Disclaimer: This story is entirely fictional and not intended for minors or those judged unable by law to read this material. Any resemblance to actual people is purely coincidental.
The author reserves all rights to this work.
LONDON ROMANCE
PART FIVE
PHILIP: WORK AND A NEW FRIEND
It's been six weeks since I started work at the restaurant. Mr. Farnsworth, the manager, was very pleased with my performance during my probation. He managed to get my employment permit quite quickly. I suspect that he had already applied for my employment permit during my probation period. I had to get a medical checkup and some other procedures before I finally got my permit.
Two weeks after I started work, Richard and Emily found a room for me nearby the restaurant. The rent was quite high but I knew I'd be able to make ends meet if I didn't spend carelessly. Even then, I was on a very strict and tight budget.
Among my duties in the restaurant was to make sure that we had enough non-food items in stock, especially the expendables. I had to make sure we had enough things like toilet cleaning liquid, toilet paper, even toothpicks! Other things included the dining items like plates and cutlery. One week after I settled into my rented room, Mr. Farnsworth asked me if I was interested in doing some extra work. The restaurant needed extra waiters for Friday and Saturday nights. I took the opportunity to earn the extra money. It wasn't that much more, but it did give me some breathing space with respect to my budget. I wondered if Richard had anything to do with the offer because I didn't remember extra waiters on those two nights. I treasured my time off, which was half of Sunday and the whole of Monday.
This was my sixth week and I have settled into my working life. I had stablised my budget and was about to start my Saturday night waiting. My first customers were an elder couple. They were celebrating their 45th wedding anniversary. I gave them extra attention and brought their special occasion to the attention of the Captain. He gave them a complimentary bottle of champagne. I was sure that they had a memorable evening.
I had finished cleaning up the table and was setting up the cutlery for our next customers. As I was placing the last pieces, the captain signalled to me that there were three coming in. I removed one place and re-set the table decoration to the side which was empty. I moved quickly to keep the extra cutlery and took out my notebook and three menus and proceeded to the table. As I approached the table, I couldn't shake off the feeling that I knew one of them.
"Good evening, I'm Philip. I'll be your waiter for the evening," I said.
"You! Aren't you from Hong Kong?" the one I found familiar asked me.
"Do you know this waiter, Will?" one of his friends asked. I smiled because I had at least a name to put to the familiar face.
"Yes sir, I'm from Hong Kong. I arrived about two months ago," I replied as I tried my best to recall where I'd seen the man before.
"Yes. You're the tourist from Hong Kong whom I met at Larry's," Will said.
"Larry's?" I asked. I had no idea who and where he was talking about. I didn't know anyone named Larry.
"You know, the pub? You were occupying my usual spot ..."
It came to me then. "Yes sir. Now I remember. I'm sorry I couldn't remember you. You look a little different from then," I said with a grin. I couldn't believe that the customer was the same man I met at the pub. I supposed that the light was different and I didn't notice him clearly.
"Will," the other friend said, "let's not keep Philip waiting. He's suppose to be working, not talking to friends. Let's order."
I reassured them that a short conversation was no problem at all. They made their orders and I served them. All three of them seemed friendly and made polite conversation with me as I was taking away their plates or serving them another course. When I had just served them their after-dinner drinks, Will gave me a piece of paper with his office and home telephone numbers on it.
"Promise that you'll call me," he said.
"Thank you. I'm sorry I can't give you my telephone number because I don't have a telephone of my own."
"No matter. Just call, okay?" he insisted.
"Yes." I answered.
Walking home that night, I couldn't believe the change that Will had undergone. I suspected that I didn't see him clearly in the dim lights of the pub, but Will had seemed to be an entirely different person. I remembered a skinny young man who had a quiet disposition. I remembered, particularly, his sad eyes that betrayed his loneliness. The man I'd just met was cheerful, friendly and had put on some weight. He looked fit and healthier. I couldn't believe that this happened all in a matter of two months. I was curious as to what had happened to him. When I first met him, he had abruptly left but now he wanted to talk to me. It was strange indeed. I wondered if I should call him. He was a stranger after all.
The next morning, my curiosity took the lead. I called him from my workplace. He was very happy to hear from me and, after a short exchange, asked me if I would like to watch a cinema show with him. I hesitated because he sounded so forward. I was quite wary of his earnestness.
"Come on," he said, "I'll be paying. I don't go out much."
I don't know what made me say yes to him but I did. I regretted the moment I hung up the telephone. I didn't know anything about the man. I was a foreigner and he seemed too friendly. I debated with myself and the end, my pride stopped me from cancelling.
After work, I went straight to the cinema theatre, following his directions. He was already waiting there for me.
"Sorry for keeping you waiting," I apologised.
"You weren't late. I came early to buy the tickets. I hope that you like cartoons."
"What?" I said with a wide grin, "I hope we're not the only grown-ups in there."
"Don't worry, I'm sure we could grab some child here and say that we're his or her guardians."
"You'd better don't," I said. "Kidnapping is a serious crime."
He laughed. "If you don't like cartoons, I could try to get another picture."
