EAST OF THE HEART: CHAPTER THREE

Chapter Three: The Introduction

1925 – George Town, Penang

Mei Yee settled quickly into her “pre-wedding” quarters. It was actually an attic located at south wing corner of the mansion. By every means, it was much larger than the tiny room in her village. The attic was generous in size and décor. There was a formal sitting area, a separate enclosure for the bedroom and dressing room. Most of all, Mei Yee was impressed to find that the room had an en-suite bathroom. It was complete with modern plumbing, a soaking tub, a washbasin and accessories. She never had a private bathroom before. It was a new experience for her. In the village, an entire household would share a common bathroom and the toilet would be located outside of the house. It was mainly a hole dug into the ground and a shed was built around it. Mei Yee had always hated going to the toilet in the night. She hated the darkness, and the long walk from her house to the external toilet. There were many nights when she would just endure the urge to go to the toilet, and had forced herself to go back to sleep. As for the bath, it was basically an outhouse built around a well. However, this was established right next to the house. Or rather, the house was built next to the well. Water extracted from the well would be used for a variety of things, and not just for washing. The same water from the well would be used for cooking and cleaning as well. Hence, Mei Yee began to appreciate having her own personal bathroom tremendously.

As the attic was located at the highest point of the mansion, Mei Yee had an unobstructed view of the city. She could see coconut trees, palm trees, shops, places of worship, and the streets leading all the way to the train station at the far distance. There were other houses around the Wong residence, but none could match its size and grandeur. Mei Yee also noticed that the Wong family owned two automobiles. In the whole island of Penang, there were but a few motor vehicles. Only the most affluent could afford to own one. However, to possess two vehicles under one roof would prove that one had not only the means to purchase; but also the authority to import. The Wong family was not only wealthy, they also held influential positions in the community. The family business extended from shipping, agriculture, land and property ownership to banking. Many other businesses in Penang were supported by the Wong family’s empire. No one would dare speak a word to injure the family’s reputation. Therefore, Mei Yee would have to think twice before voicing any disagreements within this particular family. The Wongs never forget, and would bear a long grudge against anyone who did not comply with their wishes.    

On the first day of her arrival, Mrs. Wong permitted Mei Yee to rest in her room. She was excused from joining them for all the meals. Instead, Ah Ping delivered her lunch and dinner to the attic. Despite Mrs. Wong’s lack of approachability, she was generous in furnishing Mei Yee with an abundance of food and drinks. There were canisters of snacks and biscuits sent to her room, in addition to the main meals of the day. Mrs. Wong was not joking about "fattening" her up for the wedding. It took Mei Yee some time to get accustomed to being served. At her own home in the village, Mei Yee was the one who helped her mother serve her father and brothers. Her family could only afford two domestic helpers – a cook and a cleaner. Actually, they were more like relatives than helpers. Mei Yee had to assist in the household chores, as well as, in serving the family on a daily basis. Here, it felt rather strange to be at the receiving end.

Mei Yee’s personal maid, Ah Ping, was about the same age as her – both of them barely eighteen. Ah Ping had joined the Wong residence when she was 7 years old. Ah Ping’s mother had given her to the Wong family because her family was too poor to feed another mouth. It was very common in Penang to marry off their daughters, and if they could not be married off, they would be given away to rich families to be incorporated as part of the household staff. Ah Ping’s fate led her to be a servant for life to the Wong family. It was sealed from the moment she had walked into the mansion. In this respect, Mei Yee felt that she shared the same predicament as Ah Ping. The both of them had no control over their lives, and there seemed to be little hope that they could change their fate. Mei Yee thought that the female race was given the rotten end of the bargain in life. It was a curse to be born a woman in this society, at this time - she lamented. Women were nothing more than commodities which could be sold, traded or disposed of. It did not take long for Mei Yee to bond with Ah Ping. They were different, yet similar in their dispositions of life. They both felt imprisoned by their circumstances, like a bird in a gilded cage.

On the following morning, Ah Ping came to the attic and delivered the morning tea to Mei Yee promptly at 8am. This was Mrs. Wong’s unique way of training Mei Yee to be ready by this hour every morning onwards. Then, Ah Ping would help Mei Yee get dressed for her breakfast with the other ladies in the household. Mei Yee would be meeting them for the first time. Ah Ping had kindly enlightened her with a brief history of the Wong family, and the other significant members living in the mansion.

Mr. and Mrs. Wong had come from generations of power and wealth in Penang. Otherwise known more commonly as the “descendants of old money”. Each of their families had immigrated to Penang during the time of Captain Francis Light in the 1790s. Mr. Wong’s family had owned most of the rubber plantation, and Mrs. Wong’s family were the owners of tin mines. Their families had witnessed the island's main town being named as “George Town” when Captain Light had christened it in honour of King George III of Great Britain. Over the centuries, the two families have prospered immensely. However, in 1867, the island was caught in a bloody massacre between two feuding Chinese secret societies - the Cantonese-speaking and the Hakka-speaking groups. Their brutal fight worsened to the point that the British commanding army had to bring in additional forces from Singapore to regain control of the murderous situation. Cannons and guns had to be fired. Later, it was discovered that the hostility between the two Chinese factions stemmed from opposing interests in the tin mining industry. Hence, it had affected Mrs. Wong’s family business a great deal. Then and there, the two great families decided that it would be wise to merge their “mutual interests” by the form of a marriage. Each side had only one child, but jointly, they would come to own a large part of Penang.

The union of Mr. and Mrs. Wong brought about three sons and a daughter. They had given all their children English names, in addition to their Chinese names. Penang was still very much a British colony in every sense of the word. So, it was important to the Wongs to present themselves as forward-thinking liberals to the community, despite how deeply entrenched they were in their own tradition. Their sons were named Alfred, Bernard, and Christopher. Their daughter was named Jasmine. It was Christopher, their youngest son, whom Mei Yee would be marrying in two weeks’ time. The entire household had been busy making preparations for it.

