The first date – Hong Kong Aqua

“See you in the 8-5-2!”  – Him “Yup! See you!”  – Me He leaves my dorm room. “What’s the 852?”  – My roommate “I have noooo idea.”  – Me My roommate and I continued packing our things.  Her, leaving the room for winter break, but me? I was would not return to Bentley the next semester, but would experience my next semester at the University of Hong Kong in the School of Economics and Finance.  Little did I know, it would be the most memorable 6 months of my life. Fast forward six months. It was a rainy and humid evening in Hong Kong.  I jumped on the Star Ferry to cross the Victoria Harbor into TST.  I usually didn’t take the ferry.  I’d pay the extra few cents to take the underground subway, the MTR, through the harbor, but oh no – he said he’d meet me at the ferry station on the other side… so I did… without an umbrella. “HEY YOU!”  I flipped around and was mildly impressed.  The dude that always lounged around in t-shirts with stupid-funny sayings and busted jeans cleaned up in a a full suit, tie, overcoat and what’s more? HE HAD A BIG UMBRELLA! He took me to Aqua, a posh little restaurant overlooking the Hong Kong skyline.  I told him that I finally understood what 852 meant.  It was the Hong Kong area code.  He laughed and asked me how long it took me to realize it.  I plead the fifth and scurried the conversation onto another topic.    It was a fantastic dinner, with un-pronouncable appetizers, lobster pizza and possibly one of the best molten chocolate cakes I’ve ever had.  He was from Hong Kong, so this was his native stomping ground.  He and I wandered the city for the rest of the night and for the first time in our friendship, we talked… like really talked.  I got to know him as more than a goofy guy that randomly hung out in my dorm room.  It was fun – reallyreallyreally fun. and it still is.