Fiction: Group 3
"Oh, but what did the old Cornston Street have that is much different from today?" Elise said and
continued, "I have heard therewere traditional foods. I have also heard of traditional foods like the Pineapple
Buns and Egg Tarts."
"There were Put Chai Ko—they were like sticky rice puddings; mini egg puffs, wife cake and
others. When I was young, me and my friends would buy these snacks every time we had a gathering," Li
said.
The couple nodded and continued to drink their milk tea, "So are you still working or have you
retired?" Alain asked.
"We have retired. I used to be a watchmaker and he used to be a carpenter. We followed in our
parents’ footsteps. My father was a watchmaker and his father was a carpenter," Fuk replied.
"We like to keep the heritage. We may be the last generation doing these kinds of jobs," Li said.
"It is really disappointing to see that nobody is interested in activities like these anymore," Alain
said.
"Exactly! The generation cares about the economy more than their own heritage. They are taking
away our homes and businesses. Our community as well! Me and my friends used to be very close, but now,
because of the relocating, we live in different districts and have to travel on buses to visit each other instead
of just walking next door. We are not as close and we do not see each other as often anymore," Fuk said
with a sigh.
"I honestly don't understand how they are so heartless towards us," Li burst out. "We have
contributed to society for so long but nobody seems to appreciate us."
"How about your families. How are they?" Elise asked.
The two old men looked at each other for a while, "My wife passed away a few years ago and my
son is an accountant working in Central. We haven't been that close ever since her death, so I don't know
much about his situation. I don't think he cares about the heritage as much as I do. He is currently working
on a project about hotels, I believe. It is all very hard on me." Fuk said.
"Yes, it is. My wife is not coping with the situation very well. She used to own a store that sold
fabric such as cotton and silk. It was actually really successful until we had to move and she was forced to
close down the business." Li said.
“I'm so sorry. It's sad, isn't it? That they would rather build even more new buildings instead of
preserve this heritage. I mean, as tourists, we love learning about heritage and about different cultures and
people. It is the reason we visit these places," said Elise.
"It's a shame," said Alain.
"I hope that people do think about us once in a while and about these people who live here and
grew up here," Li said.
*
At that moment, Xavier realized that he had finished his coffee and the last few pages of the book.
For he had already paid, he went out the restaurant and took a little stroll.
Walking down the street, he started to notice the things he hadn’t before. There were buildings
from possibly before the Second World War and they were just slightly narrower than the high-rise
apartment buildings just next door. These old buildings brought significance to this place. There were
people sitting in front of these buildings with their old friends. They were smiling, laughing and talking
while everyone else walking on this street had their heads bowed. There he was by himself in the street,
noticing little things he never would have. He looked around, saw what was around him, and realized how
what the people said inside the Cha Chaan Teng was true.
The CEO of the Turquoise Hotel Franchise walked along Cornston Street, lost in a mosaic of
heritage, trying hard not to remember why he was there in the first place.
