Writings / Drama

A Song For Tomorrow

Christina Wong

Characters

MAY, wife, speaks Cantonese (big city – Sang Wai) and English with a Chinese accent, originally from Hong Kong

PING, husband, speaks Cantonese (rural/countryside - Say Yup Heung Hai Wai) and English with a Chinese accent, originally from Canton province, China

A table and two chairs.

 

Scene 1 – Goodbye.
2007.

MAY is 52.
PING is 64.

Lights on.  PING and MAY have their backs to each other.  MAY holds her coat in her hand; her suitcase is beside her. 

PING.  The door opened and then it closed. 
(Pause). 
I didn’t know you were sad.

MAY.  You never asked…

PING.  I asked you to stay.
MAY.  …what I wanted anyway.

PING.  And now I am lost.
MAY.  I am lost too.

PING.  It feels empty without you.

Beat.

MAY.  But I have to go.

PING.  It is true, you know.

MAY.  Things are undone.

PING.  You have said goodbye.

MAY.  Nothing else remains.

PING.  But the clothes left to dry.  (Car horn honks.  MAY puts on coat and picks up her
suitcase).  Goodbye.

Lights fade.

 

Scene 2 – Good Luck.
2007.

At home.  MAY takes out incense sticks and starts praying.

MAY.  Ah Po Sat please keep 539 Markham safe.
Please look out for Ping, make sure no bad people follow him.
Please help Ping get better so he can walk. 
To good health.
To good luck from beginning to end.
To a good, happy life.

            Pause.

I talk to Ah Po Sat and it’s no good.  Nothing changes.
What did I do wrong?

Pause.

Ma-Ma told me there are two types of men: those who look honest and work really
hard so the wives do not suffer, and those who look honest and do nothing.

Beat.

Ma-Ma asked, ‘Little one, are you sure you want to marry him’ [spoken in Cantonese]. 
Yes, Ma-Ma, he will make me happy. 

Ah-Ping, I am tired.

            Pause.

Ah Po Sat, give me good luck to make the right choice.

Scene 3 – I Know.
2007.

At home.  Door slams.  MAY enters with bags of groceries.

MAY.  Ah-Ping?  (No answer)Ah-Ping-ah?  (No answer).   Again!  (Sees PING sitting on the
floor).

PING.  Ah-May-ah, you’re home?  How come you were so long today? Did you miss the
Wellesley bus?  Please help me up.

MAY.  Ah-Ping-ah, I can’t keep doing this.  You know my arm needs a rest.  The doctor said I
can’t always help you if I want my arm to get better.

PING.  But you can still use it, just be careful.  Please…this one time.

MAY.  You always say that and then it happens again.

PING.  I don’t know what happened…

MAY.  Of course you don’t.  You never know anything.

PING.  It’s my high blood pressure –

MAY.   Don’t use that as your excuse.  It’s because you don’t exercise – 

PING.   Just help me.  (Pause).  I know you’re suffering.  I know –

MAY.  Then why don’t you change if you know?

PING.  I try…Please.  I’m sorry.

MAY.  Lai sorry?  (Pause).  You only say these things when you have to.  [in Cantonese]

PING.  Here we go again.  You just don’t want to help me.  You’re going to leave me sitting
here.  How can your heart be so cold?  [In Cantonese]

Silence.

MAY.  I have a cold heart?  (Pause)Ah-Ping-ah, when are you going to help me?  (Pause)
You never think about that.   [in Cantonese] (Pause).  Please, Ping, please.  For me.

PING. shakes his head.  After several tries, MAY finally lifts PING.


Scene 4 – The Fall.
2005.

At home.  Door slams.  MAY enters with bags of groceries.

MAY.  Ah-Ping?  (No answer)Ah-Ping-ah?  (No answer).  So many people on the Spadina
streetcar today so I had to wait a long time.  (Sees PING sprawled on the floor)Ai-ya
Again!  I told you to walk carefully.  How many times do I have to tell you?

PING.  You’re home? 

MAY.  You even fall asleep on the floor.  Ai-ya. 

PING.  Help me up.

MAY.  How did you fall?

PING.  I was walking, and then I don’t know.  The cane just slipped and…

MAY.  You have to take your time to walk.  There is no race.   

