[Diary of the Absurd Life in 1997:
All Entries]

TH: Diary of the Absurd Life in 1997, in 28 sections, was written originally in Chinese by Mary Wong and serialised in Ming Pao 明報 in 1997. The pieces, translated into English by Chris Song, are serialised in Cha beginning from Monday 25 September 2023.

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Housewarming

9/28

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When Lily called me suggesting we host a housewarming party, Kwong enthusiastically threw herself into it, busily brainstorming themes and drawing up a guest list. I wasn’t particularly keen on the idea, but I didn’t want to be unsociable. I just hoped it would be a small gathering and wouldn’t get out of hand.

The party’s theme was fruit. Lily and her boyfriend, Literati Zisu, were the first to arrive. Shortly after sitting down, they began perusing the latest issue of a foreign literary review. They were followed by tour guide Kick-out Fung, Noblewoman Han, Secretary Witch, Poetry Critic Fatty, Hairstylist Beak, and Fashion Editor Typo, among others. I soon lost track of who arrived when, who left early, who had been invited but failed to show, and who had shown up uninvited. Upon arrival, each was handed a plump grapefruit. The grapefruit was hollowed out and filled with salad, and then its flesh was returned, creating a delicious appetizer that also served as a bowl. Snacks included crispy banana shrimp and bamboo-shoot fish balls, while the drinks featured sangria mixed by Fatty. Just as the main dish—orange-flavoured pasta—was being served, Director Ming entered, drawing sidelong glances from Beak and Typo.

Ming was a college classmate of mine. After graduating, he worked as a mobile phone salesman while making experimental films on the side. His short, A Mobile Phone Is Just a Mobile Phone has recently won second place in the Kowloon Art Centre’s Independent Short Film Contest. This had filled him with an unprecedented sense of confidence. This was evident from his head-to-toe Armani attire, impeccably styled hair, and slender Prada shoes. “I’ve brought my work for everyone to critique,” he humbly announced. “Who knew we had a mysterious dessert on the menu; I hope it doesn’t ruin anyone’s appetite,” I thought to myself. The lively atmosphere of the party suddenly quieted down as the film came on. Ten minutes later, Lily and Literati Zisu resumed reading avant-garde magazines. Twenty minutes later, Beak and Typo began discussing the links between mobile phones and fashion. Within twenty-five minutes, everyone else resumed their earlier conversations, initially whispering but soon speaking freely. “Truly profound!” Kwong sincerely commented as the film ended. “What do you think?” asked Ming, his eyes sparkling, and a spirited discussion began.

How to cite: Song, Chris and Mary Wong. “Housewarming.” Cha: An Asian Literary Journal, 3 Oct. 2023, chajournal.blog/2023/10/03/housewarming.

Mary Shuk-Han Wong 黃淑嫻 (author) is a Hong Kong writer. Her short story collection Surviving Central (中環人; 2013) received the “25th Secondary School Students’ Best Ten Books Award.” Her essay collections include How to Live the Sad Days (悲傷的日子如何過; 2021), Against the Grain (亂世破讀; 2017), and From Kafka (理性的遊藝：從卡夫卡談起; 2015). She has also published an online poetry collection, Cave Whispers (絕地抒情; 2022), in collaboration with Hong Kong composer and photographer. She was the co-producer and literary advisor of two literary documentaries: 1918: Liu Yichang (1918：劉以鬯紀錄片; 2015) and Boundary: Leung Ping Kwan (東西：也斯紀錄片; 2015).

Chris Song (translator) is a poet, editor, and translator from Hong Kong, and is an assistant professor in English and Chinese translation at the University of Toronto Scarborough. He won the “Extraordinary Mention” of the 2013 Nosside International Poetry Prize in Italy and the Award for Young Artist (Literary Arts) of the 2017 Hong Kong Arts Development Awards. In 2019, he won the 5th Haizi Poetry Award. He is a founding councilor of the Hong Kong Poetry Festival Foundation, executive director of the International Poetry Nights in Hong Kong, and editor-in-chief of Voice & Verse Poetry Magazine. He also serves as an advisor to various literary organisations.

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