The Dim Sum Drama (Flash Fiction Part 13)

This is the 13th part of the story. The previous parts are here: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12.

“It suddenly dawns on me what this is. This is a charade, for which you are indirectly involved, Pammy. No wonder you switch from Team Chrysanthemum to Team Lau. No wonder Chrysanthemum behaves like this and speaks so loudly against her husband. No wonder Lau is so mellow and begs for sympathy, which is very much out of character for him, isn’t it? And you, Pammy, sold your soul to this charade because, if my guess is correct, you are involved in this because you can sell your real estate better in Team Chrysanthemum or with Babutai’s relatives or something. It’s a conspiracy.” I am talking so excitedly that people sitting at the next table all turn to look at me.

“Oh, shut up. You see conspiracy everywhere, just like you see narcissism everywhere. It is only in your head. It is an illusion.” Pammy says and waves her hand to dismiss me.

“Dodo, help me out here. This is a charade they are playing right? You saw Chrysanthemum and Chef Chow shopping at the outlet mall on Monday morning and nobody usually went shopping at that hour, right?” I ask Dodo.

“Yes, of course.” Dodo says, “but what charade are you talking about? I don’t understand.”

“OK. Let me recite the whole thing from the beginning and I will tell you what this is about. When Chrysanthemum came back from California, her relationship with her husband Lau deteriorated. They fought all the time. Chrysanthemum exerted herself and Lau resented it. And we were all split up into Team Lau and Team Chrysanthemum. Remember? Then the Korean businessman showed up with his friends and gave Lau $800 as a support. Lau and Chrysanthemum fought a big battle which caused Lau to have a mild heart attack. The two were determined to separate and get a divorce since they couldn’t live with each other, but as businessmen they couldn’t help noticing that Team Lau is so much stronger than Team Chrysanthemum, and Team Lau is willing to shell out money to help ‘poor’ Lau to fight with his wife. So Lau and Chrysanthemum made a pact. I am imagining right now but I think my imagination is correct. Lau would assume the role of a husband suffering under his wife’s bully and infidelity, while Chrysanthemum will become bitchy and outspoken. They played their roles wonderfully. What a charade. Lau got the sympathy from most of the people in the community, men and women, who would come to his restaurant to support him. In the process, they have made his restaurant much more popular and profitable than before. Then Lau also got funding from some conservative Asian associations, gamblers, or some other people who think their privilege is eroded or old tradition is desecrated by women like Chrysanthemum. Now they are about to get funded to open up an automatic dim sum restaurant in one of the most popular areas in New Jersey. It all worked out for them. What a charade. Anyway, if I am not mistaken, right now, Chrysanthemum is living with Chef Chow, while Lau is living with his girlfriend Mocho. They have already split up, right? Am I right, Pammy? You know Babutai so well, who must know everything. Or probably he is the grand designer of the whole charade in the first place.” I give a big tirade and I stare at Pammy for confirmation.

“OK, OK. You are mostly right, except all four of them are living together in their house right now. They have managed to partition it into two different living quarters. Anyway, when they have raised enough money, they would eventually split of course. And please do not go around to tell people, just to show how smart you are that you have figured everything out. I mean Lau and Chrysanthemum worked so hard all their life and never got a break. I mean finally Lau can make his restaurant more profitable and can get some money to start a new eatery. Please do not spoil it for them. If Lau and Chrysanthemum are trying to capitalize on the Asian community’s conservative values, I don’t see any reason to stop them. They have suffered enough and they deserve some rewards.” Pammy says.

“Well, Lau and Chrysanthemum misrepresent themselves. And people like Babutai and you help them. It just gives a wrong impression that Team Lau is so powerful, so traditional, so popular. Such misrepresentations have crushed a lot of women’s dream for a better world, especially young women who are more gullible and more impressionable. Women would be afraid of this world, thinking that the force against them is so overwhelming and so forceful. But in reality, it is just a facade to frighten them into giving themselves up. Lau and Chrysanthemum only have a fake traditional relationship; Lau and Chrysanthemum have fake fights. The whole thing is just a money scheme.” I yell very loudly.

(The End)