"No," I smiled, "A cartoon film is fine with me."
I admit that I had a good time watching the cartoon. I'd thought I'd be uneasy with Will but I was actually very comfortable with him. I left the cinema feeling that I'd enjoyed myself and it showed on my face.
"I'm glad you liked the show," he said.
"Yes, I liked the show. It was quite a funny show."
"Yes, I liked it as well." He stopped and looked at the time. "Why don't we go for dinner."
"I'll pay this time," I said.
"No! I can't let you pay. I asked you out, I'll pay. That's the principle."
I didn't want to argue with him because he looked very cheerful and I preferred the new Will to the one I had met in the pub. "Okay, but the next time we go out, I'll pay."
"The next time?" he asked. "Wow, I'm glad I didn't give up on you."
I looked at him, wondering what he meant by the last statement.
"Let's get really dangerous," he said, "Let's go to McDonalds." I laughed when he said that. "Wait till you see the crowd at McDonalds. You'll believe me that it is dangerous!"
He asked me what I wanted and then told me to look for a place to sit. I went into the restaurant and there were many children with their parents. The place was full! When I saw him, he was carrying a few paper bags.
"I suspected that it would be difficult to get a place. So I asked for paper bags. I know a place where we can sit and eat in peace."
I followed him to a small park and we found an available park bench. We took out our hamburgers and began to eat.
"I'm glad that you agreed to come out with me," he said.
I remembered the remark that he made about not giving up on me. I suppose that my facial expression revealed my unease.
He put his sandwich down and said, "You're probably wondering why I suddenly popped up and asked you out almost immediately."
I nodded.
"I know it sounds strange and when I tell you, you may think that there's a conspiracy at work, but it was something spontaneous on my part. I hope you'll not be offended when I tell you what happened." He paused, waiting for my response. I did not respond but gave him a nod to encourage him to continue.
"This is what happened. Last Friday night, I was passing by the restaurant and spotted you waiting at the tables. It was unusual to see a Chinese waiter in a obviously traditional English restaurant. So I stopped to observe you. To my surprise, I found you very familiar. I realised that I had met you in Larry's some time back. I must apologise for leaving like that the last time we met. I was rude." He paused again and I just nodded.
"Every Saturday, I go back to Worchester but sometimes, my friends visit me here instead. I was supposed to entertain my friends last night and I got an inspiration. I made reservations at your restaurant. When I got there with my friends, I requested that we sit at your table. I didn't request for you, I just pointed to the table you were serving."
I spoke for the first time since he started explaining himself. "It's strange but I'm not offended. I had a good time today. Though I should be afraid because it was almost as if you were stalking me!"
"Oh no! I know it sounds like I'm a bad person," Will tried to explain, "but truly, I didn't deliberate on anything. I just did whatever idea popped into my head."
I grinned. "Well, I believe you. One thing puzzles me though."
"What is it?"
"The Will I met in the pub is a different Will that is talking to me today. I'm almost expecting you to say that you have an evil twin."
Will grinned. "I see an attempt at humour here. Perhaps Philip does have a sense of humour after all!" he said as he patted my shoulder. "But seriously, are you really ready to hear the sordid history of William Duncan?"
"Try me."
"OK, but I'll leave some of the sordid parts out, this is our first outing together after all," he said with a twinkle in his eye. "Let me finish my dinner first and then we'll talk."
After we finished our sandwiches, fries and drinks, Will leaned back against the bench and looked up at the darkening dusk sky for a moment. Then he faced me and said seriously, "Philip, when I looked into your eyes that night at Larry's, I saw ... myself"
I raised my eyebrows in surprise. I saw myself in his eyes too. Before I could say anything, he continued, "Let me explain. I don't mean that you're in the same situation as me. I mean I realised who I really was. I was a very lonely person. Before my transfer here eight years ago, I was quite an extroverted person, maybe more so than now. My job was not a sedentary one. I travelled extensively whilst I lived at home. When the company changed it's policy, I was transferred to London. I was really unhappy at the time and I isolated myself. I had to be cordial to my colleagues in my office, but I shut off the rest of London."
Will shifted his glance away from me and looked up into the sky, leaning back against back of the bench. "At first, I still had my friends from home. However, one by one they got attached and married. I didn't have anyone because I wasn't really living there and neither did I go out to meet anyone here. I realised that my friends had their new committments to fulfil and I stopped even looking them up except for the usual Christmas and New Year holidays. Slowly I lost interest in going back home. My cousin and his wife were concerned and started visiting me every fortnight or so."
He shifted again and faced me. "That night at Larry's I received the jolt I needed when I looked into your eyes. I fled because I was afraid. After eight years of living in semi-seclusion, I was afraid to make new friends. All this time, I didn't realise what I had become. I was lonely and angry but I was not aware, or I chose not to be aware. Meeting you forced me to think again about my life. I opened up to the two friends you saw last night and they helped me to come out of my shell. Slowly, I began to try to make contact with new people. I started making friends with people I met. In fact, I now jog together with four other people. I feel happier and better. I guess what I was trying to do by calling you out was to find a way to show you how grateful I am to you."
