In My Desperate Time

"Old Mr. Louis, are you asleep?"

I knock on his door at nine o'clock in the evening,

"Not yet. What's the matter?"

I hear his loud voice, and then the door opens from the inside.

"I just want to ask if you are in the mood for some night snack. I can cook some noodles or dumplings for you." I smile kindly at him, trying not to make myself look different than usual.

The old man shakes his head and says, "I don't like those food. You can make hot and sour noodles for me. Make sure the taste isn’t too blend."

I don’t expect him to be someone who likes spicy food. But making a bowl of hot and sour noodles doesn’t beat me.

"Okay. Wait for a second. It'll be ready soon."

I nod and leave the room immediately.

This is one step closer to please Mr. Louis.

Twenty minutes later, I bring the noodles upstairs and knock on the door again.

knocking for

falls asleep in

Now that is embarrassing.

try not to eat anything at night to lose weight. And I don’t want to

away

is still

I walk in

me. He seems to be fascinated by something he is reading. He is so intrigued that he can’t even hear

"Are you hungry, Frances?"

jumps when my voice

hides what he is holding in his hands under a pile of documents. "What are you doing in here? Don't you know you should knock on the door first?!" He asks me with a

you can’t hear it."

come in unless I answer next time." He says after a

know it is my fault that I enter his room like that. I hand him the noodles after nodding, “This is the night snack

meaningful smile. "You really think I can’t hear the conversation you had

didn't answer the knock on the door. I assume he is asleep, so I brought it to you." I

my hand, says while frowning. "Only Mr. Louis

slight complaint, he slowly