He laid in his bed, one arm propping his head up. His bed was almost as big as his apartment. His feet hung off awkwardly and onto an empty shelf. Matty moved here on a whim. He desired a new kind of life that he couldn't hope to gain back in America. He found an ad for teaching English and saved up just enough money to get him to the airport. With some gestures and several hours, he was able to figure out how to get to his new apartment. It was empty. He didn't know anyone. His co-workers at the factory, his second job working third shift, didn't take too kindly on him so far. He managed to have a few of the younger women giggling profusely when he showed up to work in the textiles room where men were strictly not allowed. He had been given the wrong key card because of a mix-up, or a joke, he could not discern, ending up scaring a few women in the process. A kind and beautiful woman named, Mei, helped him find his way to his proper workspace. He thanked her in English knowing full well she probably didn't understand. She nodded, silently, and went back to her corridor. He was thinking of Mei, now, wondering what she did when she wasn't at work. He closed his eyes, and eventually, fell asleep.
Matty often woke in the night and would walk the streets, people watching anyone who was still out from drinking. He found that it cleared his head and gave him an insight to his surrounding neighborhood. He didn't like the heat of the day. The nighttime warmth was welcoming outside but, stifling inside his tiny box of an apartment. He haphazardly picked a new place to walk every few weeks, when he had a certain area memorized. He was getting close to having a mile radius of his home and work. He was strict about staying on the same path to and from work so he would not get confused. Matty stepped his foot onto the road to cross when a moped turned quickly and shot past him. The passengers stopped at a nearby bar, swaying as they took off their helmets. The woman had long, straight black hair. She was tiny and slim. The man, was fit but, stocky. Matty kept walking, not paying attention to the loud hoots coming from the tiny bar.
He walked until he got sleepy, then turned around and backtracked home. He searched for familiarity but, his feet began to hurt. He had a long day at work and although he had a day off the next day, he felt restless at times even when exhausted. Staring mostly into his feet and sidewalk, he paid no mind to the people and noises that he had passed until he heard a woman, clearly distressed. He looked across the road to see the same tiny bar and woman from earlier. The moped had left and she happened to look at him as he looked at her. He recognized her as Mei though she looked quite different without her smock and with her hair down. He could have sworn she had thick glasses at work as well. She pointed to him and yelled out to him, clearly intoxicated, "Hey! Hey American man!" Matty waved at her not quite sure how much English she knew. She stumbled towards him, stopping somewhat towards the sidewalk but, still very much in the road.
"You aren't a woman. You were in the women's corridor. Are you here in China because you are too stupid for America?" Mei made herself laugh at his expense. Matty didn't respond but, laughed with her. "Do you know how funny you are? You are so tall! How do you fit into doorways?" She wrinkled her eyebrows and made a face at him.
Matty chuckled, "I duck a lot."
"Like gua guā?" She laughed and continued making a sort of bird noise at him.
"Oh, uh," Matty was nervous and unable to find words to explain himself without pausing first. "I mean..." He bowed gently.
Mei kept laughing, even as a car whizzed by nearly missing her. Matty was worried about her and reached out to pull her onto the sidewalk by her hand. Mei continued to laugh and make duck noises at him while grabbing her belly. Matty asked her how she was getting home and she asked him to take her to his home. Alarmed, he wasn't sure he had another choice. She couldn't tell him where she lived and he didn't understand whether she had any identification on her. Even if she did, he wasn't sure he could afford a cab to take her home safely and return to his apartment. He didn't know the area that well yet. He agreed after much contemplation and pleading from Mei. He walked her home, allowing her to tease him. He laughed at her childishness and was grateful for not only the company but, the warmth of her laughter.
When they reached his apartment building, Mei was falling asleep while standing in her platform heels. Matty apologized for the smallness of his apartment and then wondered how this sleeping arrangement would go. He showed her to the shared bathroom in the hall and waited for her while she relieved herself and drank water from the sink. She flopped down on his bed, face down, sprawled like a starfish. Unsure of what else to do, he gently pushed her into a smaller pile and got onto his bed. He was able to shut the door that way. He took off her shoes and put one of his larger t-shirts over her head. It was quite large on her and longer than the dress she was wearing. He laid down next to her, careful to give her space without touching her more than necessary. He laid there unable to sleep, thinking of how angry and confused she may find herself in the morning. A few hours later, Mei opened one eye and looked at Matty. She recognized him but said nothing. She let her head fall back down onto the bed with a thump. Then she reached her arm out and laid it over his chest. Matty watched her do this while making no moves. He wasn't sure what the appropriate response would be. He thought she was quite pretty but, he wasn't drunk, she was, and he knew nothing about her. She squeezed him and gestured for him to be closer to him. He lifted his arm, let her curl into the crook of his armpit and felt surprised when she lifted her head, placing it on his chest. She fell asleep quickly, soothed by his heartbeat under her temple. He wasn't sure when he relaxed and feel asleep but, at some point, sleep had taken him as well.