PING.  Help me up.

MAY.  You have to learn to get up yourself.  If I didn’t come home now, you would’ve stayed
there until this evening.

PING.  Ah-May­-ah, please just help me.  You yelling will make it worse.

Silence.

MAY.  No.  You need to try and get up yourself.

PING.  I can’t.  Please. Ah-May­-ah, don’t be like that.  (Pause).  Your heart is so cold.

MAY.  I have a cold heart?  I can’t go out long now because of you, because I’m always worried
you’re going to fall.  You can’t even look after yourself.  If you had listened to me about
walking more, you wouldn’t be like this today.  [in Cantonese]

PING.  No yelling, no yelling, please. Ah-May­-ah, help me up.

MAY.  No.

PING.  Ah-May-ah!  I can’t do it.

MAY.  I told you so many times.  You need to exercise.  Even when you’re sitting.  Move your
feet, your hands.   [In Cantonese]
 
PING.  I know, I know.  Stop telling me.  I know.

MAY.  You know?  If you know, then why are you still like this?  (Pause).  Ah-Ping, I can’t
keep doing this.  You are so heavy now.  I am just one person.  All my strength I have
given to you.  I am getting old too.  I can’t Ping, I can’t.  Please try.  [In Cantonese]

PING.  Ah-May­-ah!! Don’t be like that.

MAY. Ah-Ping, when are you going to stop depending on me?  I can’t keep lifting you every
time you fall.  It’s hard on my body too.  Who will take care of me?  You?  [In Cantonese]

Pause.

PING. Ah-May­-ah.  Please.

MAY.  Last time.  

MAY lifts PING up with difficulty.

Scene 5 – Something Broke Without Having to be Dropped.
2000.

At home.  Door slams.  MAY enters with bags of groceries.

MAY.  Ah-Ping?  (No answer)Ah-Ping-ah?  (No answer).  TheSpadina streetcar took too long
so I walked.  TTC… (Mutters to herself and shakes her head with disappointment.  MAY
heads to bedroom briefly and returns to the kitchen).  What?  You’re still in bed!  It’s
almost 2 o’clock. 

PING. slowly gets out of bed and walks to the kitchen, while MAY sets groceries on the table.

PING.  So much stuff.  You should’ve taken a taxi.

MAY.  Waste of money.  And good to walk.  Look at these yams!  Ten for $1!

PING.  Waa.   Why didn’t you buy more?

Beat.

MAY.  If you had come with me, we would have more.

PING.  Next time then.  And maybe we go for dim sum.  We haven’t gone for long time now. 

MAY.  Ah-Ping, listen to yourself.

PING.  What?

MAY.  Just listen.

PING.  What?

MAY.  That you are going to come shopping with me, or that we’re going to dim sum.  (Pause).   
They are just words.  No meaning.

PING.  What did I say wrong?

MAY.  It is like my exercises.  Teachers asks us to make sentences about things I will never say,
or never do.  They have no meaning for me.  Words should mean something, otherwise it’s nothing, it’s empty.

PING.  Not all the time.  (Sees headline on the newspaper).  Trudeau die yesterday?  So sad. 
Now he was a man of words.  And I voted for him.  

Pause.

MAY.  You can bring some of these yams to work tomorrow.  You know you have to start eating
healthy.  You have high blood pressure now.  No more Mr. Submarine, chips, and –

PING.  (quietly).  – I’m not going to work tomorrow.  Monday was my last day. 

MAY.  You’re not even 65 yet!

PING.  It’s getting too painful.

MAY.  Because you don’t walk, you don’t exercise.  I see people older than you walking
around Central Tech every morning – 

PING.  – I walk. 

MAY.  You walk from here to here.  That’s not exercise. 

PING.  I try and I just can’t.

MAY.  You’re always saying thatIt’s because you don’t want to.  Am I right?  (Pause).  Why
did you wait until now to tell me?

PING.   I was waiting –

MAY.  – Ah-Ping-ah, you are the man, the husband.  You are supposed to be working.

PING. (voices escalates).  I know.  You think I don’t know?  Do you think I want to be like this? 
[In Cantonese]  (Pause).  If I want to retire, it’s my decision, not yours.

