Navigating Sai Ying Pun
A few months ago my colleagues rejoiced when an under renovation building two blocks from our sai Ying Pun office suddenly the Starbucks logo and the "coming soon" promise. Huzzah! They exclaimed. Finally we won't have to walk for miles for a decent cup of coffee. We've been waiting for this to happen for ages.
Three months later， our office's favourite cheap and cheerful Thai restaurant closed down. Rent hikes. It was replaced by a slick chrome place that offers high prices and fusion food. Our office was downcast and mourned the closing of the restaurant and several others just like it. I explained that if you want the convenient – mtr, banks, fave coffee shops, then you have to accept the prices and the loss of what you knew before. I've been In Hong Kong long enough to see several neighbourhoods get gentrified. A Starbucks will soon offer competition to the PCC in kennedy town.
We seem to be in a hurry for change. Remember being a teenager? You couldn't wait tog et to the next privilege. The next step. Why were we in such a hurry?
Seb had a special friend last year. A really nice, very clever, very pretty girl. And at one point Seb asked me if they could go to the cinema. I said "no, you cant. If you're going to the cinema alone at 11, what are you going to want to do at 14?"
We tend to want our kids to show all the god qualities of getting older while wanting them to stay young. I try to tell myself that Carys and Jasper's insane singing is immature, but then again, they.re nine. Do I want kids old beyond their years with everything that comes with that? No I don't.
Seb went to camp a few weeks ago and came home a few centimetres taller. I am thrilled for him and sad at the real loss of my little boy. His feet are only a couple of sizes smaller than mine. Even though this taller person is wonderful and we have interesting chats, on occasion I miss my littler boy and I think might too.