Ah Ping pointed out that the wives of Alfred and Bernard did not get along. Everyone in the family knew. Both Ai Ling and Sun Lee started as rivals competing for Alfred’s affections, as being the Wong's eldest daughter-in-law had its own perks and benefits. Alfred was the heir apparent to the Wong dynasty. Naturally, the coveted throne of Mrs. Wong would also be passed onto the eldest daughter-in-law. Thus, one could imagine the powers that came with the title of “Eldest Daughter-in-law”in the Wong estate. As soon as Ai Ling had won Alfred’s heart, Sun Lee had no choice but to steer herself towards the next best thing – marrying Bernard. In Sun Lee’s opinion, some wealth was better than no wealth at all. In any case, these two daughters-in-law would never tire of out-scheming and plotting against each other. It had become a vicious routine around the house, with one trying to win the approval of Mrs. Wong over the other. There would be no shortage of collateral damage of innocent bystanders. Even Jasmine Wong had resigned from spending any time with her two sisters-in-law. She did not have much care for anything or anyone in Penang. All she longed for was to leave Penang as soon as the wedding ceremony between Christopher and Mei Yee was over. It had all been arranged for Jasmine to study music in England. Secretly, Jasmine was planning to marry a British gentleman so that she would not have to return to Penang ever again.

Before leaving the attic, Ah Ping gently cautioned Mei Yee to stay away from the two devious sisters-in-law. When they both arrived at the breakfast room, Mrs. Wong was already seated at the head of the rectangular table. Everything had been laid out. Ai Ling and Sun Lee were seated at her right and left, respectively. Jasmine was running late, as her personal maid came to inform the ladies in the room. Mei Yee quickly greeted Mrs. Wong first, followed by the two daughters-in-law. Then Mrs. Wong directed her to sit next to Sun Lee. No personal orders would be taken, and no one was allowed to ask for anything else unless they had already discussed it with Mrs. Wong. All the meals in the household were planned and decided by Mrs. Wong, and her alone. Everyone would eat whatever that was served before them.

That morning, they were having an English Breakfast with bacon, sausages, eggs and toast. Mei Yee had never seen anything like it, and was not quite sure how she was going to eat her breakfast without chopsticks. Neither Ai Ling nor Sun Lee bothered to offer her any help. They did not even look at her. It was not until Jasmine’s arrival that she finally had some assistance. Jasmine took her usual seat next to Ai Ling, and showed Mei Yee exactly which utensils to use in eating their English breakfast. From across the table, Mei Yee slowly learnt how to use a fork and knife for the very first time. She found it amusing that the Westerners would take the time and effort to invent various utensils for eating different foods. All they ever needed in the village were a pair of chopsticks and a spoon. They ate everything under the sun with just that.

The breakfast area was a charming room that faced East, where the morning sun would rise and cast a brightly coloured glow through the stained glass windows. It held the views of the gardens. Mei Yee was told that the gardens were landscaped according to a typical British garden in England. It was definitely a stark contrast to the flowerbeds in Mei Yee’s village. No one spoke at breakfast unless Mrs. Wong questioned the individual directly. Mei Yee could see that Mrs. Wong was very fond of her daughter. Jasmine was the only person in the family who was allowed to go as she pleased, and spoke whenever she chose. Jasmine was also the only one who wore Western clothes at all times. Initially, Mei Yee thought Jasmine looked quite obscene with her hands and feet being so exposed. A traditional Chinese dress would have ensured that the ladies’ arms and ankles were covered up gracefully. However, the western “flapper dress” was way too short, and it had hardly any sleeves. It was not something that Mei Yee could imagine herself wearing, but she could not deny that Jasmine did look very lovely in them.

    

After breakfast, they were allowed to return to their individual chambers, or join Mrs. Wong in the sitting room. The sitting room was another area in which the ladies of the house would be allowed to gather. There was a gramophone, a grand piano, stacks of magazines and some newspapers organized neatly in the room. The sitting room faced the views of the water fountains. When the windows were opened, one could hear the calming sound of water flowing through the fountains and into the ponds. Each lady found her own preferred seat, and made herself comfortable in the sitting room. Ai Ling read the newspapers, while Sun Lee chose some magazines. Jasmine would go through the collection of records, and took one out to play on the gramophone. Then she guided Mei Yee by the hand to a nearby two-seater sofa. Jasmine informed Mei Yee that the ladies would have their afternoon tea served in this room as well, and it was usually at 4pm everyday.

“This is also a visitors’ room. If any of us had visitors such as family members or relatives, we would receive them in here as well.” Jasmine explained.

However, it was very rare for any of the ladies to have visitors – except Jasmine. She was allowed to invite her friends and cousins over to the house at any time of the day. Only weekends were strictly reserved for family time – whereby the men in the family would take their wives out to town, and make their formal appearances at the country club. 

“Mei Yee, I have arranged for the tailors to come over tomorrow. They need to measure you and start making your wedding costumes. I have already chosen all the fabric. There will be two sets of formal wear. You’ll be wearing the traditional “qipao” for the wedding ceremony, and then change into a modern evening dress for the wedding banquet. Since we would be inviting some important British guests for the banquet, a western gown would be most appropriate.” Mrs. Wong announced.

Mei Yee swallowed hard.

She could not bear to bring herself to wear any of the Western apparel. She glanced at Jasmine, who happily turned the pages of a fashion magazine to show her what Mrs. Wong meant by a “western gown”. It was a long dress which showed much of the women’s bare shoulders and arms. Mei Yee was panicking inside. If her parents or anyone from her village were to see her in that kind of clothing, they would have her beaten to death. It was most indecent. How could any woman walk out of her room in that flimsy thing, much less the house?! Suddenly, the room began to spin. Mei Yee had trouble breathing. She begged to be excused. Ah Ping was summoned to accompany her back to the attic room.

Once she was safely hidden in the privacy of the attic with Ah Ping, Mei Yee stuffed her face into the pillow and let out a muted scream. Ah Ping was taken aback.

“I am going to be completely humiliated and disgraced by the time the wedding is over!” Mei Yee exclaimed.

Ah Ping turned away from Mei Yee and gave a sorry look. Underneath the personal maid’s demure appearance there lurked a conscience that was stricken with guilt. Ah Ping struggled internally, contemplating on whether she should tell her mistress the truth of what she would inevitably uncover on the day of her wedding. 

To be continued in Chapter Four….

EAST OF THE HEART: CHAPTER TWO

EAST OF THE HEART

Chapter Two: The Arrival

The groom’s family had sent two chaperones to escort Mei Yee from her village to Penang. One of the chaperones was an older woman, and the other was a younger man who basically took orders from the older woman. It was the chaperones' job to ensure that the “bride-to-be” would arrive safely into Penang. Mei Yee later found out that the older lady chaperone was actually one of the Groom’s aunts. She told Mei Yee to address her as “Aunty Bee Yoke”. 

