CHASING LIFE Read online

  Crowds from other streets spilled out into the open as venues shut their doors, and taxis dominated the road traffic. Walking to The Base was part of the fun. One of Sam’s Scottish friends was already hard to understand on account of his accent. But in his drunken stupor he was incomprehensible—ending every sentence of his story with, ‘Fockin ell, ey?’ Adding to the hilarity, his Russian girlfriend served as his translator, and she had an accent thicker than him. No one could understand either of them. People would ask them questions for the sake of hearing them babble. Erin discreetly wrapped her arm around him and moved closer. Her intimacy took him by surprise, but he liked it very much.

  Chapter 10

  At 4:00 in the morning, the energy levels at The Base were bottoming out, but Sam brought a bucket of ice with an enormous bottle of Gray Goose vodka in it and slammed it on the table. The Scotsman’s eyes opened wide at the sight of more alcohol before he mumbled something and passed out, his Russian girlfriend quickly tending to him. Some brave souls went on drinking and others kept dancing. Dave and Erin sat on a lounge sofa next to each other, watching people absent-mindedly. They were happy to do nothing.

  When Erin looked at her watch, she pushed her glass of vodka away and asked for water instead.

  ‘Are you okay?’ Dave asked.

  ‘I’m fine,’ she answered. ‘Just need to sober up. I have to go soon. I have a lot to do tomorrow.’

  The notion of Erin’s leaving alarmed him. ‘Do I get your number?’ he asked.

  ‘Sure, but I won’t have this for long,’ she said without hesitation. Dave added it to his contact list and dialled it to make sure she got his number too. ‘Have you thought of another word yet?’ she queried.

  ‘Word?’

  ‘Hong Kong. I asked you to give me another word by the end of the night to describe it.’

  ‘How about “unforgettable”?’ he replied.

  ‘Flattering, but I’m sure you’ve had better moments than this. Keep thinking and let me know next time I see you.’

  ‘All right,’ Dave laughed. ‘What are you doing tomorrow?’

  ‘Packing,’ Erin answered. ‘I’m leaving Hong Kong.’

  ‘What?’ He withdrew his arm instantly on hearing the news and looked straight at her. She pivoted to face him.

  ‘Why don’t you come with me?’ Erin smiled.

  ‘Where are you going?’

  ‘It’ll be amazing, I promise. Just say yes, and I’ll tell you,’ she said, excited at her own invitation. Dave shuddered at those words. Why had they resonated with him?

  ‘Are you serious?’ was the only thing he could reply with.

  ‘Yes, I’m serious. We’ll have fun.’ She spoke with excitement and took his hand in hers, squeezing it as if trying to pull an answer out of him. Her fingers were long and delicate, cushioned by his large hand.

  ‘I can’t just say yes without knowing where I’m going.’

  ‘Why not?’ Her lips were so close to his he could feel her warm breath.

  ‘What do you mean, why not?’

  ‘Why did you come to Hong Kong?’

  ‘I know where you’re going with that but …’

  ‘Just answer the question Dave, no bullshit. Liberate yourself. You’re in a unique position. You’re obviously looking to change your life.’ Erin had him on the spot. He looked in her imposing eyes and couldn’t think of an answer. All he knew is that he wanted her, but he couldn’t say it. He was overwhelmed by her presence, her smell, her perfectly symmetrical features. And most of all, he felt alive around her, and that scared him.

  ‘But, I just got here.’

  ‘So? And I’ll ask again: what are you doing in Hong Kong? And don’t tell me you just came for a holiday, I don’t believe it.’

  ‘I had to go away and experience life. This trip will help me find something. I can’t explain it. It must sound silly. This is all too sudden for me, and I can’t just take off again.’ He shook his head and rambled on as if desperately rummaging for the right words. Erin looked at her watch and got up with an expression of disappointment that said she’d wasted her time. He was losing her.

  ‘I’ve got to go. It’s late,’ Erin said and grabbed her bag. He felt like he’d let her down and was still struggling for something meaningful to say, something that would make her stay just a little longer. Dave watched her say goodbye to her friends when Carla called him over from across the table.

