my dad is a businessman and he’s working at the Bund. Our house is right there.”
“Oh I see. I’ve been working here since I was 4.”
“Why don’t you come and visit my home?”
“Oh, wow! Well…”
“Don’t worry. You can pretend to be my classmate!”
“Okay. Anyway, here are your shoes.”
As the first light of the day picked its way through the haze, the two kids reached Peter’s house.