L’etiquette de chEATing
Text: Vicky Fung
I’m someone who is scared of loneliness, and as odd as it may sound, I also like to be alone. I realise that most of you are just like me that we live with this kind of contradiction in some way. The people of the city are in a constant race with each other but as time passes, why and what exactly we are chasing becomes blurry. Every now and then, I ask myself if there is any other way of living apart from this hectic one. I know full well that there is, but what is stopping me from breaking through? Is it because the existing way is more comfortable, or do I have a fear of stepping into the unknown? This reminds me of those couples who have been married for years that now neither has control over their lifestyles; their relationship is about habit and compromise, a mentality that taxes one’s brain and an effort to manage. If my life were my husband, would I ever think of cheating? That could be an intriguing, philosophical question.
Amongst the many meetings and my ever-growing to-do list, whenever I can no longer fight the feeling of emptiness in the depths of my stomach, a basket of fried chicken pops into my mind to tempt me. This kind of impulse always brings guilt, but at the same time, I crave the excitement it brings. Though it is hard to explain this “indecent thought” to my disciplined colleagues, I will wait quietly and patiently, for the right time and place, a moment alone, where I will delve into the fried chicken, immersing myself in the “chEATing moment”.
You may say I enjoy this particular kind of “chEATing”, but there is an etiquette to cheating elegantly, and it is best to pair it with a romantic bottle of wine. To me, romance would be drinking champagne in an erotic boudoir with my lover, letting the flavour excite my senses as the bubbles tingle on my tongue, or drinking rosé as if I was stroking their blushing cheeks with my fingertips. Compared to drinking beer in front of the TV, that should be more indulging and complete where I can still cheat gracefully to my heart’s content.