Beat.

MAY.  What a life.  (Laughs bitterly).  Would you like anything to eat right now?  How about
some tea?  Would you like me to get your slippers?

PING.  It’s not like that. 

MAY.  Ah-Ping-ah, I’m your wife, not a servant.  (Pause).  Your heart doesn’t care for me.  You
just think about yourself. 

PING.  Here we go again.  You always say I have a cold heart. It’s not like that.  It’s pointless.
You don’t believe me. 

MAY.  Waa, you should’ve been an actor.  Listen to yourself!  (Pause).  Almost 30 years we’ve
been married and where have we gone? You say we go here, we go there, but you’re
always here hiding in 539 Markham.

PING.  We went on the Spadina streetcar when it opened. 

MAY.  I only know China Town and Key Tech from here and no where else.  When are we ever
going to see CN Tower? Niagara Falls?

PING.  I don’t know what you want me to say.  I don’t know what you want.  (Pause). 

MAY. I want to be happy ah-Ping.  When will you make me happy?

Silence.

MAY continues to put the groceries away.

Scene 6 – The Argument.
1995.

At home.  PING is watching Wheel of Fortune and shouts out letters and vowels at the TV. 
Door slams.  MAY enters with bags of groceries. 

PING.  You’re home.  So early today.  I told you to throw that coat out. 

MAY.  (removes coat and holds it tenderly).  Why? 

PING.  Look at the holes on the elbow and there’s a button missing.

MAY.  It still keeps me warm.  And I can fix it.  I can just –

PING.  – You can’t fix everything.  Some time it’s better to buy something new.  (Beat).  If I
knew you were coming home early, I would’ve picked you up in the car.  Next time you
should call.

MAY.  No need.  Good to walk.  You need to walk more, don’t always use car.

PING.  Car is faster.  You wouldn’t have to carry so much.

MAY.  Car make you lazy.  (PING sighs).  It’s true.  Since you bought the car, you don’t walk
too much anymore.  You even drove the car to Family Fruit Fair.  Manning and Bloor not
even far.

PING.  My legs aren’t too good.  I almost fall today at work.  N.  Say N. 

MAY.  Because you don’t use them –  

PING.  – R.  Call an R –

MAY.  – If you walk more, there will be no problem. 

Silence.  MAY sets table for dinner.

PING.  So Keith is retiring.

MAY.  Already?

PING.  Maybe I should retire too?

MAY.  Ah-Ping, don’t be lazy.

PING.  But I’m getting old.

MAY.  Not old enough to get your pension yet.  Why did I marry someone so useless?   You just
want to stay home, watch Wheel of Fortune and play the lottery.   Ah-Ping-ah, you need
to work for your money.

PING.  It’s painful. 

MAY.  Painful? Ah-Ping, I’m tired.  I can’t work for the both of us.  

PING.  Well if I won Lotto 649 last week –

MAY throws bowl on floor.

PING.  What?  [in Cantonese] 

MAY.  You told me you stopped.

PING.  I did.   But it was this one time.  The jackpot was big.  You wouldn’t have to work so
hard.  I would’ve taken care of you with all that.

MAY.  You?  You didn’t even cook for me, warm my food even once.

PING.  Ah-May-ah…I…I…

MAY.  What have I done wrong in my past life?

PING.   Stop saying stuff like that.

MAY.  I am so tired.  Understand?  Very tired.

PING.  Ah-May-ah…I know you do a lot for me.  I know.

MAY.  You know?  If only you listened to me earlier, you wouldn’t be like this…

PING sighs and returns to watching the television.

 

Scene 7 – I’m Very Lonely.
1990.

At home.  Door slams. MAY enters exhausted.

MAY.  Ah-Ping, I’m home now.  Are you still awake? (She heads to kitchen and looks at the
table and her heart sinks.  She opens the fridge and takes out the leftovers and places it on the table.  She takes out incense sticks and starts praying).
I know I have gone on wrong path.  
But it has been my choice.
(Pause).  
Ma-Ma, I want to come home.I am homesick.
(Pause).  
Ah Po Sat, please keep 539 Markham safe.
Please look out for Ping, make sure no bad people follow him.
To good health.
To good luck from beginning to end.
To a good, happy life.