  ‘Would you walk her out, Dave? Just make sure she gets into a cab.’ she winked.

  ‘Yes, of course.’ Good thinking Carla, he thought to himself. That would buy him time.

  He was glad someone was looking out for him. Why was he feeling like a nervous teenager out on his first date? He realised it was because it kind of was. He hadn’t done this for years. But he’d just met Erin—why was he acting so serious? He shook his head and thought to himself, unbelievable, getting attached to the first girl I hang out with when there’s so much more to do. But this girl was different. What she represented scared him. Could he fall for another woman? The street was packed with more taxis than customers at that time in the morning. Erin stopped in front of one and turned to give him a kiss goodbye. Her hair was swaying in the wind and brushed his face. She got inside and put the window down.

  ‘You didn’t tell me what your tattoo meant,’ he said, trying to play it cool in his last moment with her.

  ‘Chasing life!’ Erin yelled out and the cab pulled away.

  ‘Tell me where you’re going and what you’re doing there,’ he called after her. But she just smiled back at him as the taxi drove off down the labyrinth of streets and disappeared. He stayed out on the street for some time before going back in. It wasn’t as lively and energetic to him anymore, even though it hadn’t changed much.

  His energy levels were going down, and a growling stomach came with it. The attractive girl who had been eyeing him out at Serene was there, still looking at him with an inviting expression. She was waiting on him to make a move. But he didn’t have the motivation to do anything about it. Erin was still on his mind. The club suddenly felt empty and it made him anxious. He hung around trying to find a place for himself, but somehow it wasn’t right anymore. It was as if the life had been whisked out of it. The hunger pains niggled in his gut, and the alcohol was taking its toll—it was time to leave. He made the decision to call it a night and found Sam.

  ‘I’m outta here man. I’m drained,’ he said.

  ‘Yeah, I’m buggered too. But I’ve got to hang around and close up. Did you have a good night?’

  ‘Fantastic. Thanks, mate.’

  ‘No problem. Am I seeing you tomorrow night?’

  ‘For sure.’ Dave said, glad to hear he was still welcome.

  ‘Take care,’ Sam said and farewelled Dave.

  Once outside, Dave got into the nearest taxi and gave the driver directions to his hotel. Then he noticed the meter wasn’t on.

  ‘Why isn’t the meter on?’ he demanded. His mood had soured.

  ‘Wha?’

  ‘The meter. Why isn’t it on?’ Dave pointed at it and raised his voice.

  ‘Don’t worry, it’s okay. It’s okay.’

  ‘No it’s not okay! Turn the meter on, or I’ll get out and get another cab.’ His anger returned within seconds. He wasn’t up for getting ripped off at this time of the night by a smart-arse cabbie.

  ‘Okay, okay,’ the driver responded as if he’d made a slight oversight. Then they were off. Dave’s head was buzzing from the loud music and his mind wandered back to Erin, replaying every moment from the time he met her to the moment she departed. He would call her; as soon as he woke up he’d give her a call and spend some time with her. The taxi stopped, and he saw the sign of Ragan Hotel. On the horizon, the arrival of a new day made its announcement as darkness lifted and light peered through faintly.

  ‘Seventy dollar,’ the driver said.

  ‘It says fifty-five on the meter,’ Dave pointed again.

  �
�Wha?’

  ‘It says fifty-five on your bloody meter!’ Dave was pointing furiously.

  ‘Okay, okay. Fifty fie.’ The driver waved his hands about in resignation and Dave handed him a one-hundred Hong Kong dollar note.

  ‘And I want change, smart-arse,’ he muttered. When he got out he slammed the door in protest. Dave wasn’t sure why he’d gotten irritated so quickly. His stomach was still grumbling, and he felt a headache coming on. He took a cigarette out of his pack and lit it. The feeling grossed him out, and he threw it away in disgust, his thoughts turning to food instead. If he didn’t have anything to eat, he knew he’d suffer in the morning. Next door a 24-hour convenience store sold cold sandwiches. He bought two and a couple of bottles of water before making the arduous journey back to the room. Once he scraped himself inside he scoffed the food down, took a quick shower and slumped into the bed. He was out cold within minutes.

