I am blessed with so many old friends. Some I have known since I was 5, and am still in contact with. Others I met and bonded with in my different careers, and luckily stay in touch with. Classmates from elementary through high school, too.
Just last week, some gentleman held open a door for me, and I looked him in the eyes, looked familiar but turned away. Then turned back, and said, “I know you, but I don’t know you.” I asked his name, and connected that to him graduating a year ahead of me. He actually called me by my first name, said he knew my brother, and introduced me to his partner. What a small world, run by coincidences like this one!
Making friends in HK was always easier many are willing to be friends for various reasons but long standing ones ya still gotta work at. I knew where I would be working and that was way out of the touristy spots in a place called Lai Chi Kok. But wasn’t sure where we could live [and that was a high priority]. We could either look for our own accomodation in a popn of 6.5 million and would be govt assisted in rent allowance OR take what could be offered at the local hospital were I would be working anyways.
we were shown around a 3000 square foot flat - which if you know HK is quite large!! and accepted as it was close to work but NOT to the kids schools!! However we wanted to get settled in quickly and the kids were not compelled to attend school at all. The flat was rudimentally furnished with strong hard wearing furniture but not fancy. We decided ‘lets get comfortable at home and then sort out schooling later’.
And then as things often happen magically in HK we made contacts about schooling [more later!!]
Old friends are a frame of reference. They bring you back to north. If I ever outlive them all I dread that day because it’s like a hot air balloon being unpinned. Unless you are the sort who can ground themselves you’re just adrift looking for a foothold that tells you who you once were.
yes yes slung it away immediately - you are a miserable sod heh - do you want me to continue - have you finished fixin that bike yet - try to stay focussed!!
Several friends still live in my village. Others I see at class reunions. A few I google chat with, used to Skype. Yes, I love to send simple cards by mail, "thinking of you " notes. Some are on FB with me, and yes, I do keep a diary. I have for decades
Others I met in England on vacation, from another forum. I stay in touch, even call two friends in Liverpool and Kent once a week!
I don’t forget a true friend, and hope they think of me often and fondly.
we were informed by “someone” along the line that a private hire bus - one of those yellow cabs that hold dozens of folk usually picked up school kids from the housing estate called Mei Foo
Sun Chun I believe [spelling could be wrong] ; so we called a taxi or walked it wasn’t far probably walked in those days we were all fit!. Had a look around the shops which were usually buried on street level under tall columns of concrete called ‘housing estates’. we potted around and accidentally encounted a rather attractive female european.
She of course stood out a mile and we stopped and chatted. Our problems were over !! - her kids caught such a private bus [public light bus - there were called thanks to google] and she would tell the driver to call up to our flats on an appointed time and day and pick up our kids. The well oiled wheels of HK!!
All we had to do was registered them into schools - which meant more journeys by taxis to the schools by my good wife as I had started work immediately and the wheels of HK turn fast!! and ‘bobs ya uncle’ wish I could say it in cantonese!!
the kids got uniforms etc etc and the die had been caste. The woman we had first met was one of what we would in future call the “Mei Foo Gang” - a group of families of mixed marriage with usually but not always the wife being european and the husband chinese. And what a glorious social life we had - they sweep you up in their arms immediately - you became part of the family and your social life is organized for ever. more about that later!!
