Over a long lunch cooked and served expertly by a Singaporean Chinese (on introducing Chris to Irene at Crossroads Cafe, she said, "Robley! Don't order! Let me just give you food!"), we talked and I learned. By the time we had taken a short tour of the college and strolled around the lake, I knew we'd need one more sit-down before he drove home.
Dessert selected (chocolate for both of us), I admired his ring, a soft yellow-gold wonder that fits his finger well. "All jewelry in Hong Kong is a social status indicator," he told me. "This ring isn't popular now. Young people wouldn't wear it, but the older generation purchase these soft gold rings because they believe if you can wear one, you obviously aren't working. And if you aren't working, you've made it."
"What about the characters?"
"The symbol on front is fu, which means good luck and fortune. Fu dao le means fortune comes, which is why every time I see a Chinese person, they tell me to turn the ring around so the character is facing me."
Chris doesn't need Chinese superstition to find good luck and fortune. He has already has it -- in his character -- and with it, he will make his own fortune.
May good things always come to him.
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