In a matter of 3 years, I've accumulated a bucket (a case rather) of Hong Kong coins. I never counted them but I'm estimating it was worth $300 USD. Funny that was how my mum kept her 'spare change' & 'tips' from her waitressing days when I was growing up. I saw it as a magic bucket for bus, for lunch, for ice cream, for KFC ;-). Her habit became mine.
In the last weeks of Hong Kong, I got busy discarding and moving furniture and things. I'd say everything moved from one room to the next, or taken on new ownership, all except the case of the coins. It sat there. Untouched. Unmoving. Heavy-looking. I didn't want to deal with it just yet. For weeks, I had my eye on an elderly woman down the street on Nathan Road, who smiled at me every time I passed by her. She worked hard, folding cardboard boxes from sun up to sun down, rain or shine. I've thought of ways to give her my case of coins, without seeming as if she was my 'charity' or without 'breaking her arm.' I truly admired her smile and wanted to give her something in return.
The clock was ticking fast. The international movers had arrived, taken my boxes and shipped them early Monday morning. I had planned on staying at a local hotel before my final Hong Kong departure the next day. A friend was to come at 2pm to help me with my luggages to the hotel and I was to meet my landlord at 6:30 in the evening to return the apartment keys to him. I had about 1 hour left to deal with the case of coins before moving to a hotel. It was giving me a headache. It was so heavy that I decided to walk down the street to check if the old woman was there before I took the case with me. She was 'absent.' I wondered where she was. At least I wanted to say goodbye to her.
I returned to my apartment. Disappointed but very much determined to take care of the coins! I poured the whole case into a white Apple plastic bag, the ones with a 'drawstring.' It was so heavy, I had to cradle it like a baby. I walked downstairs to my lobby and the first thought was the Homeless Shelter on the corner across the street. I knocked on a metal door, but no answer. I walked around the alleyway next to the old Chinese Opera House, looking for an entrance. Nothing.
So, what to do? I went back up to my apartment. I divided the coins into 3 Ziplock bags, sealed each bag, and placed them back into the Apple bag. A sudden spontaneous pause came over me. A recollection of all the things I've received in Hong Kong - a beautiful apartment, a great job at a great school, a great monthly salary, a comfortable lifestyle, a great social network of friends collected in Hong Kong based all over the world, great material things like my new Apple Retina computer, dehumidifier & aromatherapy diffuser, etc... etc...came upon me. Truly without Hong Kong I won't be standing where I was with a big case of coins!
I left the apartment, and headed back onto the streets, walking towards Nathan Road. I made up my mind that I was going to give 3 homeless person a bag of coins. I walked towards Bento Place where I got my weekly fills of delicious sashimi. At the corner was a bald-headed homeless man, sitting with his knees perpendicular to his chin, staring out onto the street. I took out one bag of coins, bent down to talk to him in Chinese. I said the coins were for him. He was stunned! I said I lived and worked nearby and was leaving Hong Kong and couldn't take them with me. He nodded his head and thanked me with a huge smile. I stepped away feeling a curl of joy in my heart and a little teary-eyed as I kept moving on.
I passed The Bento Place and came upon the underpass bridge I often took after going to the gym to get from one side of Nathan Road to the other. I walked down the steep stairs. This man on the right side of the tunnel was taking a break from playing his erhu. He sat cross-legged with a bowl in front of him. I saw there was some money inside so he must've been doing okay that day. He saw me coming towards him. I pulled out the 2nd Ziplock bag. I gave it to him and said it was for him. He was shocked! He could barely hold onto the bag. I really didn't know how much I gave him. He thanked me with a smile and I smiled and said goodbye.
I emerged on the other side of Nathan Road, the Apple bag was getting lighter. I felt a sense of overwhelming joy as I kept walking the crowded streets, aware that I might not be able to do this again anytime soon. I got to Waterloo Road and crossed to the other side of Nathan Road. I walked this part to and from work on a daily basis - the most densely populated city in the world (besides Mumbai) - and saw the last homeless man on the street. He was sitting at the street corner by the intersection.
How was I going to deliver my last bag of coins to him? I didn't want to make a scene. He was balancing an umbrella tucked under his arm to shelter from the light drizzle. I approached him, bent down and took out my last Ziplock bag. He was resting with his eyes closed. Because a crowd was starting to form, I decided to use English, just to be less 'local.' I said hello once. He was still asleep. I said hello again. He woke up. He looked surprised! I gave him eye contact and a smile. I told him the bag of coins was for him. He said thank you in Chinese, and nodded his head with a lot of humility. I too did the same. He wanted to shake my hand but his umbrella nearly came tumbling down and my hands were full. I said take care in Chinese. I got a few stares from the crowd. Luckily the light at the intersection turned green, and I was able to sprint across the road because it was raining by now.
I returned to my apartment. By now it was 1:55, just 5 minutes I would be expecting my friend to help me transition to a hotel, and leave Yau Ma Tei to Mong Kok. The load felt literally lighter. It's true we can't take too much with us on this journey. Maybe I've always known it as my mom knew when I was a child. It's not always said or written with the same words - Reciprocity. Paying it Forward. Giving Back. It felt so good to give back. It felt right to 'pay' it forward. Not too much 'things' are that valuable in the end. All one needs is a bucket of magic coins to begin and end with.
THE END
