This story started as a dream I had this morning. I described the dream to you over at Zombie Evolution in my blog titled, "Chee Kon Yeh Mom Weh". This story exists nowhere else but right here. As a matter of fact, I'm making it up as I go. I can't wait to see where it goes!
The Greater Number
My friends and I lost all our money and our car in Vegas. Getting back to Marble Cliffs has been a helluva journey. Most people won't pick up three college boys. I'm Hewlett Fen-Chang. I would get us a rental car, but some asshole keeps pruning my money tree behind my back! So, we've been walking most of this time. We've slept in any rest areas we come upon along the way.
My two buddies, Mbu Ng and Desmond Azabache had come along with me to Vegas to help me celebrate my 21st birthday. We've all known each other since childhood. My dad met Mbu's dad on a mission in South Africa. They were both missionaries for the Marble Cliffs Chinese Baptist Church. Father Ng had married one of the natives and had Mbu right before returning to the United States. Me and Mbu met Desmond in kindergarten. We've been best friends ever since.
"So like where are we?"
"I don't know, like somewhere between Las Vegas and Marble Cliffs. What am a a tour guide?"
"Dude, there hasn't been a car in hours."
"You really think they'd pick us up anyway? I mean, look at me. I'm black."
"You're half black. And besides, it's 2011. No one thinks like that any more."
"Oh yeah, tell that to my boss. Anyway, a Chinese guy and a white guy just look more trustable."
"That's not even a word. It's trustworthy, dumbass. Look at the evidence before you. We've been walking for three days and nobody has stopped to help us."
"People always want to help a Chinese guy. I mean, have you ever seen a homeless Chinese person? Or any Asian wandering the streets for that matter?"
"Well, I see two Asians wandering the streets right now, what's your point?'
Just then, Desmond nudged us quarreling kinfolk to get our attention. "Looks like a town up ahead."
"Okay, so when we get there, we'll try to figure out how much farther we have to go."
"Uh yeah, and some food, perhaps?'
"I've only got twenty seven dollars left. We'll know how much we can afford once we know how much longer we'll be on the road."
"But I'm starving!'
"Well then maybe you shouldn't have gambled away the title to your car. I mean, I appreciate you providing the means to get us to Vegas, but did you have a plan to get us back?"
"For the last time, I was feeling lucky!"
Desmond shook his head and started jogging toward the town. Me and Mbu kept a steady pace. Once we reached the outskirts of the town, it lifted our spirits a little. Desmond was walking toward a park where there was some grass. "After days of dirt and cacti, this is awesome!"
Mbu and I looked at each other and shrugged our shoulders. There was a young Asian lady sitting at a park bench with a book in her lap. A young boy, presumably her son, was running around the bench ignoring her pleas for him to sit. "Aggie ya, come sit and listen to the story. It's your favorite story." The boy started jumping around without a care.
I approached the woman. "Excuse me, ma'am. Is there anywhere around here we can get something to eat?" I thought perhaps she was shy so I decided to start by breaking the ice. "What book are you reading?" I asked. She didn't answer, but kept calling for her son.
On a bench across from them was an older Asian lady, possibly the boy's grandmother. The old lady looked at us and said, "Chee kon yeh mom weh." I figured it was some Asian language I am unfamiliar with, which is all of them except for Chinese and that definitely was not Chinese.
The young lady said, "Don't mind her. She doesn't speak English." Encouraged by the fact that she had finally addressed us directly, I asked again if there was anywhere my friends and I would be able to get something to eat. Again she acted as if she didn't hear me.
My friends and I were about to go explore the town a bit more and see if we could find anyone else that might be a little more helpful. As we turned to leave, the old lady stood up and said more forcefully, "Chee kon yeh mom weh!" It was chilling, despite the heat of the desert. Probably just a crazy old hag.
Desmond had already lost interest in the park and had wandered down the road a bit to what looked like a restaurant of some sort. The faded sign said, 'Steiner's Diner'. It looked completely dark inside, but there was a radio sitting on a window sill out front.
Mbu tried the door, but it was locked. When he was close enough to the radio, he heard that it was on. On it, we heard what seemed to be an emergency broadcast that kept repeating the same message. The reception wasn't very good and it kept cutting in and out. What we were able to hear was, "This is an emer....cy......we will con.....nue to broadcast..............outbreak that started ye.......day has spread.........We will come back mom.......tarily with more news........You must evacuate. Head we......to our headquarters in.................."
