CHIVAS HENNESSY Chapter II: "How Worlds Collide"

I am Charles Liu Gershwin half-American, half-Chinese born and raised in New York City, USA. I am the sole offspring of my parents, an Executive Manager in a publishing company and a bachelor at the age of twenty-seven who lives independently. I was newly assigned to a place away from home. Chivas Hennessy wasn’t closer to what I’ve expected. The place I had in mind was somewhat lackluster, but when I arrived it wasn’t that bad at all. It is an uprising county of mix cultures due to foreign millionaire or even billionaire investors and foreign establishment workers from around the world. It had been long before this county became known for fashion, technology, and center for business and leisure among entrepreneurs and tourists.

 

When I moved in Chivas Hennessy I accidentally became the eye and the keeper about the lives of people you might already met, knew or you might pause and say “Hey this is me!”

 

I woke up with my bed head on a cool June morning, but I hadn’t slept well when I hit the sack on my first night in Chivas Hennessy. I was in adjustment phase towards my new environment. My watch told me that it was already six o’clock in the morning. I stretched, got out of bed and went over my closet for I am due to be at my new office in an hour and a half. I haven’t fixed all of my belongings yet and my room was a bit of a mess. I walked towards the bathroom and took a shower then I decided to don on my sky blue long-sleeved, black suit and I paired it with a red tie for my first day at work. It was just like an ordinary day for me in my new company apartment in Phase I Door 302 11th Virginia Building Yale Street, Chivas Hennessy. I made a coffee for myself, a pair of slice bread with ham, took cigarette and hailed a taxi cab on my way to office that would took thirty minutes drive including the traffic; and that became my daily routine in the morning before heading for my job.

 

People in this county were warm and friendly, but they’re still a bit conservative compare to the people in New York City, the place where I came from. Their society is already up-to-the-minute due to mix cultures and rising of county’s financial system but there’s a part of it that I could say it’s a Chivas Hennessy thingy; a part that most people have in common"mixed liberated and conventional.

 

My first, third, fifth month in Chivas Hennessy was nothing but an ordinary day. I phoned my friends in New York whenever I felt lonesome in my apartment. At times I got myself wasted with my friends at work. I had same routine every day for months. Things changed when I bump in with this half-Japanese, half-Irish girl which I could tell from her physical features. She was a cashier of a convenient store behind my building. I used to drop-by everyday in that store for a pack of cigarettes before I go to work and I always wish that it’s her shift. I was stunned by her beauty the first time I laid my eyes on her. She was really an attractive girl. I guess her Japanese genes dominate her beauty perfectly. She got a lovely flawless white skin, innocent green Japanese eyes, and a height of a typical runway model. She approximately stands around five feet and ten inches tall. Physically she’s a girl that a man would really want but attitude wise, I find her unfriendly. It’s been time and again that she’s not in a good mood and appeared surly whenever I buy something in that store. I tried to be charming and polite from time to time but it didn’t work, frowning face still goes on. “She better quit her job if she’s not happy with it,” I told myself. Even though she acted like that often I’m still a repeat customer of that convenient because regardless of her gloomy face it brightens my day on the other hand and from the very moment I saw her, I considered her as my daily inspiration.

 

Approximately a year after my first day in Chivas Hennessy sometime in June 2008 I woke up late than the usual and I was in a rush on my way to work. It’s already seven-ten in the morning and I’m still waiting for a taxi cab to pass by outside 11th Virginia Building. I’m going to have an early business meeting that morning and I felt agitated that that day wasn’t in my favor. Fifteen more minutes had pass and there’s still no sign of a taxi cab. If I decided to take a bus instead it would take me fifty minutes travel because of its route plus traffic so I tried to remain patient hoping for a taxi in an instant. I reached my pocket for a cigarette to make me feel calm and relax but I ran out of one. “I can’t hold on to this without a cigarette,” I told myself “Damn I gotta find one…” I was mumbling while walking about how pissed I am that day. I was trying to compose myself in walking on eggshells, that meeting was very important. How I wish I’ll mosey over that meeting but the s**t has really hit the fan! I walked in to a store without thinking, I was more conscious about the time. Suddenly"

 

“How may I help you?” a lady asked me.

I turned to her, “What?”

“You’ve been standing here for about 10 minutes already. Are you buying something or what? Because customers are queuing behind you.”

 

I forgot that I was falling in line for a pack of cigarette and I think the Japanese-Irish cashier is already mad, “Sorry, miss,” I apologized to her for being nuisance and handed over the pack of cigarette and a dollar bill.

“Thank you!” It was cynical thanks from her after she gave me my receipt and change.

