Petula Lai Yuk-kiu came into my life when I was in F2A. There were some new comers in that class too. Cindy Lo Kang-ching, Irene Cheung Ming-wai, to mention just a few. Our class teacher was someone teaching Geography or English. Her name slips from my mind. I think I was sitting further to the front, next to the window and when Irene Cheung came to our class a month after September, I had to move one seat behind so she could sit in front of me. Being taller, Cindy and Petula sat next to each other at the back.
Petula lived just round the corner from Prince Edward Road on Waterloo Road. She and her younger sister walked to and from school everyday. Having only two elder brothers and no sister, I often longed for a sister of my own to go to school or do things with. Cindy, Carmen and Evelyn had lunch together in a Chinese-styled western restaurant on Hau Wong Road. That’s another thing I envied because I took the school bus home for lunch.
Petula was always the quiet one. When one talked to her, one had to be in a ‘tete a tete’ or head to head position in order to be able to hear her. Now of course she speaks loudly, it’s a real contrast to the past. I remember her Chinese Language was really good, so I am not at all surprised she is an excellent calligrapher.
In the summer when ‘the group’ went around town to eat and shop, she was always the one who said she could not possibly afford it. Her father worked in South Africa leaving a wife and child in China. When he stopped working he brought his wife and child to Hong Kong. That’s why Petula’s older sister was some years older than her and she would remain like a mother to her. So while Petula was still at a tender age, her father had already retired. Hence, she would give us the ‘I can’t afford to spend much’ scenario.
Petula went to Baptist College after F6. Her mother took sick when she was in her final year and she said her results suffered. Then her faher got sick and on caring for her dad she did not try to find a job upon her application. When I brought back a video I had made in Ottawa and it needed to be converted to a format for Hong Kong, she was most helpful in taking me to the communication department at the College to seek help. Although they couldn’t help either, I was most grateful.
After I had come back to Hong Kong in late 1980, my family moved from Prince Edward Road over to Waterloo Road. Our building and hers was just four buildings apart. My mother loved to have friends of all ages, so Petula became her friend too and later her teacher because she taught my mother calligraphy one evening a week and stayed afterwards for dinner. It was a very special relationship between the two. She was quite often a guest at our family dim-sum gathering on Sunday and at the race meetings in Shatin.
I got to know Petula more as adults on two trips we took together. The first trip was to Taiwan. I hadn’t thought Petula would be interested in a trip I organized. I am used to traveling with my husband, but Taiwan at that time was not really a destination he would want to visit. Earlier I had gone to Vietnam by myself and when I mentioned I might go to Taiwan alone she expressed her interest. We spent five days and four nights in Taipei staying in the Grand Hyatt. I swam early in the morning but Petula had no interest in swimming. We went to Mauhung for their special tea and tea infused food by taking the gondola up. It was a very hot day and we tracked around the hills looking for a place with a view to eat. I was terribly out of shape and I told Petula if I ever fainted she would wait in the shade for 10 minutes before calling out for help. I did not want to be rescued to a vegetative state. After the trip we read that the gondola we took had foundation problem so it was closed immediately. Also the hotel we stayed in was rumored to have ghosts.
We had a good time, or at least I thought we had. We all know too well it’s very difficult to travel with others. I am so used to my hubby’s way I think I might have annoyed Petula because I would like to walk apart from her instead of like most women walking close to each other.
Our second trip was before the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in Japan. I have been to Kyoto many times. In fact it is my husband’s favorite city. In early February, we found out there would be a good deal with a five-star hotel called Myako Westin in Kyoto. Their executive room for two was sold for $1200 per night. The use of the swimming pool and all the wi-fi were included. There would also be a cocktail hour with canapés. Petula said she had always wanted to see Kyoto and had asked me to take her one of these days. When finding out I was interested in the deal she wanted to join me. So off we went for another six-day trip together. My husband is a bit of a connoisseur in food so we had sampled some very good restaurants in the city. At first when I asked Petula if she wanted to sample some good food, she hesitated. She, at the beginning, did not want to spend much, but on second thought or after talking to other people, she realized she had better seize the opportunity to treat herself to something nice. Unfortunately our ticket package included two nights stay in Osaka, We were left with only four days to enjoy the city.
Petula first dabbled in Chinese calligraphy over ten years ago. She worked hard in this hobby of hers and her works are quite something. Although I know nothing about her craft, I can tell she is good. She, on the other hand, keeps saying her teacher tells her this or her teacher tells her that which is quite maddening to me sometimes. All I want is for her to take flight from her teacher because she is ready to stand on her own.
She is most generous with her works and has given away some very big ones to friends. We just hope friends do not take advantage of her generosity and make unreasonable requests.
