Hongwei Bao

In the morning, waking me up with piercing alarms,as if the whole building was on fire. Alexa calmly announces:‘There’s nothing scheduled for the day.’I wish my boss would say the same thing.In the evening: ‘Now, here’s local news.’Dead silence. Perhaps she sees nothing important worth mentioningShe then moves on to weather forecast:‘It will be dry tomorrow but there will be … [Read more...] about The Life Philosophy Of Alexa, By: Hongwei Bao

No matter what big cuisine or delicatessen I’ve hadduring the day. At midnight and in the darkI’d feel my way to the kitchen. Sharp eyes of an owl,homing instinct of a pigeon. Digging in the pantryfor pot noodles I’ve recently bought. Kettle on. Water boiling. White steamevaporates in the air.The smell, the taste, transports meto another time, another place. The childhood … [Read more...] about Pot Noodle, By: Hongwei Bao

Oh, Charlie. You cheeky bastard!Why did you get up so early, runningfuriously in the house, circling my closedbedroom door. That must’ve been whenyou spotted a stack of paper I’d lefton the floor, next to an empty pizza box,a few beer bottles. Why did you thendecide to chew on the paper? It didn’teven look, or taste, like a juicy bone.And why did you tear them into pieces,like … [Read more...] about Ode to the Dog That Ate My Homework, By: Hongwei Bao

There’s no plum tree on Plumptre Street,just as there’s no lace in Lace Market. One day I lock myself out of my rentedflat, the whole building in fact, the red-brick architecture converted from a Victorianwarehouse. Its big windows, arched and single-glazed, a tourist attraction in the daytime,a shudder to think about at night, like tonight. I pace along the empty street. … [Read more...] about Plumptre Street, By: Hongwei Bao

We meet in a Chinese teahouse on a hot summer’s day.The fragrance of the Longjing tea lingers in the air.Twenty years after graduation we’ve both changed a lot,wrinkles on the face, salt and pepper hair on the head.But the passion and dream from our youths can still be heard.I congratulate her on her marriage and second child.She asks me how my life is. It’s fine, I reply, not … [Read more...] about Tea With My Best School Friend, By: Hongwei Bao