I’ve been a Po Po since I was born!

Here in Hong Kong, old women are called Po Po. In mainland China, this is how a woman addresses her mother-in-law. How do I know that? Ha! Do you know  how many people I meet every day? The more that you see, the more things you will know. There are fewer people on the weekdays, but they flood on the weekends, with a mixture of different accents. Wow! That teeming crowd taught me a lot of things.There are some people, instead of saying Po Po, use the word, “the old fool”. Are there? Yea! Why not? A very well dressed lady carrying a bunch of bags has spent considerable amount of money on shopping. When she talks about her parents-in-law, alas, her face turned miserable at once.The Hongkongers…well…are a bit different from those from mainland. They address their parents-in-law differently. They use "Ngo Lao Ye" (which means “my father-in-law” but it referred to “my master” in the old time) and “Ngo Naai Naai” (while it is “my mother-in-law” in Cantonese, it was an expression for “the wife of the master” in the past). ROTFL!I can’t imagine these expressions appear in such a modern city. Which century do they belong to? Only the rich government officials who dress in gowns on tv drama are called “My Master”, aren’t they?The HongKongers-- even the rudest housewives will only use “His Dad” and “His Mum” to replace such extremely respectful terms. There is no term worser than that. Wives on the mainland are braver and tougher. Their face will turn purple as they are complaining their parents-in-law, chewing them out. Urg... Oh come on! Why would I lie? After all, our livelihood depends on them as they are our customers. There is no point in slandering them, isn’t there? Come and have a look on weekends. They don’t mind talking loudly. Yet, actually it is not for sure that you can hear them grumbling. After all, not all mainlanders hate their parents-in-law. It is not easy to judge who is right and who is wrong, or who is better, as there are too many factors involved. It isn't noisy here, not at all. I’ll say it's lively! It is as if I'm watching a drama. Without that I'll be so bored staying here for a whole day.

You’re wondering about my accents? Please don't. Because I can't even figure it out myself. I use different dialects when I speak. You know, it’s “international”. Just like those cosmetics companies usually find pretty women who look “international” to be their advertisements’ models, so they can approach more customers “internationally”.  The same is true for us as we have customers who come from all over the world. How about people from Shanghai? It can’t help our business much if we only target them. They don’t even make up 1% of our regular customers. Why? Ah, you can’t cry out wine and sell vinegar. The dishes are in Shanghai style that is certain. But are they typical?  It’s hard to tell, right? It depends on how you define the word “typical” and what the standards are. Some people say steamed eggs with clams are typical; some people think Shanghai noodles should be black in colour. There’re lots of justifications, but in reality, places and types of customers count. We can serve typical Shanghai dishes. However, not all customers think they’re delicious. Later, you’ll find some bad comments on Openrice apps and your restaurant may soon close. So, it’s not just about eating.

Tired? Of course. If somebody says working is not tiring, that person ought to be a liar. But I tell you, it’s even more tiring to just idle around. Isn’t the chef tired? Aren’t the waiters tired? They have to stand on their feet for a whole day. Some of them, their legs become as stiff as metal, and they cannot sit properly even given the chance. But this’s just physical tiredness. The toughest is the tiredness of mind.  Some may say being wealthy isn’t tiring. That’s wrong. We do earn some money in this business but it’s not that much. We still care how much we’ve spent. There’re lots of things we want to buy in the world. But we can’t buy all of them. This kind of mental tiredness will keep you from sleeping and eating. It’s like you only had one stomach, but you want to eat pizza and sushi at the same time. Steak, noodles, dim sum and desserts are also on your list. You just cannot eat them all!  Tired. No, exhausted. So many desires, so much mental burden. Burden that will eventually crush you.

