Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction 12 | Page 84

A New Tale Of Old Shanghai : The Antique Brass Telescope
Canadian International School of Hong Kong , Zhu , Amelia – 10

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acob wandered through the Jade Buddha Temple flea market , observing attentively , a small bronze Buddha statue among many other artifacts . He sighed . In a few weeks , he ’ d travel to Beijing for work , but he loved Shanghai , “ Paris of the Orient ”. A diligent visitor to old city markets , he had not yet found what he was looking for after living in Shanghai for a long while . He longed to recline in a chair in Yu Garden as the grinning Mile-Buddha , but , he remembered his promise to his father .
Shanghai was in his blood : Jacob ’ s great-grandfather , John Colston , a great merchant and a famed “ Shanghailander ”, made his fortune , got married and lived in the French Concession till his death . After the Pacific War , Jacob ’ s grandfather went back to London , carrying with him a beautiful wooden box , carved with the Greek god Chronos solemnly turning a Zodiac Wheel .
The box was tailor-made for a telescope , handcrafted by John , who was said to have spent his time reading and watching stars . The telescope mysteriously disappeared years ago . But Jacob kept the box , inherited when his father passed away .
papers .
“ Find the telescope ”, wheezed his father . Suddenly , his eyes lighted up . “ May I take a look ?” Jacob asked , in his harsh mandarin , pointing towards an object wrapped in old oil
The old woman looked up , nodding . Jacob opened the weighty parcel . An old antique brass telescope laid there , and on the brass were engraved initials : ‘ J . C .’, the same as engraved in John ’ s old aviator helmet .
Jacob turned the telescope around , it looked similar to many old telescopes he saw . Then , he noticed that on one side , there were two buttons next to a small dial with nine digits , with small headings above the dial : year , month and day .
“ Let me check if this is it ”, Jacob reached for the wooden box in his backpack , opened it , and placed the telescope that fitted like a glove .
Jacob knelt down at his great-grandfather ’ s tombstone in the Shanghai Concession Cemetery , “ I have the telescope ”, he murmured . Just then , he heard a scuffle at the gate nearby .
“ You there ! You pay the entrance fee !” the Cemetery guard growled at a confused man looking like he jumped out of the 1920s .
“ Ngû xin Fāng !” the man cried in Shanghai dialect , “ My name Fāng ! Sir !” His english was garbled as he yelled at Jacob .
Jacob was perplexed The man came for him ! “ Young Master ? Is that you ?” Fāng asked , eyes on Jacob ’ s telescope .
“ Uh ... who ? I ’ m Jacob .”
“ Someone stole this telescope from me !” Fāng exclaimed . The Cemetery guard ran at Fāng . Jacob pushed a twenty-yuan note into the guard ’ s hands .
“ I ’ ll pay .” He turned to Fāng , who picked up the telescope with a mysterious look in his eyes . “ Put that down !” Jacob took the telescope back . “ We need to talk , Master . Shanghai Teahouse ?” He inquired . “ Sure . I have questions for you .” He placed the telescope into the box .