“I’m completely wrecked!!” I uttered and walked outside the store.

I was embarrassed and before I completely left the premise I glanced at her and her sharp eyes caught mine. “Damn, she’s really pissed.”

 

Even though she’s that cynical at me most of the time she’s still my angel because I guess she literally saved me that day. Subsequently stepping out from that store a taxi cab halted in front of me and I was able to have a ride at last.

 

When I was unsteadily inside the cab worrying about my delay for the meeting my phone rang all of a sudden.

KRISTY LIU JAMES was flashing in my screen.

 

“Ey! What’s up?” I answered her call.

“I’m doin’ great! How about you?” her voice was full of excitement.

“Glad to here that. Well, I’m having the opposite right now.” My reply was bland.

“C’mon cheer up! Everybody’s having a bad day in their lives. It doesn’t only happen to you. You’ll get over it especially when you hear what I’m about to say,” she giggled.

“Carry on, what is it?”

“I’m now boarding on a train and in a few minutes I’ll be in"“

“Hell No…” I could read the next word she’ll utter and I can’t believe it.

“Hell Yes! I’ll be in Chivas Hennessy!”

“Are you pulling my leg?”

“Uh-uh I ain’t kidding you, Charles. Now, I want you to get yourself ready after work because we’re about to attend a party tonight.”

“What brings you here?” I asked her.

“Marlon will be there tonight at the party.”

“Marlon?! You mean Marlon Gutenberg?! The German entrepreneur in New York? Your ex-boyfriend?” I was surprised hearing that she’ll be at the party with her ex-boyfriend Marlon Gutenberg who was about to get married in months after getting a girl pregnant.

“Yeah! I like your descriptive questions though.”

“Don’t tell me you flew away from France for him.”

“Honestly I want to catch up things with you guys.”

“You’re sucha b***h.”

“I know,” she tittered “you’ve been calling me that way always.”

“Uhmm gotta go. I just arrived in our building and I gotta prepare for our business meeting. I’ll see you tonight.”

“Okay. Good luck in your conference. Take care! Bye,” and she ended the call.

 

Kristy Liu James is also Chinese-American. We’re cousin since our granddads were siblings, and our moms were first degree cousins. She is the second eldest in their family, a year older than me, sophisticated, practical, open-minded and independent woman working in a hotel in Paris, France. It was almost three years ago when she broke up with Marlon Gutenberg; a laid back, easy go lucky businessman in New York City and was nominated as one of the top eligible bachelor in a magazine in New York due to his looks and social status. They had a healthy and wonderful relationship until she decided to fly France for a huge opportunity of her career. They were together for almost two years but Kristy wasn’t cool for long distance relationship. Marlon had a girlfriend after Kristy then his current fiancé.

 

 

 

I passed through the automatic revolving door at the entrance of our building while scanning randomly the memos in my iPhone 3D. I traversed the lobby and waited for the elevator. When I arrived in the conference room, five clients were waiting for me. They were from a fashion and architecture magazine and the other three were novel writers and they look impatient. I really bent over backwards on winning our clients impression despite of being unprofessional due to my delay. I think I’m gonna kick the bucket if I won’t be able to nail the deal.

 

Good thing as we adjourned the conference I made ends meet in closing the deal with the clients and felt like a million dollars. That Japanese-Irish girl was truly my angel and lucky charm, I was really having a bad day but by the time I saw her everything went well.

 

 

The rain was so heavy when I got off the office on that same day and Kristy kept on texting me asking for my whereabouts. It was already five-thirty o’clock in the afternoon and I find it hard looking for a vacant taxi cab because of the heavy rain. I lit a cigarette and walked across the street towards the bus stop. I was carrying my briefcase with my left hand and a black automatic umbrella to my right. I was starting to get wet and I can’t afford to travel home soaked by the rain so I decided to take a bus. Few minutes had passed I boarded, and swiped my EC Card over a device next to the door.

 

EC (Electronic Convenient) Card is a pocket-sized card with embedded integrated circuits that can process and store data, and communicate with a terminal via radio waves and a rechargeable contactless stored value smart card used to transfer electronic payments in online or offline systems in Chivas Hennessy. This contactless smart card system is similar to Taiwan’s Easy Card, London’s Oyster Card, Japan’s Suica Card, Korea’s T-Money and others but it is closely similar to Hong Kong’s Octopus Card because its application doesn’t only limit on payments for public transportations and bank transactions, it is also applicable in fast food restaurants, supermarkets, vending machines, convenient stores, gas stations, photo booths, parking meters, car parks and many other retails business where small payment are frequently made by customers. There were EC Card machines everywhere in Chivas Hennessy, where you can inquire your balance, add value and refund.  