Aunty Bee Yoke had come to the village at the request of the Groom’s family in order to inspect the “bride-to-be”. She had to make certain that Mei Yee was of childbearing age, and was healthy in every sense of the word. With her approval on sight, Mei Yee then left with them. Later, aunty Bee Yoke also explained that Mei Yee’s mother had been corresponding with a distant relative in Malaya, and arranged for this marriage. The relative in Malaya had convinced her mother that the Groom was from a wealthy reputable family in Penang, and Mei Yee would be well taken care of. Aunty Bee Yoke asserted that Mei Yee had nothing to worry about from here on.

Their journey to Penang from Shanghai would take more than a week by sea, depending on the weather. Aunty Bee Yoke had secured a “third class” cabin for Mei Yee and herself. It had four bunk beds and a washbasin in the middle. There were no windows. They had to share the tiny room aboard the steamship with two other ladies from Shanghai. The two ladies were also traveling to Penang to start their new jobs as seamstresses at their mutual relative’s shop. They also hoped to find better marital prospects in Penang. Mei Yee was the youngest amongst them.

During that week onboard the vessel, Mei Yee became rather ill. She had not been on a boat before this, much less a ship. She found the motions of the sea extremely nauseating. She had to rest in the cabin for the most part of their journey. Aunty Bee Yoke did not improve the situation by “educating” Mei Yee on what she was expected to do in the Groom’s household. In addition, she informed Mei Yee that everything had been arranged – from Mei Yee’s “pre-wedding” room, to the wedding ceremony itself, to the “wedding-night” room, and to the “after-wedding” official residence. The Groom’s family had their own peculiar traditions, and it was imperative for Mei Yee to assimilate herself with them. Aunty Bee Yoke gave her a list to recite and commit to memory.

THE LIST:-

1)    Upon arrival, Mei Yee would be presented to the matriarch of the family, Mrs. Wong. She must greet Mrs. Wong appropriately, as she would be her daughter-in-law soon.

2)    Then she would be shown to her “pre-wedding” room. This would be temporary residence for two weeks before the actual wedding ceremony.

3)    Prior to the ceremony, the bride must not be seen out and about - especially by the Groom. She should only stay within her own quarters. She must not venture about the house freely without a servant, or suitable escort. There were only a few rooms within the household which the ladies in the family are permitted to gather or meet.

4)    She would be expected to join the ladies in the family at all meal times - that would mean breakfast, lunch and dinner. On some occasions, she might be invited to tea with the other ladies in the household when they hold an audience with Mrs. Wong. She must be suitably attired at all times. Mrs. Wong had already arranged a wardrobe of “approved” clothing in her room. The men in the Wong household never dine with the ladies unless it was a festive occasion, such as weddings, Mrs. Wong’s birthday, Chinese New Year reunion dinner and so on.

5)    A list of protocol and guidelines would be explained to her during the first week of her stay. She would be wise to remember them well.

6)    At any time of the day, Mrs. Wong may summon her for whatever purpose and reason. Therefore, she must always be prepared.

7)    Under no circumstances would she be allowed to issue any instructions to other maids and helpers in the household, other than her own.

8)    If she should require anything in addition to what had already been provided for, then she must seek counsel with Mrs. Wong and obtain her approval.

9)    She would not be allowed to go out of the house on her own unless she had received explicit permission from Mrs. Wong, and a fitting escort would be provided.

10) She must learn and adhere to the duties of a daughter-in-law together with the other daughters-in-law of the household. There would be daily morning prayers to be made, as well as evening prayers. In addition, there would be monthly prayers to the ancestors, and annual prayers. A calendar would be given out every year with all the important dates marked.

11)  She must never gossip. Mrs. Wong absolutely detested females who indulged in idle chatter. 

12) Proof of her virginity on the wedding night would be of utmost importance. This was to be carried out in the special “wedding night” room.

13) If she had failed to provide the family with any male child, then her husband would have the complete right to take on another wife to do the job.

14) After the wedding night, she would move into her husband’s formal residence. This would become her permanent home.

Aunty Bee Yoke had made Mei Yee read the list every single day. It made Mei Yee feel much worse each time. Mei Yee was beginning to worry about how she would cope. Nothing in her life had prepared her for this. The list gave her the impression that she was not getting married, but receiving a prison sentence without any hope of a reprieve. Above all, she was very apprehensive about her “soon-to-be” mother-in-law. Mrs. Wong was obviously the matriarch of the whole family, and her words would be LAW in the household. Mei Yee began to suspect that the likelihood of her getting along well with Mrs. Wong, would be as sure as “the porridge turning into rice”. This was part of a common Chinese proverb in her village. Once rice has turned into porridge, it would be irreversible.

When the steamship had finally docked at the Penang port, Mei Yee felt queasy again. The sight of her future looked bleak and utterly confusing. A set of trishaws took them from the port through the streets, and nothing looked familiar. There were buildings, schools, churches, temples and shops. Penang was not exactly as progressive and modern like Shanghai but it was definitely more advanced than her village in Fujian. Houses were very different in Penang, especially the Wong Mansion. It was a huge masonry building with three stories, and a large surrounding garden.

Cautiously, Mei Yee alighted from the trishaw and followed Aunty Bee Yoke through the imposing main entrance doors. The visitor’s hall was truly impressive with a huge crystal chandelier hanging in the middle. Wealth was evident from every corner of the room. There were many corridors that led to various rooms. It was like a maze. The two ladies weaved their way through a long hallway and reached a small sitting room where an elderly lady sat, dressed in all her fine silk and jewelry. Mei Yee had only seen brides on their wedding day dressed with such regalia in her village. It was not everyday attire from where she came from.  The elderly lady was addressing a group of household staff, while waiting for Mei Yee’s arrival. When she finally saw Mei Yee, she did not rise or smile. She only acknowledged aunty Bee Yoke and Mei Yee after she had spoken with her servants.

“Big sister, I trust you have been well. May I introduce your “soon-to-be” daughter-in-law, Lim Mei Yee,” Aunty Bee Yoke said with reverence, laced with a little fear.

This was the first time Mei Yee witnessed how very polite and timid aunty Bee Yoke behaved. Aunty Bee Yoke was visibly afraid of her elder sister. Then she tugged at Mei Yee’s blouse. That was her cue to greet the grand older woman.

“Good morning, Mrs. Wong. It is an honour to meet you. Thank you for allowing me to become a part of your great family.” Mei Yee said nervously and bowed.

Mrs. Wong looked at Mei Yee closely and motioned for her to come forward. She started to inspect Mei Yee for herself.

