The Dim Sum Drama (Flash Fiction Part 11)

This is the 11th part of the story. The previous parts are here: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.

The news of Lau’s heart attack spread among the restaurant patrons and throughout the Asian community, inevitably provoking a debate between Team Lau and Team Chrysanthemum–should the money from the Korean businessman be used by Lau exclusively? Was Chrysanthemum justified in stealing the money from Lau? Was Chrysanthemum responsible for giving Lau a heart attack?

As you know the Asian immigrant community is so conservative that most of the women adopt the opinions of the men. Actually to say that the women have the same opinions as their men is quite inaccurate. As it always tends to happen in such cases, the women are more committed and more aggressively vocal in their men’s opinions than the men themselves. And just to think of it, it really makes sense since it takes aggression and violence–on oneself and on others– to be able to adhere to an opinion that is not suitable to one’s own natural intuition.

I have witnessed–my two best friends Pammy and Dodo have witnessed it too–that women around us are much more critical of other women than their men. Other women’s looks, dresses, makeup, child rearing techniques, cooking skills, cosmetic surgery attempts, IVF failures–just to name a few. The list of women’s inadequacy is endless; the standard for women’s beauty and behavior is so high that it is impossible for any woman to clear the bar without the help of a nanny, an academic tutor, a chauffeur, and a cosmetic surgeon, which means one can clear the bar if one has funds and resources but most women don’t.

Anyway, I am getting sidetracked. Back to our dim sum drama, I have to say sixty to seventy percent of the women are members of Team Lau. Since most men are also on Team Lau too, this gives them a sense that truth, morality, fairness, popularity are all on their side, not knowing that their number advantage only makes them a mob; and truth and popularity are not always on the same side.

Lau comes back home after a day in the hospital for observation. It’s not a serious heart attack, but he is advised to take an aspirin pill every day, keeps a healthy diet, and stays away from stress. Three days later, he is back to the restaurant work. Team Lau is elated and the restaurant is packed with his supporters and well wishers.

Lau’s health scare doesn’t change Chrysanthemum one bit. She is not tender with him at all. Instead, she uses his health concerns to attack him. “Don’t get stressed out like this. Remember you have a heart condition?” “Your memory is not so good anymore.” “You should sit down and let me man the cash registry. I don’t want you to have another…” She would put her hands on her chest to simulate a heart attack.

As Chrysanthemum gets more bitchy, Lau becomes more mellow. The customers would routinely ask him about his health conditions, and he would reply, “I am doing the best I can under the circumstances.” “Still alive and kicking. I will not just roll over and die to make her happy.” “I am a weak man, but with my feeble strength and my last breath, I will fight her.” Sometimes, the customers would invite him to sit down to talk. He used to be an acerbic and unapproachable man, but now he is completely different–humorous, affable, self deprecating, willing to talk about his marriage woes. As Chrysanthemum’s popularity dips, Lau’s popularity improves exponentially.

Now Bamboo Palace is brimming with business even during weekday nights. One night, an extended family comes to celebrate a new baby’s 100 day mark, which is an important day according to the tradition. During the dinner, Lau talks with them, especially the grandparents of the baby, who have been long time patrons of the restaurant. At the end of the dinner, Chrysanthemum brings the bill and the complementary orange slices. Lau is still talking with them. Hearing Lau mentioning her name and imagining that Lau is badmouthing about her, Chrysanthemum gives Lau a kick in the leg, which causes Lau moan in pain. And he has to sit down to recover himself. The grandpa at the table is so sympathetic to Lau and so furious with Chrysanthemum that he explodes in a tirade against Chrysanthemum.

“I’ve never seen a woman like you, Chrysanthemum. Bad bad woman. Lau is a sick man who just comes back from the hospital and you treat him like that. And I’ve been coming here for years and I know your story. How can you treat him like that? How can you kick him like that? You robbed him and ran away with Chef Chow, then you squandered the money and came back. Lau accepted you back. He is a hardworking, responsible, decent man and you are lucky to have him.” The grandpa says, his face all red, and he is so excited that he stands up. Now he is leaning on his cane and he continues,

“Women like you would be stoned to death or hanged just several decades ago in my hometown, but nowadays things are different. It is called progress, but I feel that the world is doomed. Women like you will damage your own family and influence other women to behave as badly as you are. Lau, you need to stand up for yourself. You can’t let your woman treat you like that.” The grandpa says.

Chrysanthemum looks at the grandpa, feeling not a shred of remorse. “He has no money; he has no health. He is just as useless as you are.” Chrysanthemum says loudly and deliberately.

The grandpa’s cane hit the floor repeatedly, “do you all hear what she said? She is such a witch. Such a witch. I will show you I am not useless. I will show you how useful I am. I will help Lau in whatever way possible to defeat you. Women like you should not exist on this planet.”

(To Be Continued Here)