Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction 2020complete | Page 609

The Old Man Po Leung Kuk Choi Kai Yau School, Lee, Ziki - 13 The old man gazed out into the open sea. The lonely rays of moonlight bounced off the rippling waves and into the old man’s eyes, countless old memories invading his mind. After tomorrow, he would be no longer be a tour guide, retiring to the USA, never to come back. His countless memories of being a tour guide, one after another, along the GBA seemed to all suddenly strike back to life. The old man walked back into his apartment and switched off his light. He knew every inch, every crook and nanny of the cities, and although he didn’t want to, he was getting old, he had to retire one day or another... The old man woke up with a forced smile on his face, which quickly crumbled into a frown. He headed out his apartment and out towards the airport, where he would meet his last tourists in his 30-year career. But he never knew his last tourists, were a pack of energetic, joyous teens from the USA… As he could remember ever so accurately from the back of his head, he yet again led the tourists out of the airport, boarded the tour bus, and introduced himself. But this time, unlike before, the once very humorous old man now lacked any sense of energy or motivation. His eyes slopped down, unlike his usual energetic self. He once again began by introducing the tourists to the GBA “Welcome everyone, to… Greater Bay Area – one of... most influential regions of the world…” He continued, “We are home… 70 million people spanning across 9 provinces, Hong Kong, and Macau…” He staggered and paused again and again. He was very depressed, and the tourists could tell. For once in 30 years, the old man’s tour bus was deprived of fun and laughter, instead filled with a miserable, chilling atmosphere. Street by street, tower by tower, shop by shop, the tour bus roared down the highway. Knowing how everything that passed by his eye, he would never see again, he unenviably felt even more blue than before. When they approached each attraction, he didn’t even bother to introduce them, he just sat on the bus and let the teens explore themselves… In the afternoon, they made their way onto Hong Kong. There were so many international brands here; whenever you wanted something, just look around, there had to be one around the corner. The tourists got off the tour bus one by one, making their way into the bustling streets of Hong Kong. Walking along the Star Harbor, the old man stared down at the floor beneath him, where countless molded handprints of Hong Kong’s celebrities were scattered all along the long promenade. As the tourists followed the old man’s small, slow steps, they didn’t seem to care; all minding their own business, playing their own games, and following along. But as they walked along the harbor for longer, and longer, they couldn’t help but empathize with the old man as well. One teen tried asking him what happened, but he didn’t say a word. He suddenly stopped in the middle of the promenade, looking down on a certain handprint. It was the old man’s passed-away mother. The old man could still remember how he loved to listen to his mother sing in front of huge crowds on the radio. Tears rolled down his eyes, and everyone tried to comfort him. But it was all to no use. Seeing he teens took him to a local restaurant and ordered him a local special – stir-fried noodles. Wow! What is this? Even as a kid growing up in this city, he had never tasted anything this good before. It was so amazing! He engulfed in the noodles bite by bite. The teens all ecstatically laughed and ate with him. He really never realized how warming, how happy the GBA community can be – it was one thing he had never noticed even after growing up in this city for over 60 years. He thought to himself: these kids, they’re really the next generation of the GBA? Even growing up knowing every corner of every street in the city, he never realized how warming and passionate the city could be. Every child here was good at something, and seeing the next generation take over these cities was definitely a sight to behold.