Читать книгу Mandarin Mannequins of Chinatown - Patricia Laurel - Страница 9

Manila’s Chinatown, better known as Binondo, is the oldest Chinese community outside of China. It lies on the northern bank of the Pasig River, in the heart of the city. History books say the Chinese settled here before the Spaniards claimed discovery of the Philippine islands.

A visit begins at the entrance of the Filipino-Chinese Friendship Arch at the foot of the Jones Bridge. The visitor will note the art deco structures on either side of Quentin- Paredes Street. Ongpin Street, the hub of the busy commercial district, is home to the original six-story octagonal bell tower of the 16th century Binondo Church that survived earthquakes, other natural disasters and WW II bombings.

About the same time Samantha and Patti were discussing their strange dreams, a moving van pulled up in front of an empty storefront on Tambacan Street.

Unlike busy Ongpin Street with its jewelry stores, bakeries that offered delicacies like the flaky crusted Hopia or mooncake, restaurants mixed in with drugstores, fruit and vegetable stalls, Tambacan Sreet was dark and dismal, as if fortune forgot to smile on it. There were no brightly lit stores or restaurants to entice people; only alterations, computer, shoe and watch repair shops.

A driver got out and started unloading the sparse furniture from the back of the van. The residents looked on, curious that someone would occupy the shop that had been empty for so long.

Most of the owners lived right above their shops and it was rumored that bad spirits occupied the vacant store. Undaunted, young inexperienced entrepreneurs pooh-poohed the stories and set up shop enticed by the cheap rent.

It was always the same story — each morning the shop was in total disarray and its contents strewn all over the place and vandalized by invisible beings. It didn’t take long before the new tenants ran out of the front door screaming, never to return.

News traveled fast in the tight knit community. Soon a small crowd gathered to welcome and warn the new tenants of what to expect. Surely, the owner of the building would never divulge any information about the bad things that happened.

It became a pastime for the shop owners to place bets on how many days it would take before the store was vacated. A man started collecting money from people placing bets when a chauffeured-driven limousine pulled up behind the moving van.

The loud chattering immediately ceased. All eyes turned to the uniformed-female driver who got out of the car, and walked around to the passenger side to open the door.

A shapely leg peeking from the slit of a long, red silk dress was the first glimpse the crowd had of the woman who emerged from the back seat. A collective gasp of admiration from the gaping men that made the women instinctively straighten their backs greeted Lily as she took her driver’s hand, and stepped out of the vehicle.

No one took notice of the other two passengers. The plump woman and the young girl got out and stood on either side of Lily. They were used to it, as if Lily had celebrity status, and they were her assistants.

Later, when questioned about Lily’s companions, the people had no clear memory of Blossom and Jade. All had the impression that the plump woman with the smiling, round face was the mother of the girl. They were always seen together, and wasn’t the girl almost afraid of Lily?

If it were not for the steely eyes that dared anyone to look into them, and the unnaturally long strands of hair adorned with little bells and beads that rested on her cheekbones, Lily would make the list of one of the most beautiful women on earth.

There they stood — the newcomers on one side of the street and the residents on the other. It was an eerie quiet; a standoff, a staring contest to see who would look away first. The teeny bells and beads dangling from Lily’s eyebrow moved slightly, accompanied by the slightest tinkling sound. The small crowd cowered and covered their ears, as if their eardrums were about to burst.

Lily won, hands down.

When the tinkling sound ceased and the spell was lifted, the losers looked around, anywhere but at Lily. The man collecting bets, with eyes fixed to the ground, approached and held out the money that was gathered.

“Give it to my driver. She has a family to feed,” Lily said.

She had a soft spot for women forced to earn a living. In her thinking, it was almost always a deadbeat man in the family who was the reason why women took on any job.

She looked at the worthless man in front of her and imagined him in his shop. The most he probably did was meet and greet customers and turn over the hard work to his wife.

Lily was tempted to dispatch him to his worse nightmare. It took all of her learned discipline not to give in to her desire to destroy the cockroach. It was more important for her to become familiar with the new neighborhood, scout around before getting down to the business of acquiring wealth. She would have preferred to remain in Hong Kong, but good things never last.

The man gave the money to the driver and backed off. “Welcome to the neighborhood. May you have success,” he mumbled and turned away.

As quickly as they gathered, the nosy neighbors dispersed, forgetting why they were there in the first place.

Lily’s first day in Binondo was a breeze. She was going to enjoy it here.

She thought briefly about being recognized by immigrants from Hong Kong or the mainland, or worse, her old village.

She dismissed the latter from her mind; people from her village wallowed in poverty, there was no getting away from that pigsty she used to call home. Besides, she had the means and most of all; she had the magic to deal with trouble if it happened.

“Come,” she beckoned to Jade and Blossom. “Let’s go inside and inspect our new home.”

Lily was in a very good mood.