2B

Storytelling has a long history. 32 000 years ago, men were drawing on cave walls to tell stories before languages were developed.

Until not too long ago people met face to face, or talked over the phone. Nowadays, in this Internet age, we often use emails, SMS and online posts to tell our tales.

Despite these changes, our love for sharing stories is still the same.

Let me tell you a story (that) a taxi driver told me on my way to work.

‘This happened to a friend of a friend of mine,’ the taxi driver said. ‘It must be true because another taxi driver told me that he saw the girl, too’

Pat Hung worked night shifts as a taxi driver. One night around 1 am, he picked up a young girl outside an old building. 

It was raining hard and the girl was wet. She waved to other taxis, but they didn’t stop. Pat felt sorry for the girl. He pulled over and asked if she was okay. The girl nodded and gave him a note. It read: Lyemun Barracks.

‘Lyemun Barracks – the old British military building on the hilltop? It’s a bit late now. Do you really want to go there?’ asked Pat.

The girl nodded, looking at him with sad eyes. Pat then told her to get in the taxi. They soon arrived at the building. When Pat turned back to speak to the girl, there was no one there!

Later, at the police station, Pat reported the case to a police officer. ‘Officer, she disappeared! All I saw was this thick roll of money on the back seat. I don’t understand. The doors were locked the whole time,’ he said.

Three months later, Pat got a call from the same duty officer, ‘Mr Hung,   no one has claimed the HK$21 540 you found three months ago. The money is now yours.’

Pat was shocked – that was the exact amount of money he needed for his surgery!