“A little on the skinny side, I see.” Mrs. Wong remarked.

“Believe me, big sister, she is the best from the village.” Aunty Bee Yoke added.

Then Mrs. Wong introduced Mei Yee to her personal maid-in-waiting, “Ah Ping”. Ah Ping would be attending to Mei Yee throughout her stay in the Wong household. Apparently, it was customary for every mistress and master in the household to have their personal maid or manservant. These personal servants would follow and serve their assigned mistress or master till they die. In fact, all the servants in the Wong household belonged to the family, and would not leave until it was the time of their death. Mei Yee began to realize that her fate was no different from theirs. 

“Ah Ping will take you to your pre-wedding quarters. This is where you will stay for the next two weeks until the wedding ceremony. We have strict rules and traditions in this family. We consider it very bad luck for the Groom to see his bride before the wedding. And besides, we need to prepare you before the wedding. It would not do at all if our guests saw how scrawny you are. They would think that we did not feed you enough. By the day of the wedding, you’ll have to be a lot heavier than you are now. Only manual labourers are thin in Penang. Portliness and prosperity go hand in hand.” Mrs. Wong explained sternly.

It was then Mrs. Wong noticed Mei Yee’s feet and her eyes widened in shock.

“Your feet…were they not bound when you were young?” Mrs. Wong was appalled.

“I did not like how they had restricted my mobility. So, I had refused to have my feet bound.” Mei Yee answered earnestly.

There was a moment of tensed silence. Mrs. Wong stared at Mei Yee. She was tempted to say something, but refrained herself. Mei Yee could feel the matriarch’s eyes slicing into every limb of her body. 

“You’d be most wise to embrace every single tradition of this family. This family owns you now. You’ll live here, as a daughter-in-law of the Wong Family, and you’ll die here to become a ghost of the Wong Family. See that you do not forget.” Mrs. Wong declared her first and only warning.

A tight knot churned inside Mei Yee’s stomach. She neither replied nor nodded her head. She simply looked at Mrs. Wong with dread. This would be the beginning of an agonizing ever after.

(To be continued in Chapter Three)

EAST OF THE HEART: CHAPTER ONE

EAST OF THE HEART

Chapter One: The Departure

1925 – Fujian, China

The rain had subsided into a light drizzle. One could hardly see the tiny drops of water, trickling down the roof tiles and onto the muddy grounds. Outside was as silent as the interior of the small courtyard house, with its somber grey bricks and red faded tiles. The rain had left the unattended clothes pegged on the lines soiled and dreary. All the flowers appeared limp and melancholy. It was morning, but with the dark over-cast sky, it could have been mistaken for evening. In the middle of the room, a nervous seventeen-year-old girl knelt before her mother with her head bowed down. She dared not speak nor look up. Her mother was explaining to her that the situation had turned out to be for the best. 

“You are the lucky one, because you get to leave this place.” The elderly lady said, as her voice hid an undercurrent of sadness.

Was she really lucky to leave, the young girl wondered? Had she been born a man, she would not have to leave at all. She could have continued living in her home, and not be evicted from the village. However, fate had not been as kind and she was born a female child. Therefore from birth, she was already condemned as a liability, and not valued as an asset to the family. In a household blessed with five sons, she was the daughter that every family in the village shunned.  Her mother had taken the liberty to remind her several times a week that she was more fortunate than others. For every baby girl that was allowed to live, many more had perished without a trace, and without anyone knowing of its very existence. From the second these babies were delivered unto this world, they were bundled quietly into the night, and drowned in the river that ran through the village. Over the centuries, the river had consumed countless baby girls. Yet, life continued as it always had - as if nothing was lost or missed.  One might even think that it was the most natural act to perform – to have one’s daughter submerged into oblivion.   

“Mei Yee, we have made a grave mistake by allowing you to study with your brothers. This has filled your head with ideas that will not be of any use to you at all - at least, not in this lifetime.  Therefore, this is the best solution for all of us, and you.” Her mother added solemnly.

As a woman was regarded ONLY to be useful as a reproductive vessel in her village, an educated woman was a design against nature. Women with any amount of education were regarded with suspicion in their village because they were corrupted and damaged by all accounts. There was no real glory attached to a woman's intelligence, only shame. Every ounce of acquired knowledge would have rendered her most unfitting to obey any man, especially her husband. Hence, she would be branded as ghastly unsuitable for marriage. And if a woman were not of “marriageable material”, then she would be totally worthless. However, Mei Yee’s education happened merely by accident. She was allowed to study along with her brothers in order to help them with their homework. All her brothers had made her stay in-doors every single day to finish all their work before their next lesson, while they went out for some mischief. Invariably, it made Mei Yee the most cultivated among them all. She had not asked to be educated in the first place. She was educated by default.

“Now, I have nothing to give you except this jade bracelet. It was given to me by my own mother when I left my village to marry your father. So, I give it to you as you leave us today to marry someone in Malaya.” The elderly lady said, as she took out the jade bracelet from the silken pouch and placed it in her daughter’s hand.

“They do not know that you are educated and they do not mind if you are. So, you are very lucky indeed.” Her mother assured her.

Again, the word: “lucky” appeared in the mother-to-daughter dialogue. No matter how many times her mother had told her how fortunate she was, Mei Yee knew the truth. Luck was never on her side since the day she was born. Even as she knelt before her mother, she knew that "luck" would not come to rescue her from the situation. She was just another female-child, and undeserving of all the trouble that "luck" would have to recruit in order to help her. 

"Listen carefully, I want you to forget about all the books and everything you have studied. They are of no use once you are married. When you are married, your most important task is to serve your husband. And the second most important task is to give your husband and his family, many sons.” Her mother said grimly. 

Mei Yee wondered if this was the same reason that kept her mother from showering her with much affection as she was growing up. At the end of the day, it seemed that her mother would not truly own her. Her mother’s job was simply to deliver her into this world. When Mei Yee had come of age, she was to be married off and would never be welcomed home again. In this respect, her family and home were a place of transit. Mei Yee was never meant to stay with them for long. Thus, why would her mother lavish her with so much love and attention when she already knew that she would have to give Mei Yee away eventually? It was beginning to make sense. It would have been easier for her mother to feel less pain when the time came to let Mei Yee go. Finally, Mei Yee understood her mother, and forgave her for the seventeen years that she was denied of any real warmth and tenderness from her mother. 