Scene 8 – Surprise!
1980.

At home.  Door slams.  MAY enters.

PING.  You’re home?  So late today.  We need to hurry.

MAY.  Hurry?  For what?  I just get home.

PING.  Waa, you forget already?  Today we vote. 

MAY.  But I needing to practice my English.  You say you help me again. 

PING.  But Ah-May-ah, this is more important.  How can you forget we vote new Prime Minister
today?  We need to vote Pierre Trudeau.  Liberal good for Canada.  Trudeau good for
Canada. 

MAY.  How do you know?  He tell you?

PING.  Keith said it is very important we vote.  All Canadians vote.  First time we can as
Canadians.

MAY.  Who care?  It mean nothing.  I not vote in Hong Kong, why vote here.  My vote is
            nothing.

PING.  Don’t say that.  (MAY shrugs. Pause).  We have to leave now before they close.

MAY.  I am not going.  I just getting home.  I am hungry.

PING.  But you promise me you would come.

MAY.  I promise?  I promise?  Promises is nothing.

PING.  What do you mean?  (Silence).  What?

MAY.  And you?  You promise you do not play Wintario.   You thinking I do not know?  (Gets
books).  You say you stop playing.  Look!   (Pause).  Look!

PING.  I don’t have time.  I need to vote.

MAY.  Look at how many books!  All these pages with lottery numbers and tickets.  Why do
you doing this?

PING.  So I can see a pattern.

MAY.  This is no pattern ah-Ping-ah.  It showing how much money you lose.   Waste of money.

PING.  I am so close. 

MAY.  So, who care?  You spend money we need to save.

PING.  You don’t understand.

MAY.  Understand what?  Wasting money to buy lottery and not food, or trip to Hong Kong? 

PING.  You think I like working so hard?  If I win lottery I will be rich and then I don’t have to
work so hard and long hours, and then life will be easier.  [In Cantonese]

MAY.  Is that what Keith telling you?  Why you always listening to him? Ah-Ping-ah, you
working with your hands.  That is how you make money.    [In Cantonese]

Silence.

PING.  Are you coming?  (MAY shakes her head)

PING leaves.

 

Scene 9 – I’m Lonely.
1977.

At home.  Door slams. MAY enters exhausted.

MAY.  Ah-Ping, I am home now.  Are you still home?  (She heads to kitchen and looks at the
table and her heart sinks. She takes out incense sticks and starts praying).
Ah Po Sat, please keep 539 Markham safe.
Please look out for Ping, make sure no bad people follow him.
To good health.
To good luck from beginning to end.
To a good, happy life.

She opens the fridge and takes out the leftovers and places it on the table.  On the table she notices a pile of books and opens one of them.

 


 Scene 10 – Let Us Go For a Walk.
1977.

At home.  Door slams.  PING enters.

MAY.  You are home? (MAY sets bowl of rice in front of him.  MAY picks up her English book
and speaks carefully).  ‘How was your day at work?’  (Puts book down).

PING.  Store busy today.  Why I am late.  New book?

MAY.  I buying new tape to learning Engrish.  It come with book too.  What this?

PING.  Mr. Submarine.  Keith told me at work today that it is good so I buy for us to try. 

MAY.  I already making dinner.  This soup good for you.   You do not drink enough soup.   You
can eating sandwich for lunch tomorrow.

PING.  You too.

MAY.  There is cheese. 

PING.  You can take out.

MAY.  No, you eat.

They eat in silence.  MAY keeps stealing glances at PING.

PING.  What’s wrong?  (MAY shakes her head.  She continues to glance at him).  What is it? 

MAY.  How are we going?  By subway?  (PING looks confused). You forget already?  You say
we going to CN Tower when you coming home. 

PING.  Really?

MAY.  I wanting to tell family I going up to tallest building in the world.

PING.Oh.  How about next time?  I am too tired right now.  Did lots of lifting.

MAY.  It is good to seeing new things in new city together.

PING.  Ah-May-ah – 

MAY.  – But you saying we going today.  I thinking about it all day.

PING.  Next time.  On a Sunday.  You and me not working that day.  Sound okay? 

