Life Changing Dream
HKUGA College, Anakin Chan, Fiction: Group 3
H
igh flyer Tommy was barking on his phone as usual, with his snobbish attitude and
voice showing absolutely no respect. This magnate looked down upon grassroots.
He worked in his fancy office in Central; he talked high and mightily and there was
nothing he wouldn’t do for money.
Tommy had just come back from the U.S. and again he had to go on another business trip to
Shanghai. He picked up a National Geographic magazine on his way to the airport. He was really
mad when he found out that First Class was fully booked and he had to sit in Business Class. He
was not used to sitting in Business Class. He felt annoyed by the uncomfortable seats and the
noise that the common people made.
The plane took off at exactly 12:00p.m. Tommy, who still felt a bit angry, was reading the
magazine that he had bought. It was about the Gobi Desert. The magazine talked about the species
of animals and birds that lived in its extreme environments, including black-tailed gazelles,
marbled polecats, Bactrian camels, snow leopards, golden eagles, brown bears, and wolves. It was
not long after he nodded off, and then awoke to find himself standing in the desert.
Tommy was shocked and confused about what on earth was going on. The heat was really
unbearable, so he started taking off his ornate shirt, and then he realized he was looking at
something that resembled a Chinese version of Las Vegas. He was puzzled but at the same time
quite delighted to see this familiar sight. He made his way into a fancy hotel and saw animal
servers. There were camels pushing luggage, brown bears cleaning the floor, black-tailed gazelles
checking in. Tommy was so astonished by the scene that he just stared stupidly at the animals.
Then a wolf, who was a manager, came and asked Tommy nicely, ‘Welcome to Gobi Hotel. Can
I help you sir?’
Tommy took a little time to pull himself together before answering, ‘Where’s the French
restaurant, idiot?’ he asked in his usual haughty attitude.
‘This way,’ said the wolf.
He started off with pan-seared duck accompanied with a wild mushroom sauce, and then
moved on to the main course which was a roasted lamb loin. Finally he ended the meal with a
beautiful poached pear.
When he was going to pay, there was a problem. His credit card didn’t work and there was no
other way to pay for his lunch except for washing dishes. This, for him, was unacceptable. Tommy
tried to call his bank but there was no signal in the middle of the Gobi Desert.
Tommy was firm that there was no way he was going to wash dishes, not in a million years.
He looked at the manager, the wolf, and shouted at him. He was yelling that the stupid
machine couldn’t even read a visa card, and asked if he looked like the kind of person who
couldn’t even pay for a meal.
The clamor was useless. The wolf looked at Tommy, with cold-blooded eyes, and said, ‘But
the truth is that you haven’t paid for your lunch. Now wash the dishes or get eaten, you make the
choice,’ showing his fearful sharp teeth at the same time.
Tommy was sweating. He had never encountered anything like this in his life. His pride and
his dignity wouldn’t let him wash dishes but his brain was shouting at him ‘Wash them or get