 

The bus was too crowded; there were no vacant seats available so I just stand across the aisle and I put on the ear plugs of my iPod touch to unwind myself from a long day and a crowded atmosphere. After some time I reached my iPod touch inside my pocket and picked a song to play"

 

“Ey dude! You drop a dollar bill,” a young man tapped my shoulder.

I turned to him and he pointed the dollar bill on the floor.

“You dropped it after you reached your pocket,” he told me.

I smiled, “Thanks!” he nod and I picked up my fifty dollar bill.

“Good thing that student dude notify me from my negligence,” I thought.

 

When I arrived home, I was in a hurry changing my clothes for the party but my mind was thinking about Kristy’s text message earlier that day, “Charles, a friend of mine told me that Marlon’s other ex-girlfriend will be there too. Damn! Is this an X-Reunion Party?! They told me that this girl looks like me… We’ll see about that then… Charles please be there at the party! Please!”

“Looks like her? A doppelganger? Am I in a television series?,” I grinned while I’m fixing my suit in front of the mirror.

 

 

“Finally you’re here!!!,” Kristy exclaimed and gave me a big hug.

I narrowed my other eye and look her closely from head to toe.

“C’mon Charles, don’t give me that look. Did I dress badly? ‘Cause I know that sort of stare,” she told me anxiously.

Then I lightened my facial expression and gave her dancing eyes, “You look perfectly in that sultry red gown. Wow! I swear Marlon can’t take his eyes off of you tonight,” I smiled.

She wrapped her right arm to mine and we walked towards the red carpet that leads to the entrance, “I’ll take that as a compliment, and with that I’ll spare you from bein’ forty minutes late.”

 

Inside the hall full of prominent people I immediately spotted Marlon Gutenberg and friends. It was the third time I saw him in person. In a distant, from time to time his eyes turned on Kristy but Kristy’s eyes never met his for more than a flicker of an instant. I was like a fly on the wall that time. Kristy looked great that night with her red gown that crèches a shoulder of a woman’s body that a man ever dreamed of. A moment later, a common friend of Kristy and Marlon was approaching our table. He was an emissary from Marlon’s party, inviting Kristy to join their table yet Kristy refused without hesitation. Then Marlon’s friends began teasing him for making a loser’s move.

 

“I thought one of your intentions to be here is catch up with him.” I reminded her since I no longer have any idea what she is up to.

“It’s not yet time, Charles,” she grinned. “Should I say… I’m waiting for someone?”

Someone? What does she trying to say?

I got nothing else to answer but I deep sigh.

 

We continued to enjoy the huge bash with Kristy’s friends but when we started drinking our third bottle of whiskey, there came an ice breaker…

 

”That’s her Charles! The girl that I’m talking about! She’s the one I’m waiting for,” Kristy told me.

I keenly looked at her from behind. She was wearing a white gown. The long slit on the side of her glistening white gown protrudes her beautiful long legs, her long straight hair that flows on her back was stunning and her skin was undeniably like porcelain. She looked and walked so fragile, as delicate as her four inches crystal stilettos.

 

“That’s Marlon’s ex-girlfriend! If I let Marlon join our party earlier, she wouldn’t come closer to him and I wouldn’t be able to see her in person,” Kristy added.

“What for Kristy? That man is about to get married. Two ex-girlfriends in one place while fiancé is away? Oh c’mon! Don’t be so naïve like him!!.”

 

The lady sat beside Marlon, she was so prim and proper. “He was so damn lucky” I said “and stupid enough to let Kristy and that girl slipped away.” I kept staring at her, from the moment she entered the room, but all I can see is her back. I got so intrigue on what she look like. Suddenly everyone on Marlon’s table stood up and walked towards us. My vision was covered with his friends approaching and I lost my sight on her. Their group decided to join ours. When everybody took their seat, our sight collided… Senselessness filled my anatomy…

 

Kristy began to introduce us “Charles, this is Wynonna Fukuzawa, Marlon’s ex-girlfriend. Wynonna this is my cousin Charles Gershwin.”

Marlon narrowed his eyes, “How did you know about her?”

“I have my ways Marlon,” Kristy smiled.

 

“Pleased to meet you, Miss Fukuzawa.”

“Me too.”

“Look familiar, huh?”

“Yeah! The queuing malfunctioned senseless cigarette guy this morning,” Wynonna grinned.

“You’re really rude, aren’t you?”

Then we both laughed…

 

 “I never thought it would be the girl at the convenient store… Finally I got her name… Wynonna…”

 

 

 

Author's Note

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