At 6.46pm I stole out of work (after sending some more career-suicide notes out to tell the supes what I think of the story schedule tomorrow). I had to be home for a birthday dinner, mine. I had said I didn’t want anything fancy so Ma made abalone conpoy fish maw soup and stir-fried enough noodles for about two armies. I had said I didn’t want any cake so Fei and his girl P got a black forest.
“I won’t be eating it,” I said (desserts after dinner have a strange way of showing on the scales the next morning).
“But we will be,” Bak said.
“What about W next door?” Fei said.
Okay, okay. I did get my own way on the matter of, matter. As they were about to tear out tissue to eat the cake on, I said, “Save paper?” So the five of them – Pa, Ma, Fei, P and Bak – used only one piece between them. Trees…three-one…trees…three-one…it wasn’t a bad day.