  It wasn’t until later in the afternoon that Dave finally came around and woke up with a pounding headache. It felt like a footballer kicked his head instead of the ball. His room was up on the eighteenth floor, and the window had a pretty decent view of the city. The towering apartment buildings were lost in a hazy smog, and the gloomy sky seemed oppressive, but the streets were flooded with people busily going about. Even though he had no inclination to venture out of bed, he decided to make the most of the day and take a walk.

  His thoughts would always go to Julia when he’d wake up. He peered at the bathroom mirror, mumbling, ‘What a mess I am.’ When she was alive, he’d reach for Julia and watch her a while, then he’d give her a kiss on the forehead and tell her he loved her. Now, he was brushing his teeth alone with the enthusiasm of a zombie. The previous night Dave had met an amazing girl, he’d had a great time and forgotten all his worries. The night was so incredible it was surreal. The feelings he experienced were amazing but quickly forgotten, because for him, reality was misery. He took a couple of Aspirins for his splitting headache and washed them down with water, a familiar routine.

  With one foot in front of the other, he cautiously stepped inside the shower and waited for the head-spins to subside. Loud buzzing in his head threatened to tip him off balance. It felt like a couple of hammers were banging on the inside of his skull, trying to break through the wall. The smart thing to do would be to get some food into his ravaged gut so he could function again. But he waited until the drugs gave him what he needed, so he’d be capable of movement.

  The pills were taking effect, and he pushed himself into action. It was late afternoon. He dressed and with a new map in hand, he set off to catch a Star Ferry heading for the shopping centre in Kowloon City. It was his first time on such a large ferry. The ones in Melbourne were small and mainly for tourist. He found these as easy as catching a bus, but a lot more exciting on account of travelling at sea. The city skyline from the ferry was impressive. The sheer size of Hong Kong and its development was an inspiring sight, but one he couldn’t fully appreciate on account of his physical state.

  They disembarked and followed the masses of people on their way to the shopping precinct—light skin and black hair being the dominant sight. For the first time he truly felt like a foreigner, immersed in the Chinese population, among words he couldn’t understand.

  Harbour City Shopping Centre was a grand attraction built on a scale he hadn’t seen before, a Goliath of a retail development. And he could see why, the floors were packed full of people, a large number of them young, thin and very well dressed. The air was alive with inaudible white noise, an orgy of chatter. Worldwide brands and labels were represented for the convenience and pleasure of consumers happy to part with their earnings.

  Dave’s curiosity led him into a Prada store. Items with prices had so many zeros behind the number; it made him gasp and he didn’t bother converting the currency in his head. Such a high-end flagship store would naturally attract less clientele and he guessed the others inside were just curious browsers like himself. A young Chinese girl walked in with a confident stride. She wore a bright red business skirt, matching lipstick, and a tight black top with golden earrings dangling from her delicate earlobes.

  Her clouded but attractive face put her in her early twenties at most. Immaculately combed hair with straight cut fringe fluttered like waves as she bobbed and bounced with an unconvincing strut. Her heels were so high it seemed she was imitating a human skyscraper. She ignored the sales lady that rushed to greet her and went straight for the items of interest, bags. The sales lady followed like a lapdog, with a smile and a slight bow, standing quietly behind her.

  The girl pointed to four bags, snapped a few remarks and the sales lady rushed to pack them up. There were no polite exchanges from her end; she knew what she wanted and didn’t waste time. She was politely asked for payment, and that’s when the wad of cash came out, from her own very expensive looking Gucci bag. Dave wasn’t the only one in the store watching the transaction in bewilderment. Perhaps in Paris, or LA, but in China? The girl barked out instructions and pointed to her watch before walking out. A delivery boy rushed out and followed after her with the goods. He walked over to the bags. The four of them totalled just over forty thousand US dollars.

  ‘Wow,’ he murmured and moved on. The headline Dave had seen in the newspaper earlier immediately came to mind, China’s upper and middle class on the rise, youth spending more and not saving. Only, this was spending on another level.

