It feels so good when Monday is a holiday.
Morning was sunny and warm, which I wouldn't have noticed if I spend my time in a classroom or bury myself with piles and piles of untouched assignment.
I went out in the afternoon. After getting something settled in Sheung Wan I decided to take a walk to Central. I took a turn into Cleverly Street, away from the hustle and bustle of the main road, up the stairs (with lots of graffiti) to Hollywood Road where I wandered about the antique shops and art galleries for a little while. It's pure delight to stroll along the alleys and hang around the district, where you can see small shops with white wooden doors and roots of banyan trees spread across the walls.
I was looking for a place to settle at, a place to spend the next few hours sipping a nice drink, marking students' writings. It's something I've been doing at the weekends over the past few months, as if a delicious hot drink in a cozy cafe would ease my reluctance to work and alleviate the pain. And somehow it does.
I was at Shelly Street when I noticed a restaurant with wooden windowpanes. I went inside and took a seat at a quiet corner on the second floor, beside the windows where I could look at the people outside. It's an organic restaurant. I had a dandelion latte with soya milk and it tasted so good that I finished it instantly. The first and the last time I had a dandelion latte was at the Bookworm Cafe in Lamma Island. The one I had now tasted even better. Then from my bag I took out the writings that I swore I had to finish today.
The customers came and went. I was struggling through the paper when the lady who sat next to me spoke to me.
"Where are you teaching at?" She asked, eyes on the paper on my table.
"In a girls' school. You?" She too was doing her marking.
"In a private boys' school," she said.
"DBS?" I made a guess.
"Right," she replied, surprised.
"There aren't many private boys' school in Hong Kong," I explained for my being too smart.
"Do you always do your markings in a cafe?" She asked, curiously.
"Yes, it's what I usually do, as if it's less painful."
"I can see your pain. I like to do it this way too."
She's an American, teaching Spanish there for the first year. We chatted for a few minutes before going back to our work. Eventually there were only the two of us left in the restaurant, two young (and pretty) female teachers, diligently marking. For once in my life I didn't feel alone.
So I wasn't completely lazing off my Monday. I struggled, but with the company of a lovely stranger I persisted and finally managed to get everything done before sunset. I had Eat, Pray, Love with me but I didn't want to read on after the first Chapter on Italy had ended. So I said goodbye to her and left. Outside, some Korean stars were filming with dozens of fans around. I crossed the road to Flow Bookstore but couldn't get the book I wanted.
A perfect Monday working and not working.