You all call me Po Po like I’ve been here for ages. I’ll tell you a secret: I’m not even six years old! But one year in our industry is worth ten years in your life. In this case, we didn't take any advantage from you. Don't you think my appearance and personality are just like a Po Po? Is it alright or too trendy? Ha-ha, I just mimic how you dress, adding some of my own taste. You know, real “Po Po” won’t come here. Why? You don’t get it? Who is not afraid of being old? People would rather run than stay! You are too young to understand. You only know to pose “hand on cheek” and please me with “Oh! So cute!” and “It’s super tasty!” and come to me for comfort. Am I right? This mind game was set by my founders. They are also as young as you! Of course they know the magic of “Po Po”. Newborn calves, you’ve chosen the right place. I was born in Tuen Mun Town Centre. I heard some “made in Japan” also live here now, right? I would say… Hongkongers, no matter what age, tend to like Japanese stuff without any reason. Over half of this mall’s stalls are made in Japan , right? I haven’t been here for long. You should also know how new the mall is. The surroundings are changing slowly, don’t you think so? Over that bridge is an old district. The lights illuminate as you walk, step by step. It starts to change where the lights shine. Is it good? I think both are good as each has their own strength.

Law Mark Kee and I hold the motto: “everybody earns a share.” So we went over and tried to talk him out of just selling curry pork. But he thought we are harming him. He just gave us a cold-shoulder. Curry-kun didn’t turn against us, but just brushed us off. He kept a distance with all his neighbours. Poor thing. He doesn’t get it. If one doesn’t even understand oneself, how can one accept oneself as an individual being? No one can help.

Law Mark Kee and I… Is our relationship shady? How do I say? We count our days one next to another, and we don’t dare to think about the future.  After all, local restaurants like us may disappear one day. Let me talk about the things I enjoy most, there are quite a lot.  Everyday, Law Mark Kee and I stand at the door and watch people.  We guess their relationships, occupations, and which shop they will walk into. It is fun! Tell you what, you think everybody already made up their mind on what they would like to eat, but actually, most of them decide as they walk in.  Even when some people already stepped into the restaurant, they will make a turn and step into another one. Can you see the girl eating there? Just now they were talking about eating at Law Mark Kee’s, craving for instant noodles. Law Mark Kee was so pleased when they entered, then when they left, his face turned black instantly! It was so funny. There are different kinds of people, can you see that pair on the side: now that’s what you call an affair. How do I know?  Do you eat noodles like this at home? Saying you are stuffed after a few mouthfuls of noodles. So obvious! Let us compare with the Western couple.  From ordering to now, they didn’t say a single word. That is an old married couple. Interesting, huh? Want to take a closer look? Of course: you see the two girls over there? They keep laughing since they have seated. Come, come and take a look:

A: … After all, I will call you… you sound just like a foodie...

B: So I should be happy about it?

A: Yes, of course, isn’t he your idol?  He writes so well...

B: But he is a man… Wow, let’s eat! The dishes, the colours, look so good. Let’s taste!

A: Hmm… What are we going to write?

B: You decide on the topic, and hand it in two weeks.

A: Oh.. “Shanghai Po Po” then.

B: Huh… Are you sure? … Okay then…

B: Yum, tastes so good, really good.  Hurry, let’s finish it.

A: Now I regret. There is nothing to write on that topic.

B: Yep... It’s yummy. Just drop it for now... This fried rice is really good.

A: I know! I am sure you will describe the colour, texture of the dish in details...

B: Err….thanks...thanks for your enthusiastic help.

A: How about writing about people! For example, a Po Po from Shanghai?

B: …..Er… Ok, maybe...we've strayed too far from the topic….

A: Or maybe you can write an adult novel...

B: Yeah sure. Something to look forward to.

Two feeble-minded people, laugh at all sorts of things.  Some people come and leave with a pulled long face, while some have a quarrel, but not much. Usually it’s just a silent treatment. Let me tell you, don't’ think that you can understand everything you hear. Pay attention to their actions. You'll discover more than words. Silence tells stories. You don’t believe me? Do you know how quite will this mall become after the closing time? Let me tell you, people swarm in the morning, and everything fades away in the evening. In the silence you will see completely different details. Hey, I cannot explain, you have to experience yourself. Future and dreams? Ha-ha... I leave these topics to you the young ones. This is how a day goes by: the sunbeams glimmer over the bridge, and stop by the glass wall.  We get up. The lights shine bright throughout the day, for a moment, you might think it is the sun. After a while, the sun is on the other side of the bridge. The lights shine brighter. Then, the lights go out. Light. Dark. Light. Dark. That’s it.