I looked at him and I could almost see the tears forming in his eyes. He turned away and rubbed his face with his hands. He was such a sensitive guy. He preferred to be alone than to bother his friends! I wanted to tell him how lonely I was as well, but I couldn't. If he knew I was gay, he'd probably not want to have anything to do with me.
He turned back to me and said, "Thank you for saving me, Philip."
I smiled. "You don't need to thank me like that. You've made it so melodrammatic. Perhaps I was a catalyst, but you changed yourself. You made the decision to change and you did. I didn't do anything much."
"But you did ..." he said. It looked as if he wanted to say more, but stopped himself in time. I thought it best not to be too nosy. He was, my first friend in London, not counting my colleagues at work, my landlord and the Davis family.
I grabbed him and hugged him. Somehow I felt so close to him because he'd revealed so much of himself. I surprised myself because I don't usually hug people, not even family. I suppose it has to be with being an Asian or a Chinese, but maybe the London air is making me more European that I realised. Will also hugged me back. We held each other for some time and then he suddenly released me. I was startled. His face was red and I wondered why.
"Sorry if I startled you. I know we hugged because we're friends, but I don't know if the passers-by realise that."
"Oh!" I began to blush myself, "Sorry."
"Come on, I feel like celebrating. Let's go and have a pint or two before going home," he suggested.
"A half pint for me. I'm still trying to get used to drinking."
I found out that he worked quite near to the restaurant. That was how he saw me waiting that Friday night. He had to stay back later to finish something at work and was on his way home. At his suggestion, we got together for lunch everyday. Lunch was usually simple, at my suggestion because I needed to spend within my means.
We had been meeting for about two weeks. It was my turn to bring the sandwiches. I met at out usual meeting place. He was waiting for me. I sensed something different when we met. He didn't tease me for being late and I could see that he was preoccupied.
"Hi there!" I greeted as I came up to him. I took his sandwich out of my bag and gave it to him.
"Thanks," he said with a slight smile. "Let's go to a shadier place."
I followed him, feeling a little uneasy because we had eaten at this spot every time we met. I didn't argue because I felt that he would tell me when he was ready. He led me to the park nearby. He chose a huge tree to sit under. It was early autumn and the leaves were starting to turn brown, and there were quite a lot of leaves already on the floor. He sat on the ground on top of the leaves. I followed suit, shifting myself to face him. We started eating and I could feel a great tension in the air. I started feeling afraid, wondering what was the matter. I told myself to be patient and let him take his time to gather his thoughts. He finished his sandwich and I handed him his bottle of mineral water.
"Thanks." He drank in silence after that and finished his bottle of water. I was quite surprised. I hadn't finished my sandwich yet and I continued to eat.
The moment I finished my sandwich and had taken a swallow of water from my bottle of water, he started to speak.
"Sorry for not being good company today."
"No problem," I said, "I've my bad days as well."
"Thanks for being patient with me."
"Think nothing of it," I reassured him.
"Philip, I have something serious to tell you and I hope you'll not think too lowly of me when I tell you."
"What's the matter, Will?" I asked getting a little concerned.
"I never mentioned to you because I was afraid ... Actually, I didn't mean to keep this from you but ... how can I put this without sounding like a rogue." I didn't understand his rambling. I kept telling myself to be patient and give him time. What he wanted to say must have been very important to him.
"Okay. Alright. Philip, I have not told you everything about myself. I kept something back. I was afraid of being rejected and so I didn't say this from the beginning. However, it has been keeping me from sleep knowing that I have not been totally honest with you."
He sniffed and moved his right hand across his eyes. It was then that I realised that he was trying not to cry.
"Philip. During the time that I was working overseas, I wasn't a very well behaved man. I fooled around and I had unprotected sex. Eight years ago, in a routine medical checkup, the doctor discovered that I was exposed to the HIV virus. Philip, I'm HIV positive and for the past eight years, that was the reason I shut myself away from people."
I heard what he said, but I couldn't believe my ears. The news was overwhelming and suddenly I began to be very frightened. I just stood up, shaking my head, not believing what I just heard. I turned and started to walk. I needed to get as far away from Will as I could.
How could he have lied to me like that? How could he not tell me that he was HIV positive? What happened if I had contracted the virus from him? What was he thinking? How could he just walk into anybody's life and pretend that he was completely healthy? What was wrong with him? He should be locked up for being a walking virus carrier. I walked with these thoughts churning in me until I realised I was in an unfamiliar area. I recollected myself and asked for directions back to the restaurant.
I was calmer as I walked back to the restaurant. I started to cry. I realised that all those thoughts were wrong! I was having this irrational fear. I'd rejected Will, the very reason he dared not tell me in the first place. I didn't care that it was already past lunch time, I decided to get back to him and to apologise. I reached the park and found that he had left. I ran back to the restaurant. I wanted to call him up and apologise. Instead, I found myself apologising to Mr. Farnsworth for being late. I explained that I took a wrong turn during my walk and I ended up getting lost. He was annoyed but he accepted my reason. He had some extra things for me to do and I never got to calling Will.
to be continued.