Matty often woke in the night and would walk the streets, people watching anyone who was still out from drinking. He found that it cleared his head and gave him an insight to his surrounding neighborhood. He didn't like the heat of the day. The nighttime warmth was welcoming outside but, stifling inside his tiny box of an apartment. He haphazardly picked a new place to walk every few weeks, when he had a certain area memorized. He was getting close to having a mile radius of his home and work. He was strict about staying on the same path to and from work so he would not get confused. Matty stepped his foot onto the road to cross when a moped turned quickly and shot past him. The passengers stopped at a nearby bar, swaying as they took off their helmets. The woman had long, straight black hair. She was tiny and slim. The man, was fit but, stocky. Matty kept walking, not paying attention to the loud hoots coming from the tiny bar.
He walked until he got sleepy, then turned around and backtracked home. He searched for familiarity but, his feet began to hurt. He had a long day at work and although he had a day off the next day, he felt restless at times even when exhausted. Staring mostly into his feet and sidewalk, he paid no mind to the people and noises that he had passed until he heard a woman, clearly distressed. He looked across the road to see the same tiny bar and woman from earlier. The moped had left and she happened to look at him as he looked at her. He recognized her as Mei though she looked quite different without her smock and with her hair down. He could have sworn she had thick glasses at work as well. She pointed to him and yelled out to him, clearly intoxicated, "Hey! Hey American man!" Matty waved at her not quite sure how much English she knew. She stumbled towards him, stopping somewhat towards the sidewalk but, still very much in the road.
"You aren't a woman. You were in the women's corridor. Are you here in China because you are too stupid for America?" Mei made herself laugh at his expense. Matty didn't respond but, laughed with her. "Do you know how funny you are? You are so tall! How do you fit into doorways?" She wrinkled her eyebrows and made a face at him.
Matty chuckled, "I duck a lot."
"Like gua guā?" She laughed and continued making a sort of bird noise at him.
"Oh, uh," Matty was nervous and unable to find words to explain himself without pausing first. "I mean..." He bowed gently.
Mei kept laughing, even as a car whizzed by nearly missing her. Matty was worried about her and reached out to pull her onto the sidewalk by her hand. Mei continued to laugh and make duck noises at him while grabbing her belly. Matty asked her how she was getting home and she asked him to take her to his home. Alarmed, he wasn't sure he had another choice. She couldn't tell him where she lived and he didn't understand whether she had any identification on her. Even if she did, he wasn't sure he could afford a cab to take her home safely and return to his apartment. He didn't know the area that well yet. He agreed after much contemplation and pleading from Mei. He walked her home, allowing her to tease him. He laughed at her childishness and was grateful for not only the company but, the warmth of her laughter.
When they reached his apartment building, Mei was falling asleep while standing in her platform heels. Matty apologized for the smallness of his apartment and then wondered how this sleeping arrangement would go. He showed her to the shared bathroom in the hall and waited for her while she relieved herself and drank water from the sink. She flopped down on his bed, face down, sprawled like a starfish. Unsure of what else to do, he gently pushed her into a smaller pile and got onto his bed. He was able to shut the door that way. He took off her shoes and put one of his larger t-shirts over her head. It was quite large on her and longer than the dress she was wearing. He laid down next to her, careful to give her space without touching her more than necessary. He laid there unable to sleep, thinking of how angry and confused she may find herself in the morning. A few hours later, Mei opened one eye and looked at Matty. She recognized him but said nothing. She let her head fall back down onto the bed with a thump. Then she reached her arm out and laid it over his chest. Matty watched her do this while making no moves. He wasn't sure what the appropriate response would be. He thought she was quite pretty but, he wasn't drunk, she was, and he knew nothing about her. She squeezed him and gestured for him to be closer to him. He lifted his arm, let her curl into the crook of his armpit and felt surprised when she lifted her head, placing it on his chest. She fell asleep quickly, soothed by his heartbeat under her temple. He wasn't sure when he relaxed and feel asleep but, at some point, sleep had taken him as well.
Comments
Post a Comment