Without allowing her emotions to spill, Mei Yee looked up at her mother’s face. She wished her mother long life and good health, as it was customary for a child to say such things to her parents upon parting. Her father had not bothered coming out of his library to see her off. Then again, he never did while she was living in the house. Mei Yee knew in her heart that it was to be the last time she would see her mother, or any of her family. She knew she would not be returning to the village ever again. With her small suitcase, she left the house for the pier.  She was to take a boat from her village to the city of Shanghai. From there, she will board a large ship that would take her to a place called, Penang, in Malaya.

With her right hand, she clasped onto the jade bracelet tightly. With her left, she held her baggage uneasily. Everything she had owned in the world was inside that bag. Hidden neatly in a secret compartment, laid all her shattered sensibilities.

(To be continued….in Chapter 2: The Arrival)

Part Three of Story Eleven from "A Symphony of Short Stories" - The Conclusion

Story Eleven: THE BIG CRUISE PART THREE OF THREE

Sandra had escorted the Stamp sisters – Pandora, Paloma, Patisse and Paris to the Canyon Ranch Spa Club on deck 7, to ensure that the ladies were formally introduced to the Spa Manager, Denise. The ladies would be pampering themselves to a full day’s spa program - starting with the Canyon Ranch’s signature Rasul Ceremony, and concluding with a mani and pedi each. Also, a special spa lunch would be prepared for the ladies as well.

During the first three days aboard QM 2, the sisters had chosen to stay indoors as Paloma Stamp was not feeling well. As it turned out, Paloma had always been prone to seasickness. The ship’s doctor was summoned, and Paloma was prescribed with some medication. None of the sisters wished to leave their suite for it meant leaving Paloma behind. So, they insisted that all the food and fun were served in their suite instead. This way, they could be together and have a wonderful time. They ordered light meals, board games, card games and movies to be delivered to their suites. Most of all, lavender scented candles were lit, as these were Paloma’s favourite. Such was their brand of sisterhood – “one for all and all for one”.

Being an only child, Sandra did not have any idea what it would be like growing up with sisters or brothers. However, looking at the Stamp sisters and the way they interacted with one another, she could not help but feel a pang of envy. All four of them were unreservedly at ease in making fun of one another - to the point of playing pranks on each other. Furthermore, they were just as comfortable in poking fun at themselves. There was no shortage of devotion, nor a hint of shyness in the way the sisters communicated with one another. This led Sandra to believe that only siblings who truly shared a deep bond could be that accustomed to each other’s eccentricities, as well as, comedy. Before Sandra left the ladies in the capable hands of Denise, she reminded them of Captain Benjamin’s personal invitation to dinner at the Queens Grill Restaurant.

It was customary for Captain Benjamin to host dinners with a selected group of guests onboard QM 2. In this way, the Captain would get the opportunity to meet with some of his passengers, as well as, to introduce them to others. On that very night, Captain Benjamin had invited the Stamp sisters, Ms. Mabel Shaw and the “Reunion Party” guests.

On the previous night, the Captain had hosted a dinner with Richard and Amanda Tan, Edward and Josephine Lone, Douglas and Samantha Ferhad, Ms. Melissa Ranter and Mr. William Tent. Sandra was glad that Mr. Tent had made the effort to get out of his suite to join that dinner. She had arranged for him to be seated with Edward and Josephine. Their positive outlook on life must have rubbed off on Mr. Tent, as he seemed to have abandoned his dark somber moods. On the very next day, Mr. William was seen spending some time out of his suite. He even had lunch with Edward and Josephine, went to the gym and played at some tables at the Empire Casino. To Sandra, that was progress!

By 8pm, all of the Captain’s invited guests had arrived at the table reserved for them - except Ms. Mable Shaw. The Stamp sisters and Ms. Jennifer Li were seated together on one side of the long rectangular table located in a quiet corner of the Queens Grill Restaurant. Captain Benjamin was seated at the head of the table, being the perfect host – introducing everyone to one another and initiating conversations. The rest of the guests from the “Reunion Party” were seated on the opposite side of the table – Henry Park, Hanson Park, Harry Park and his wife, Sophia. The seat next to Hanson was empty, and awaiting for its rightful guest, Mabel Shaw.

Fifteen minutes after eight - Ms. Mable Shaw waltzed towards their table, while everyone was cheerfully conversing with each other. She was dressed in an alluring aquamarine long dress. For someone who was late, she did not quicken her steps nor rushed. Every movement she made was puctuated with relaxed grace. When she arrived at the table, she apologised for her tardiness and took the seat beside Hanson Park. She offered no explanation for her lateness, nor felt that she needed to. There was no air of arrogance about her, but a sense of regality. Hanson did not take his eyes off her from the moment he saw her. Although she was clearly much older than his 38 years of age, there was just something very captivating about her which he could not deny.

Once Mabel Shaw joined the table, their dinner dialogue escalated with witty humour, diversity and depth. She had a striking aptitude for entertaining the group with her travel stories. Each and everyone forgave her delayed arrival after that. Just before dessert was served, Captain Benjamin had to excuse himself. Ms. Austina came at the Captain’s side, and informed him that there was something urgent at hand. Their mystery guest of the Sandringham Suite had arrived. It was a he, and he wanted to speak with the Captain immediately. After the Captain had left, his dinner guests continued in their revelry. Sandra realized that an excellent host would be one that was no longer needed nor missed at his or her own party.

Mabel further shared that her home was now in Tuscany, and that she had partnered with an Italian designer to produce her own line of leather products – such as hand bags, shoes and clutches. Then, she presented the clutch bag that she was carrying for the evening on the dining table. Naturally, all the ladies at the table fell in love with it at first sight. Before the night was over, every person at the table had become well-acquainted friends. Hanson Park would not have minded to be much more familiar with the enchanting Mabel Shaw. However, he kept very silent throughout the dinner. After their coffee, tea, pralines and dessert, most of them decided to try their luck at the Empire Casino on deck 2. Mabel politely declined to join them and left. After everybody started to depart from the Queens Grill Restaurant and made their way towards the gambling club, Hanson Park trailed Mabel’s steps. He finally found her on deck 13, sitting alone at the sun deck with her cigarillos.

There were no moon or stars in sight - just a delicious cool breeze and the sound of the crushing waves amid an air of electricity between two people. Mabel was about to light one of her small cigars, when Hanson came forward to ignite it for her. As the tip of the rolled tobacco sparked brightly with red heat, Mabel drew in a long slow breath.  Her dark eyes did not leave Hanson’s face. Then gradually, she turned away as she exhaled into the bewitching night. Without saying a word, she left Hanson’s side and moved towards the railings of the balcony that wrapped around the sun deck. Undeterred, Hanson joined her.