Silence.

MAY.  Are you sure?

PING.  I promise.

MAY.  You promise.

PING.  I promise.

MAY.  Okay, sounds good.  Can you helping me with homework?

PING. I’m tired.  How about you listen to tape?

They continue eating in silence.

Scene 11 – I’m Just a Little Lonely.
1976.

At home.  Door slams.  MAY enters exhausted.

MAY.  Ah-Ping, I am home now.  Are you still home?  (She heads to kitchen and looks at the
table and her heart sinks.  She sees the empty plate, the mug, and crumbs on the table.  She gets the kettle and puts it on the stove.  She opens the fridge, takes out the loaf of Wonder Bread, and takes a slice out.  While she waits for the water to boil she takes out incense sticks and starts praying).
Ah Po Sat, please keep 539 Markham safe.
Please look out for Ping, make sure no bad people follow him.
To good health.
To good luck from beginning to end.
To a good, happy life.


Scene 12 – Good News?!
1976.

At home.  Door slams.  PING enters.

MAY.  You are home?  (MAY sets bowl of rice in front of him).  So I finding another job at a
key punch place – Key Tech with Seto.  No more dry cleaning.  Pay is okay.  $2.60 an hour.  But they saying to keep going to Engrish class at Georgie Brown.  More money if Engrish better.  So you helping me again “afterward”?  Afterward almost like sub…sub-se-quent-ary.

PING.  Subsequently. But you can just say “after” not afterward.  Okay, I help you.  (Pause)
What is for dinner?

MAY.  My favourite - rice, spinach, fish with black beans. 

PING.  Waa, why so special?

Beat.

MAY.  Oh.  Nothing.

PING.  Ah-May-ah, you spoiling me sometimes.

MAY.  Spo-oil-ing?

PING.  It means…It means someone doing too much good things for someone, but some time
not always good things.

MAY.  You spo-oil me.  You buying me nice coat from Simpsons.

PING.  Not spoiling.  You need coat.

MAY.  So not spo-oiling when I going work midnight and I needing you to make me food for me
when I coming home in morning.  Sound okay?

PING.  What do you mean?

MAY.  Job at Key Tech midnight work.  After two year, I doing night work and two more year I
can doing day work.  So can you making food for me?

PING.  What if no time?  Some time I go working early.

Beat.

MAY.  Okay maybe you just warming food?  So easy. 

Pause.

PING.  Okay.  I try. 

MAY. If I having time, then I making. 

PING.  So what is your homework today?

MAY.  I needing to finish these sentences.

PING.  (reads.)  ‘Chrono-log-ical’.  Waa, hard word.  Chronological order and cause and result. 
Chronological order tells us when things happen, while cause and result tells us why things happen.  Complete the following sentences using your imagination.  Here is example: The poor person bought some rice because it was cheap’.  Waa, rice not cheap!  Okay, you try.  Blank, because, blank.

MAY.   You help making me food, because I find new job.

Beat.

PING.  Yes.  Do not worry May.  (Pause).  I got one.  He bought an expensive watch because he
was rich.

MAY.  She was –

PING.  – Ai-ya!The lottery!  You keep going, I need to check numbers.

MAY.  Waa, you still playing? I telling you to not playing no more.  You tell me…you
promising –

PING.   – Last time ah-May-ah.  (Pause).  I play lottery, because I feel lucky today.  Things
changing tonight.  I promise.


Scene 13 – Taking Chances.
1975.

At home.  Door slams.  PING enters.

MAY.  You are home?  (MAY sets bowl of rice in front of him).

PING.  Look what I have!  Chips!  It’s Hostess.  (Opens the bag of chips).  Very good.

MAY.  Bad for you. No eating.  It is time for dinner.

PING.  Just one.

MAY.  No.  (PING sneaks a few chips).   You never listening to me.  Chips bad.  (Sighs).  I
thinking after we eating you help me with homework?

PING.  Only if you helping me pick numbers for Wintario.

MAY.  You playing these things?

PING.  First year they start.  Everyone at work playing.
 
MAY. No playing.  Waste money.

PING.  Not waste of money.

MAY.  I wanting you to saving money.  Better for later.