The Greater Number
My friends and I lost all our money and our car in Vegas. Getting back to Marble Cliffs has been a helluva journey. Most people won't pick up three college boys. I'm Hewlett Fen-Chang. I would get us a rental car, but some asshole keeps pruning my money tree behind my back! So, we've been walking most of this time. We've slept in any rest areas we come upon along the way.
My two buddies, Mbu Ng and Desmond Azabache had come along with me to Vegas to help me celebrate my 21st birthday. We've all known each other since childhood. My dad met Mbu's dad on a mission in South Africa. They were both missionaries for the Marble Cliffs Chinese Baptist Church. Father Ng had married one of the natives and had Mbu right before returning to the United States. Me and Mbu met Desmond in kindergarten. We've been best friends ever since.
"So like where are we?"
"I don't know, like somewhere between Las Vegas and Marble Cliffs. What am a a tour guide?"
"Dude, there hasn't been a car in hours."
"You really think they'd pick us up anyway? I mean, look at me. I'm black."
"You're half black. And besides, it's 2011. No one thinks like that any more."
"Oh yeah, tell that to my boss. Anyway, a Chinese guy and a white guy just look more trustable."
"That's not even a word. It's trustworthy, dumbass. Look at the evidence before you. We've been walking for three days and nobody has stopped to help us."
"People always want to help a Chinese guy. I mean, have you ever seen a homeless Chinese person? Or any Asian wandering the streets for that matter?"
"Well, I see two Asians wandering the streets right now, what's your point?'
Just then, Desmond nudged us quarreling kinfolk to get our attention. "Looks like a town up ahead."
"Okay, so when we get there, we'll try to figure out how much farther we have to go."
"Uh yeah, and some food, perhaps?'
"I've only got twenty seven dollars left. We'll know how much we can afford once we know how much longer we'll be on the road."
"But I'm starving!'
"Well then maybe you shouldn't have gambled away the title to your car. I mean, I appreciate you providing the means to get us to Vegas, but did you have a plan to get us back?"
"For the last time, I was feeling lucky!"
Desmond shook his head and started jogging toward the town. Me and Mbu kept a steady pace. Once we reached the outskirts of the town, it lifted our spirits a little. Desmond was walking toward a park where there was some grass. "After days of dirt and cacti, this is awesome!"
Mbu and I looked at each other and shrugged our shoulders. There was a young Asian lady sitting at a park bench with a book in her lap. A young boy, presumably her son, was running around the bench ignoring her pleas for him to sit. "Aggie ya, come sit and listen to the story. It's your favorite story." The boy started jumping around without a care.
I approached the woman. "Excuse me, ma'am. Is there anywhere around here we can get something to eat?" I thought perhaps she was shy so I decided to start by breaking the ice. "What book are you reading?" I asked. She didn't answer, but kept calling for her son.
On a bench across from them was an older Asian lady, possibly the boy's grandmother. The old lady looked at us and said, "Chee kon yeh mom weh." I figured it was some Asian language I am unfamiliar with, which is all of them except for Chinese and that definitely was not Chinese.
The young lady said, "Don't mind her. She doesn't speak English." Encouraged by the fact that she had finally addressed us directly, I asked again if there was anywhere my friends and I would be able to get something to eat. Again she acted as if she didn't hear me.
My friends and I were about to go explore the town a bit more and see if we could find anyone else that might be a little more helpful. As we turned to leave, the old lady stood up and said more forcefully, "Chee kon yeh mom weh!" It was chilling, despite the heat of the desert. Probably just a crazy old hag.
Desmond had already lost interest in the park and had wandered down the road a bit to what looked like a restaurant of some sort. The faded sign said, 'Steiner's Diner'. It looked completely dark inside, but there was a radio sitting on a window sill out front.
Mbu tried the door, but it was locked. When he was close enough to the radio, he heard that it was on. On it, we heard what seemed to be an emergency broadcast that kept repeating the same message. The reception wasn't very good and it kept cutting in and out. What we were able to hear was, "This is an emer....cy......we will con.....nue to broadcast..............outbreak that started ye.......day has spread.........We will come back mom.......tarily with more news........You must evacuate. Head we......to our headquarters in.................."
No comments:
Post a Comment