Santa in Summer.

There was a house renovation across the road.

And there was a man by the door. A laborer as everyone would have assumed and guessed correctly. Tall, a rather big tummy I would say. He was shoveling dirt off the ground and into the cart and sweat was all over his face like little streams. He had a short pony tail and his hair was white where the roots were and black at the ends. Occasionally when he stopped, he would wipe the sweat away from his face with the towel hanging over his neck, and then he would touch his goatee and look straight ahead not focusing on any object but probably back into the past.

I thought I saw a twinkle in his eye but the sun was scorching up above and it could have been just my eyes. I walked up and said hello. We exchanged simple greetings and smiled and I walked to a side and watch him resume shoveling. Just right before his shovel hit the dirt, he turned to me and asked me

do you believe in santa claus?

I shrugged my shoulders and smiled at him. Then he turned back and looked into the distance, probably into the past again, and said

you know kids back then used to believe in santa claus. they would do all sorts of things to make sure that they get their presents from santa claus. even parents believe in santa claus back then. they would leave a cup of milk and some cookies by the fireplace for him. but those were the days back then when electricity did not exist yet.

He stopped, sighed and continued

then as time went by, children began to doubt if santa claus exist. and some parents began to tell their children that santa claus was but a hoax for the children to be good kids. but those parents, they were bad kids when they were younger. so how would they have known? how would they?
eventually their kids grew up and told their kids the same thing and it went on for generations.

He paused for a while and looked at his feet then went on

the people still sang my name. they still talk about me but they didn't believe in me anymore. how ironic it became i was all over the place but they didn't believe in me anymore. no more, not like back in those days. no more. they sealed their fireplace and installed electrical ones. the new houses did not even have a chimney for me to fall down into anymore. they installed alarms and all sorts of high tech stuff that still makes no sense to me. i couldn't get into the house or if i did i would have been caught and charged. i stopped what i did.

He continued on with his work and filled up the cart then he pushed it off into the house. I stood there not knowing what to say till someone tapped my shoulder and I turned around. It was the lady living next door. She started off

did he tell you that he's santa claus? that guy's loony. you'd want to watch out in case he went amok.

Then she walked into her house with a smirk across her face. I decided to walk back home and when I turned back for a last glance at the old man he was standing there inside the house looking right at me, this time, I was sure that there was a twinkle in his eye.

tell me where you want to go.

here's a forest filled with thick dense cement blocks, the roads conquered by roaring vehicles, the night brightened up by neon lights and above all, scattered with life. the city's a maze. streets interconnected, taking you everywhere, anywhere but always somewhere. somewhere that tells you that serenity may not only come in the form of high mountains and green foliage. every where's a picture. here, the pace is faster, the escalator, the steps, the everything. even the day and the night. people here walk pass you without even realizing your presence as long as you are not in their way.
this has gotta be the good life. i've heard this from a song but it could be so true. the conference was amazing. the people were. everyone was. i've made new friends and some really close ones. i was myself back there and i had nothing to hide. i snored in lectures like no one's business and got really drunk in front of people i have only known for a few days. i have already began to miss the times we strolled in the streets either to get to mackes(as the australians would have put it) or 7-11 or the local cafes to get supper, and all the while laughing at really silly things we did in the day. i had fun from the morning till i went to bed in the wee hours of the morning. the only thing i had to worry about was nothing.
i love the walk down the harbor in the night where the whole hongkong island comes in sight. i love standing in the junctions, listening to the rapid beep of the traffic light, the many pedestrians that walk across the road and the many cars that drive by. i love the people here how they stare at you when you're slow, but always ready to help despite the grumpy tone. i love the malted vitasoy, something i have to have two packets everyday. i love the convenience store they have all over the place the cool air in it that brings a big difference in the summer. i love the tunnels underground that lead you to so many exits that when you emerge a new undiscovered place greets you.
maybe i'll find it a dull place if i were to live in there but for now i'm addicted and i just can't get enough.