Illustrated by Cyrus Hunter

Hsiao-mei’s New Lover

(Excerpt from "Totally Losing Face and Other Stories")

I needed some, just enough to get me by. I sifted through my numbers and nobody was available. Finally, I decided to call my old standby, Hsiao-mei. She was like a soldier, always ready to follow orders. All I had to do was call and arrange a place to meet. She was very good looking, but a head case. I couldn’t stand being with her for very long, but she’s always been there for me in times of need. We arranged to meet at a fast-food restaurant near the main train station in downtown Taipei. I parked my motorcycle downstairs as a light cleansing rain began to fall. The locals call it mao-mao yu. I creatively translate that to mean “peach fuzz rain:” there’s just enough to notice, but not enough to cause alarm.

(To continue reading this story, please purchase a copy of "Totally Losing Face and Other Stories").

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Excerpt from "Hsiao-mei's New Lover," a short story in Hillel Groovatti's new book of short fiction entitled Totally Losing Face and Other Stories.