  After walking around for an hour and losing his sense of direction in this temple of capitalism, Dave settled for the first café he could find and ordered. He played around with a muffin, cutting it into smaller bits before finally committing to eat it. He literally had to force himself to swallow each bite. His appetite quashed at last, he spread his legs and relaxed in the comfortable seat. An army of people, mostly young Asian women, went about all around him with hands full of shopping bags.

  He recollected the event that took place the prior night and replayed every detail with a satisfying feeling of accomplishment. ‘I’m trying, Julia, I’m trying hard,’ he spoke to himself. The few hours of socialising on his first night in Hong Kong made him feel like he had been there for days. That was living; no holding back, only enjoying the moment. Dave suddenly remembered that Erin was leaving that day.

  He took his phone out and scrolled through his contact list, hoping fervently that she hadn’t gone yet. He dialled her number and listened as the dial tone counted down, his disappointment becoming more inevitable with each unanswered ring. The beeps eventually stopped and the call ended. He tried a few more times before giving up and slumping in his seat with a sigh. Oh well, time to do the touristy stuff, he sighed to himself, shoving the mobile in his pocket.

  The new map came out, and he spread it on the table, circling well-known attractions that were already marked as must-see tourist sites. The first on his list was the Tian Tan Buddha or the ‘Big Buddha’, as everyone referred to it. With a water bottle in hand and a wallet full of cash, he set out to catch the MTR Hong Kong subway. It didn’t take him long to figure out what train to hop on. He reached the cable car and ordered a round trip in a the crystal cabin, one with a transparent bottom. It cost him a hundred and fifty-seven Hong Kong dollars, a sum he could not yet calculate in terms of Australian currency.

  An expedition to the Big Buddha in the afternoon wasn’t such a good idea. It was packed with tourists at that time of the day. Nevertheless, he was a tourist himself with plenty of time to spare. He got in a cable car and settled in, taking in the view while they ascended. Soon he realised that the transparent bottom was making him nervous. At first, looking down wasn’t a problem, but the higher they ascended, the squirmier he felt, and his head was spinning. Was it vertigo? It was the first time Dave had been affected by heights in his life, and he put it down to his binge drinking from the night before.

  He looked around at the excited tourists while he held his stomach with a pained expression. He felt awful. He stood up and avoided lo
oking straight down. This seemed to help, and the strange head-spins slowly dissipated. Just relax, he told himself repeatedly. The views from every angle were great. The clouds had cleared and he could see the international airport, as well as a panoramic view of the hilly city. It was surrounded by a lush rainforest. But with no camera in hand there was nothing to capture the moment. ‘Mental note, buy a camera,’ he told himself. He watched people with envy as they snapped away with their fancy equipment.

  Upon seeing the number of stairs to climb to the Buddha and feeling his appetite return, he decided on lunch first at the restaurant before it too got crowded. He wasn’t sure how the vegetarian meal would taste, but it certainly turned out to be delicious. Reinforced with extra energy and drive he climbed the stairs up to the base of the statute, exhausted and puffing for air. He gave himself a moment to take in the enormous Buddha, perched on the top of the hill. It was such an appropriate spot for the big guy, meditating with a peaceful smile with the world at his feet.

  The serene element to this man-made object was inspiring. Dave realised that he was craving the peace and fulfilment that the statute represented. His journey had just begun. There was no guessing what he’d come across, and he had no idea if peace would be the outcome. But it certainly was the objective. He looked out into the distant horizon and wondered where to go from there. He took his phone out and sent Erin a well-wishing text message, for when she got off the plane. There wasn’t much else to do up there, all alone. With the Big Buddha ticked off his list, he walked down and got on a cable car for the trip back to Hong Kong Island. Just as he took off, the sky darkened and the rain he was now familiar with resumed. The weather seemed to reflect his state of mind now: dull and moody. Dave rested his head against the side window and felt the slight thuds of droplets bombarding the cable car, letting his thoughts roam. He wished he wasn’t alone on this journey.