“Is there something you need from me?” She asked when Hanson appeared by her side.

Hanson replied casually - “I am still deciding.”

Mabel did not turn to look at him, but maintained her gaze into the vast darkness, “Deciding on what?”

Hanson said - “Deciding on whether it is something I need from you, or something I want to give to you.”

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Part Two of Story Eleven from "A Symphony of Short Stories"

Story Eleven: THE BIG CRUISE PART TWO OF THREE

Both Richard and Amanda were thrilled when they were being escorted into their “surprise” upgraded suite. It was decked out with bridal floral arrangements, a bottle of champagne, a box of truffles and a basket of exotic fruits. The main highlight was the bed and bathroom. They were both decorated with scented candles and plenty of rose petals that formed the shape of a heart. They thanked Sandra and Adrian, their Personal Butler, profusely. As Sandra was walking away from their suite, she could still hear Amanda squealing with delight.

“If they are this excited now, wait till they see what’s in store for them at the evening turndown service!”  Adrian remarked as he and Sandra walked towards the stairs to Deck 9. That would be one very happy couple checked off from her list, Sandra thought.

Inside the Queen Anne suite, the euphoria continued but Richard feared that his new wife might misunderstand. So, he tried to explain, “I did not plan for any of this. In fact, I only booked us a normal suite and arranged for a bouquet of lilies. I hope you know that I am just NOT capable of being romantic at THIS KIND OF LEVEL. This is HUGE – way beyond my league. You do know that I had a lot of help with that airport flash mob thing - mostly from both of our sisters. I could not have done it alone. You know what a really simple guy I am, right?”

Amanda laughed and cuddled the husband of her dreams, “Oh, you are safe! I know just exactly what level of romantic you ARE capable of. Don’t ever forget that I’ve known you for over 9 years. I haven’t forgotten who you really are just because we’re married now.” She pulled him closer to her.

“Well, I certainly hope so because I would be deeply distraught if the day ever came that we can’t be completely honest with each other. I don’t want to hide anything from you and I wish for you to do the same.” Richard spoke seriously.

Amanda looked at Richard and said gently, “I know you have been very concerned that our friendship will change after we’re married. It’s going to be fine, my dear husband. We will be fine.”  

“More than anything else, I worry that the way we communicate with one another could change in the course of our marriage. And I would hate that, because you’re my very dearest darling friend. Who would I be able to talk to about anything at all, if not you? Who could I share all my darkest secrets with, if not you? No one understands me like you, and I don’t want that to ever change. You’re the root of my life.” Richard said solemnly.

The newly weds held each other tightly as if to dispel any remaining fears and doubts.

“I can’t promise you that I’m going to be perfectly understanding at all times, or that I would be able to take on everything without losing it. But what I can promise you is this – I will not let you go into the battlefields of life alone. I will not abandon you even when I am pushed to renouncing myself. Above all, I will still love you and care for you even when we are forced to fight on opposing views. This is my vow to you.” Amanda smiled, as she held Richard’s face to hers.

Richard buried his head in the warmth of Amanda’s embrace. It was the assurance he needed to hear again. Amanda had always been and will always be his everything.

Amanda added, “You, my darling, will not be able to get rid of me even if you try.”

Richard looked up with joy, “That’s exactly what I have been waiting to hear!”

They laughed and kissed ever so tenderly - completely obviously to the little drama unfolding beyond their suite. They were completely enamored in their own bliss.

In the hallway, Jeremy approached Sandra and reported that Mr. William Tent seemed worse for wear. Mr. Tent had put up the “DND” sign from the minute he walked into his suite, and had only asked for more ice to be delivered. Sandra decided to leave Mr. Tent alone for the moment, and proceeded in the direction of the Stamp sisters’ duplex apartments. She had a long list of guests to get through before she would be mentally equipped to tackle an emotionally decrepit male.

Nestled in the Balmoral Grand Duplex, William Tent got up to close all the curtains in the room so that not a shred of light could invade. Darkness was his only companion, coupled with the bottles of whisky laid out neatly on the bar counter. He knew that he could no longer attribute the failure of all the relationships he has ever had with women, especially his ex-wife, to entirely being the woman’s fault.

In the past, it was convenient and even comforting to consign the blame on the women in his life – from his mother who held an influential role in molding him to the man he is today, to the girlfriends in between, then onto the wife he had married for over 11 years, and finally, to the three girlfriends after his divorce. The only ones spared from responsibility were his ladies of one-night dalliances. They did not count at all, for none of them had the power to hurt him in any way. However, his ex-wife and ex-girlfriends could. And to him, they atrociously did - at least it was established as so inside the labyrinth of his mind.

All the three relationships he has had after his divorce began with such promise and passion, but quickly disintegrated into an ugly break-up. None of them lasted for more than 2 months. William Tent had been so talented in holding the women accountable for the mess in his life that it became an effortless habit. Sitting in the dark, he had no choice but to take a long harsh look at himself for a change.

After the curtains were drawn and the leading ladies have long forsaken the stage, William’s layers of self-deceit would finally shed like autumn leaves. There was no one else left by his side that he could pass on the culpability to. He was singularly alone at last. The time was ripe for him to face himself, without prejudice or the need for justification.

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Part One of Story Eleven from "A Symphony of Short Stories"

Story Eleven: THE BIG CRUISE PART ONE OF THREE

Cunard’s flagship, the Queen Mary 2, is nothing short of a floating city. She is a resplendent dame whose 13 decks accommodate duplex apartments, suites, staterooms, various dining rooms, ballrooms, bars, lounges, swimming pools, state of the art fitness gym, a casino, a theatre, a planetarium, a spa, a kids club and many more. Being an English lady, she must naturally have “Harrods” onboard as well. Though by today’s standards QM 2, as she is affectionately called, is not the largest of cruise ships – she is, however, one of the most opulent. The mahogany wood finishing, the cascading chandeliers and the signature white glove service with a dashing smile could almost transport one back into that luxurious era of ocean travel. As you glide through the hallways, you might feel obliged to dress the part and not walk around in shorts or fit-flops. When, in the presence of royalty, we must be respectful. So, do not be alarmed when you see tuxedo-clad men and women in their splendid evening gowns cruising down the grand staircase at dinner. 

