43-44 Years Old

Four thousand years. That’s what it says in the book. Four thousand years since this hotel was built. It was built by the ‘early French’. In each room, a desk made entirely of mirrors. So I can see my face now, as I read again the fabulous lies of the hotel literature.

The owner’s name is Joe. Today is his birthday and he has invited me to spend the day with him. After I get dressed, I will make a list of things I can say to Joe about his hotel and the literature they hand out when you move in.

Early French, 4000-years-old , haunted, full of unmovable black pebbles, build in a shape that when viewed from above is racist against the Chinese.

The party is in full swing. I am wearing this incredible blazer I found in the wardrobe.

Joe’s mother has cooked a hundred boiled eggs for us to eat. I feel like last year it was a hundred and one boiled eggs. ‘When I die,’ Joe tells me ‘I don’t have to eat any more boiled eggs.’
We all help Joe out, eating a few eggs ourselves.

Stinky!

‘Happy birthday Joe!’ we all shout and Joe does a little, egg-laboured dance. He bows for us when the dance is finished and we all applaud.

‘Hey Joe!’ I shout. ‘Was the hotel really built four thousand years ago?’ and the room goes quiet. Everyone looks, not to Joe, but to his mother who says.
‘Yes. That’s true.’ and I say ‘and is it true that this hotel is ‘Early French’?’ and she says
‘Actually no.’ There is a gasp amongst the gathered crowd of guests. ‘It was built by the Chinese.’

And for no reason I can understand, they all start laughing. And then I notice that Joe is Chinese. And so is his mother. Everyone here is Chinese. I remember something about China.

My daughter! Her possible Chinese biological father. Back to my bedroom and the hotel literature on the mirrored desk. My mirrored face is different. It is black and smooth and has no features.

I have no body.

I am a black pebble on a hotel mirrored desk.