PING.  If we win we can going on trip.  Maybe to Hong Kong.

MAY.  We work for trip.  Better that way.

PING.  Sometimes good to not work all the time. 

MAY.  No play. 

Pause.

PING.  We will see. 

MAY.  Please.  You promising?

Beat.

PING.  I play one more time tonight.  (Pause).  What do you need helping with?
 
MAY.  Oh, it is nothing.

PING.  Ah-May-ah

MAY.  (gets book from table and shows it to PING.)  Here.  Need to practice. 

PING.  (looks at page).  Okay.  I say word then sentence, you following what I say.  Hungry. 
I’m not very hungry.  I’m just a little hungry.

MAY.  (repeats as best as she can.) Hungry. I’m not very hungry.  I’m just a little hungry.

PING.  Sorry.  I’m not very sorry.  I’m just a little sorry.

MAY.  Sorry.  I’m not very sorry.  I’m just a little sorry.

PING.  Lazy.  I’m not very lazy.  I’m just a little lazy.  Waa, what are you learning?

MAY.  (Takes book from PING and reads as best as she can).  Lazy.  I’m not very lazy.  I’m just
a little lazy.  Hoommesick. 

PING.  Homesick.

MAY.  I’m not very hooommesick.  I’m just a little hooommesick.  Tired. I’m not very tired. 
I’m just a little tired. 

MAY continues practicing while PING listens wanting to correct her, but stops himself.

Scene 14 – The Gift
1973.

At home.  Door slams.  PING enters.

MAY.  You are home?  (MAY sets bowl of rice in front of him).

PING.  Close your eyes.

MAY.  Why?

PING.  You will see.

MAY closes her eyes.  PING takes box out of bag and places it in front of MAY.

MAY.  Can I opening?

Pause.

PING.  Okay…now.

MAY.  What is this?

PING.  For you.

MAY.  For me?  This?

PING.  Yes. 

MAY.  Simp-sons.

PING.  Simpson’s.

MAY.  Simpson’s.  (Opens box and takes out coat)

PING.  Do you like?  I getting small size.  I hoping it fit.  (Helps MAY put on coat).  Perfect.

MAY.  Nice-ee.  (Pause).  Too much.

PING.  You needing it.  Remember Canada very cold.  Coat keeping you very warm.

MAY.  I cannot wearing this…too much.

PING.  You need.  I buy for you.  My gift.

Beat.

MAY.  Thank you. 

MAY holds on to the coat tenderly.

 

Scene 15 – Nice to Meet You, Now What?
1973.

At 539 Markham Street, Toronto, Canada.
PING paces nervously while holding a photo in his hand.  Doorbell rings.  PING opens door.  MAY stands with suitcase and photo in hand.  Both stare at each other for a few minutes.

MAY.  Hello.

PING.  Hello.

MAY.  You must be…(looks at picture)… yes…

PING.  Yes…and you must be...(looks at photo in his hand and then looks up at MAY)…yes.

MAY.  (laughs lightly).  Yes.

PING.  Nice to meet you.

MAY.  Yes…nice to meet you…Fi-nar-ree.

PING.  (corrects MAY.)  Yes…finally.

MAY.  Your Engrish…not bad.

PING. Really?  (MAY nods).

Silence.

MAY.  House…nice-ee

PING.  Yes…is nice semi-detached old Victorian house.  This street…Ah-Markham-ah, very
nice.  Same street as the Honest Ed’s.

MAY.  Honest Ed’s?

PING.  Ed is honest man, but he is cheap, cheap, cheap!  (Silence).  Canada much colder than
Hong Kong. 

MAY.  Yes… Hong Kong hot, very hot.  (Pause.)  Oh.  I not bringing big coat with me.

PING.  Oh then we must go to Simpsons.

MAY.  Simp-sons?

PING.  Yes.  Very good shopping.  You find everything there. 

MAY.  Okay.

PING continues talking as MAY, who is still clutching her suitcase and trunk, takes in her surroundings with awe and slight fear.  She looks at the photo and closes her eyes.

Scene 16 – Will You Marry Me?
1971.

MAY is 16 (in Hong Kong).  PING is 28 (in Canada).
PING and MAY each have a letter and photo in their hands. 