With her magnificent size of grandeur, every head would turn in awe whenever QM 2 arrived at each port of call. In 2004, the year she was unveiled to the world, crowds would gather excitedly just to catch a glimpse of her. Children would gesture their hands with such animation that one half expects QM 2 to reciprocate with a smile. As always, it is the most extraordinary feeling to be standing amongst the many fortunate passengers at the ship’s balcony, while waving at the many more below, as her majesty pushes out to sea. The sound of her horns would trumpet through the air inviting yet another journey of adventure and discovery for all her passengers.

This was the very reason why Sandra Chan chose to join the crew of Queen Mary 2.  

On this particular voyage of May 2012, QM 2 would be departing from her “home” port of call: Southampton and sail across to Paris. From Paris, she would waltz through the seas to visit Madrid, Barcelona, Cannes, Florence, Rome, Venice, Amsterdam, and then finally return home to England.

Captain Benjamin was very glad to have Sandra onboard as a special “Guest Liaisons Officer”. She would only be handling a list of very important guests.

“These are the ones we must pay a close attention to. I refrain from using the word, special. Not all the guests on this list are VIPs. The Director of Guest Services will be going through the list with you. If you come across any difficulty in handling a guest from this list, you may speak with the Director or see me directly. I am delighted to have you join our family at sea. I am sure Dr. Khan is celebrating the fact that you are travelling again.” Captain said and patted her on the shoulder.

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Story Ten from "A Symphony of Short Stories"

Story Ten: The Reluctant Traveler

Fear has held Sandra hostage because she had allowed it to. She thought it was safer to be locked within her own boundaries. She knows that she had given terror the absolute authority to make her invalid to the world, and to herself. It has been 25 years, 8 months and 10 days since she lost her entire family in a horrific plane crash. To this day, it is recorded as the worst single aircraft disaster in history.

Sandra can still hear the newscaster’s voice in her head, as if it was just yesterday. It was an August evening of the 12^th in the year 1985. She had came home early from work. As usual, she would switch on the television to catch the day’s headlines and make herself a cup of tea. The local news channel was broadcasting the top stories of the day. Then the words: “BREAKING NEWS - Japan Airlines Flight 123 has crashed near Mount Osutaka.” splintered across her kitchen table, and gutted her heart.

Sandra’s mug fell onto the floor, and shattered to pieces. She could not move, and stay glued to the television set. They were showing a live aerial transmission of the crash site.

“At around 6pm today, the Japan Airlines 747 Boeing flight had taken off from Tokyo International Airport 12 minutes behind schedule. It was a domestic flight from Tokyo to Osaka. However, due to severe mechanical failure the plane crashed into the mountains about 100 kilometers from Tokyo. There are only four confirmed survivors. The death toll stands at 520. ” The newscaster added.

Sandra’s husband and son were on that flight. Her husband was taking their son to visit his parents in Osaka, as it was the Obon holiday week in Japan. It was customary for all practicing Japanese Buddhists to go back to their hometowns during Obon to honour the dead, specifically the spirits of their ancestors. Sandra would have never imagined that her family’s first trip back to Osaka without her would be their last. In that one day, Sandra’s world came undone. She had lost everything that was important and dear to her. 

The weeks that followed went by like a haze. Sandra had to fly out to Japan to identify her family’s bodies. She went to the morgue together with her in-laws. They had decided to bury their remains in Osaka, where her husband was born. After the small and private funeral procession was over, Sandra made her way back to Malaysia. She truly dreaded coming back. There was nothing for her to return to.

The first month was pure hell. She had never felt more abandoned. Although many friends and relatives came by to visit or called her, it was never going to be the same. She was completely and utterly alone. As she was an only child and her parents had already passed, her husband and son were all she had in the world. She thought of joining them in the after-life, as there seemed pointless in pretending that she still had a life. It became her routine. From the very second, she opened her eyes to face another depressing day, to the final minutes before she gave herself over to exhaustion and slept through another lonely night – all she could think about was how to end her life. Even breathing in and out was becoming a chore. Day by day, she felt more drained. She had no energy to do anything else, but grieved. Her house was turning into a dumpsite of sorts.

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Story Nine from "A Symphony of Short Stories"

Story Nine: THE HOLIDAY ANGELS

Once upon a time, there were four very different little girls, who grew up to be four very different women.

But they had four things in common – they’re brilliant, they’re beautiful, they’re sassy and they are sisters.

Meet Pandora, Paloma, Patisse and Paris.

Pandora was always the “bohemian” in the family. She goes to great lengths just to experience life. If she didn’t work with the Discovery Channel, she would have become a professional beach bum. Getting her to settle down in one place is as impossible as getting a pig to windsurf. Her father had to entice every man in any land, reachable without a space shuttle, to marry her by offering them a handsome financial reward. Unfortunately, all suitors ran for their lives (and well-being) after spending one week with her. None of them could be reached for any comment at this time.

Paloma was the first to be married. She lives in San Francisco with her husband, three kids, two maids, and one dog. She cooks, bakes, paints and runs the family business. She is a Martha Stewart that looks like a Nigella Lawson. Everything in her life runs on the schedule. Her most prized possession is her house in the Hamptons.

Patisse was the second to be married. She has two girls, and she insisted it was enough. Her daily life revolves around her family from both sides – hers and her husband’s. Whatever time she has left to spare will be spent on home décor. She just enjoys decorating and fixing up her house. She lives in a beautiful large Victorian house in San Francisco with her husband and her in-laws.

Paris jet sets around the world for a living, and is engaged to a famous football star. She commutes between London and San Francisco. London is where she works as a fashion stylist and San Francisco is where her family resides. With the amount of travelling she has to do, she is contemplating on buying a G6.

Every two years the four sisters would decide on a destination to meet and stay for a week - without their other halves, children or parents. This was a tradition that they had decided to create when Paris moved to London, and Pandora moved every other week. They thought it would be a wonderful way for them to bond, catch up and to get a respite from their demanding every day lives.

In 2001, it was Pandora’s turn to organize their sisterly vacation. Although the other sisters were rather apprehensive at what Pandora might pull out of her ‘box of ideas’, they kept silent. Secretly, they were bracing for the worst. Each and every one had their fingers and toes crossed. Finally, Pandora announced that they were going to Bali. It would be the first for all of them.

Pandora had chosen a secluded boutique resort, tucked into the mountains of Ubud. It was to be a week of yoga, aryuveda, organic cuisine with the usual temple visits and shopping. When the sisters arrived into the “Island of the Gods”, they were picked up by a van. It was not the Bentley of vans, but its air-conditioning worked. However, none of the windows in the van could open. Calmly and with stealth, Paloma took out her small bottle of Lavender scented mist and sprayed on the seats of the van. It was much agreeable after that.

