Many years ago I did a lot of traveling in Southeast Asia. I think I’ve mentioned before that maybe my favorite place of everywhere I’ve been is Hong Kong. In fact on just about every trip, if it was at all possible, I’d go through Hong Kong and spend as much time there as my schedule allowed.
I had a lot of clothes made there and several pairs of shoes. Most shoe factories in Hong Kong also repaired shoes — I know it’s hard to find a shoe repair business around here anymore, I’m not sure about the current situation in Hong Kong.
Anyhow, One time when I was in Hong Kong, I took a pair of shoes to be repaired to the Chan Foo Shoe Factory and Repair in Kowloon (I’m not sure if that was really the name of the shop, but it was something like that.) I can’t remember why, but for some reason something came up and I had to leave Hong Kong before they were ready. I stuck the repair ticket in my pocket when I dropped off the shoes and didn’t think any more about it.
A number of years later, we were living in Manila and once again I was going on a trip that I made sure would take me through Hong Kong. Before I left, Claire handed me the shoe repair ticket and said, “this has been in the box on your dresser forever — why don’t you take it and pick up your shoes?” I, in all my wisdom, responded, “it’s been at least four or five years, that place is probably not even there anymore.” Well, Claire insisted that i take it, so I did.
In Hong Kong, I wasn’t even sure I could find the place, but I did — down a little back street… the Chan Foo Shoe Factory was still there. I went in and gave the the little Chinese man my ticket. He was very polite and asked me to wait while he went into the back. I waited what seemed to be a really long time, before he finally came back and asked when I had left the shoes. I told him about five years ago. He replied, “Ah! Be ready on Friday!”
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