PING.   Waa, this girl so pretty
MAY.  Waa, this boy so cute.  So we starting to –

PING. – write to one another.  Dear…
MAY.  Dear…

 

Pause.

PING.  Dear…wife.              

MAY. Dear…husband.

MAY & PING.  No…too much.  (Pause).  Dear…

PING.  Dear May.     

MAY.  Dear Ping.

PING.  How are you?  Have you eaten?

MAY.  What is Canada like?

PING.  It will not be long, another year or two.

MAY.  I will continue to write.

PING.  (carefully enunciating words.)…Until we live ever happily…

MAY.  I am so nervous.

PING.  Me too.

MAY.  (carefully enunciating words.)  Are we ready?

PING.  (carefully enunciating words.)  Will we be alright?

MAY & PING. I got your photo this time.

PING.  When we meet each other…

MAY.  (carefully enunciating words.)…It will not be surprise.

PING.  Canada not so bad here
            Lots of Chinese
Our house
Near Bathurst and Bloor
Near Toronto Dominion bank, TTC, and
The red streetcar.

MAY.  Waaa.    Bathurst and Bloor, Toronto Dominion bank, TTC, and the red streetcar
They strange, but will be home…family.

PING.  So I wait.

MAY.  So I wait.

PING.  For the day to arrive.

MAY.  For the day to arrive.

PING. When I will be your husband.

MAY.  When I will be your wife.

MAY & PING.  A song for tomorrow.
            We will both sing in tune.
            As we wait and wait.
            We will see each other soon.

Lights fade.

About The Author

Author

Christina Wong is has several drama productions to her credit: The Madness of the Square (Cahoots Theatre Projects/Factory Theatre); The Magic Paintbrush (Pass the Parcel Productions/Toronto Fringe Festival 2006);  And the Drum Continues to Beat (Pass the Parcel Productions/Toronto  Fringe Festival 2005); and Voices (SMC Drama Society). She was part of Nightwood Theatre’s 2008 “Write from the Hip program” and fu-GEN's Kitchen 4. Wong has received a Ontario Arts Council Theatre Creators’ Reserve grant through the Native Earth Performing Arts. She is a doctoral candidate in ethno-musicology.

/ Essays

Derek Walcott

George Elliott Clarke

Writing and Vancouver

rob mclennan

/ Reviews

Poetry and Miscellaneous Reviews

George Elliott Clarke

Fiction Review

Julia P.W. Cooper

Fiction Review

Michael Hingston

Non-Fiction Review

Rosel Kim

Fiction Review

Julie Leroux

Fiction Review

Andrew MacDonald

Non-Fiction Reviews

Reid McCarter

Fiction Review

Kaitlyn Pinder

Fiction Review

Amanda Tripp

Fiction Review

Jackie Wong

/ Fiction

Homecoming

Mary Baxter

Midlife Crisis Response Services

Kane X. Faucher

Four-Leaf-Clover

Lindsay Foran

Mr. English

Austin Kaluba

Savage Water

Matthew R. Loney

Waltz, You Forgetful Things

Tom McMillan

Written

Dawn Promislow

That which is Written

Pratap Reddy

Rituals of Morning

Dolly Reisman

A Japanese Custom

Leslie Shimotakahara

/ Creative Non-Fiction

The Things We Carried

Juliane Okot Bitek

Munni

Veena Gokhale

Bed Pan(ned)

Kyle Stewart

/ Poetry

Dami Ajayi

Afam Akeh

Peter Akinlabi

Juliane Okot Bitek

Hemang Desai

Salim Gold

Kelly Howarth

Doyali Farah Islam

Deanna Nikaido

/ Drama

A Song For Tomorrow

Christina Wong

What is real is not the external form, but the essence of things... it is impossible for anyone to express anything essentially real by imitating its exterior surface.

– Constantin Brancusi
Featured Artist

The Sirens

–John Greer

Volunteers for Issue 8

For copy-editing this issue of MTLS thanks:

- Amanda Tripp
- Carmel Purkis
- Rosel Kim
- Julia Cooper
- Lequanne Collins-Bacchus

Acknowledgement

MTLS is grateful to Jean-Pierre Houde for his hard work on web management.