Their trip to the resort in Ubud took almost 3 hours from the airport. The traffic was murder. The sisters wanted to wrangle the driver’s neck for his devil-may-care driving. As they approached a steep hill before reaching the resort, the van started choking and hyperventilating. It sounded like the van was about to spit out its engine and die in the middle of the road. The sisters were united in muffled prayer and fear. The driver assured them that it was normal and smiled. Thankfully, they did arrive at the resort in one piece – including the van.

After the girls settled into their four-bedroom pool villa, it started to rain. It didn’t stop until the next morning. Hence, the temperature started to drop to about 16 degrees Celsius. It became much more chilly with the howling wind. It was beginning to feel a lot like Seattle, and less like a tropical island.

The sisters refused to allow the rain to dampen their spirits. Paloma started spraying their villa with her Lavender mist, and Patisse lighted up some scented candles she had brought along. Then all of them took out the hair dryers from each room and started blowing the beds. They wanted to make their beds warm and snug. They had to call for in-villa dining, as it was just too wet to venture out to the resort’s one and only restaurant. After dinner, they started updating one another on what they had missed – the highlights of their lives, the lows, their challenges and their achievements. They were each other’s confidants and advisors. The ladies kept on chatting until 2am. As it got colder, they had to use the hair dryers to warm up their beds again. The sisters ended up snuggling together in one bed and slept. They were like teenagers all over again.

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Story Eight from "A Symphony of Short Stories"

Story Eight: THE REALIZATION GAME

It took Richard 7 days, after receiving that fateful text from Amanda, to realize that he was losing his “best buddy in the world”.

She had not returned any of his calls or text messages. Her email had been programmed for an auto reply. It kept bouncing back to him with the following message –

“I am off to a long and well-deserved holiday. I may or may not check my emails because I would be having too fun for once in my life. I’ll probably be back in a month or three! We shall see!

Amanda”

By day 8, Amanda’s mobile had been permanently switched off. It went straight into her voicemail every time Richard tried to call. And he really tried, several times each day.

By day 9, her mailbox was full. He could no longer leave her any voice messages.

From day 10 through day 15, Richard felt most uneasy. Even Simone could not cheer him up. Something was just not right, but he could not put his finger on it. He was becoming less and less excited about his impending wedding to Simone. In fact, he was beginning to dread it altogether.

Day 18, Richard and Simone had their first full-blown fight. Nothing had been going right between them. It was Simone who laid down the “bombshell” for Richard.

“You are the idiot! Can’t you see that you have not been the same ever since you could not find Amanda? Every day and night, I have to hear you talk about her – where is she, what is she doing, who is she with, is she ok, why is she not returning my calls or emails! Look at you! You are a mess!”

“What are you really saying, Simone?” Richard stared at her.

“I am saying you are a stupid idiot man for not realizing that the person you love is your best buddy and not me! The wedding is off. Everything is off! Mange de la merde!” Simone yelled and stormed out of his apartment.

Richard did not even bother getting up to run after Simone. He had let her leave. But did she just tell him to ‘eat shit’ in French?

In any case, he did not care. He wanted her to leave him alone with his thoughts. He was too busy thinking about Amanda.

WHERE IN THE WORLD IS AMANDA KIM?!

Day by day, Richard was getting more agitated. It was becoming a challenge to concentrate on the last few weeks of his baking course.

Then the question started to trickle into his mind.

Could it really be true? Whatever Simone had said began to take root.

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Story Seven from "A Symphony of Short Stories"

Story Seven: "WE WILL ALWAYS HAVE PARIS"

From the Diary of Jennifer Li

I will NEVER go on a cheap tour EVER again. EVER!!!!

Do you know what I am talking about here?

You would have to wake up at an un-holy hour to catch an early bus ride.

You could barely think straight, and none of your eyelids would be working at that time.

Your mind would still be lingering in that warm comfy bed, along with a dream that you were enjoying before that annoying phone rang to make sure that you were REALLY AND TRULY AWAKE. Or else, they would just keep ringing every 5 minutes.

People tell me that the worst thing about getting up from bed IS actually getting out of bed. But once you are out from bed, you’ll be fine. So NOT true!

But you know what’s the worst thing about getting up THIS KIND of early? It’s that bloody cold shower you know you MUST take, because it was too early for the hot water to be fully conscious and running!

And to top it all off, YOU ARE ON A FUCKING HOLIDAY!

Never again.

NEVER AGAIN.

That’s what I keep telling myself. I don’t care how cheap it is. I am not falling for it ever!

There is a GOOD reason why it is so bloody cheap!

All basic human sensibilities would be stripped and tattered by the time you’re dragged through their crammed itinerary of cities, sights and monuments. Some of which you would not be able to remember, because you are still too jet lagged coming in from the last city.

And please do not even get me started on the food, or hotels!

What is it with these tour companies? Do they like have a special deal with the worst restaurants in every city of each country? They are like a natural magnet for the worst restaurants and hotels on the entire planet. Thankfully, I had brought along my own biscuits and cup noodles on that “wonderful” (hiss, hiss) tour of Switzerland.

On that particular trip, I had the utter bad luck of getting the rooms with the “best” (hiss, hiss, hiss) view. Allow me to recount the ways  -

1) In Lucerne, my hotel room window opened to a brick fucking wall!

2) In Zurich, it faced the alley of the hotel’s back entrance!

3) In Lausanne, there was no fucking window – just a picture of a painted landscape. And it was moldy.

4) In Basel, I could only see the greasy neighbour who lived next to the hotel. From my window to his, we could have shook hands. But he was far from a Swiss stud muffin – more like an over-aged Swiss cheese.

Finally, saving the best for last…at our final stop in the picturesque country of Switzerland – Geneva, I managed to get a room that has a view of the famous lake. I could only actually see the lake, IF I had a pair of binoculars! Just fucking great, I thought.

To this day, I have strong suspicions that the tour guide had deliberately chucked me into the worst room in all the hotels throughout that Swiss tour. I am certain it was because at that time, I was the youngest traveler in the group and I was single. I had no pressing demands of a spouse, or screaming kids. Most of all, I did not have the audacity to bribe him into giving me a better room - like everyone else did in the group! So, I was assigned the nightmare of rooms in every city we had visited.

  

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