Page 25 of Don't Point at the Moon

“Hmm. So dark and gritty and disjointed.”

“That’s what makes it a classic. Most attractive Hong Kong male actor?”

“Chen Hing Wah.”

“I don’t know who that is.”

“Edison Chen?”

“Ah, him. Personally, I prefer Tony Leung.”

“Of course you do. He’s a bit old, though, isn’t he?”

“But still hot. Preferred men’s scent?”

“Anything by Tom Ford,” said Tommy. “And in case you’re ever thinking of buying me a present, the most expensive will do. Yours?”

“Armani.”

Tommy nodded. He had noticed the classic scent on Mitchell when they’d met for drinks, a more traditional cologne but one that suited him perfectly.

“How about best cuisine in the world?”

“Italian.”

“Italian?” This time, Mitchell stopped walking and stared open-mouthed at Tommy. “You live in China. How can you possibly choose spaghetti over noodles?”

“Is this about me, or not?”

“Of course.”

“Well then,” said Tommy, pouting. “Besides, spaghetti is just noodles stolen from the Chinese by the Italians, put in different packaging and given a new name. What about you?”

“Sichuan. Or is it Szechuan? I’m never sure which is the correct pronunciation. But I especially love Dan Dan Noodles. My go-to comfort food. As long as they’re not too heavy-handed on the chilli oil.”

“Noted. Last question.”

Tommy noticed Mitchell tapping a forefinger on his lower lip.

“Okay. This might be a little tougher. Favourite author of classic English literature?”

“I need time to think. You go first,” said Tommy.

“Well, for me, it would have to be a toss-up between Charles Dickens and Thomas Hardy. I love the realism of the era that both depict in their works, almost like an historical account of the time, but each using very different styles. Let’s go with Dickens. What about you? Thought of anyone yet?”

“JK Rowling.”

“J—?” began Mitchell, turning to stare incredulously to Tommy.

“What?” said Tommy, meeting his gaze. “What?”

“Nothing,” said Mitchell, grinning smugly.

Tommy had begun to enjoy this fun side of Mitchell almost as much as he liked walking behind him, watching as he climbed steps in his tight tan shorts, the muscles of his backside and hairy thighs straining the stretch cotton fabric. Not that Mitchell was at all his type.

With the fun questioning over, Tommy suggested they share more mundane facts about each other. Mitchell talked about his family, comprising one sister and an estranged mother. Mitchell’s father had died of a sudden stroke two days after Mitchell’s eighth birthday. When his mother had crumpled under the pressure of loss and responsibility, his father’s parents—his grandparents—had stepped up and raised him and his sister. Today his mother lived with her boyfriend in Croydon, a racist and homophobic coach driver who only ever left the flat to go to work. At her insistence, he never visited her at home when he returned to the UK. Instead, she would meet him for the occasional coffee in town. As for Mitchell’s love life, he’d only ever had one serious boyfriend in college, but refused to go into any detail. Tommy half suspected the ex had dumped him, which explained why Mitchell had ended up halfway across the world in Hong Kong.

When Tommy’s turn came, he silently thanked his loving and tolerant family. He felt almost guilty telling Mitchell how normal they were—his mother a housewife, his father an accountant, his sister a shop owner. Mitchell seemed more concerned about who he needed to impress at the rehearsal dinner if he was going to convince them that the confirmed bachelor, Tommy Chow, finally had a boyfriend. His sister Sammi sat at the top of that list—Tommy had already decided against telling her about their arrangement—but then, of course, there were his grandparents. Mitchell listened attentively when Tommy told the story of how his grandmother on his father’s side had been born in Taiwan back when the island was still under fifty years of Japaneserule and how his grandfather had escaped from Northern Guangdong to Hong Kong as a young man during the famine that ravaged China in the late nineteen fifties. By the end of the retelling, Tommy felt a new pride in his ancestors’ struggles, something he often took for granted, and looked forward to Mitchell meeting them.

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