The Beggars' Gang - A short story

More about The Beggars' Gang - A short story

An excerpt of a short story by Lao Le entitled The Beggars' Gang
(translated by Chris Harry)

There is one old beggar I've come across who looks to me to be every inch a classic member of the beggars' gang. Last winter, an old man jostled his way on to the streetcar. With swarthy skin and a coat made of newspapers and thick, multi-coloured plastic bags, he looked like a stubborn old child. A kind of sweaty must emanated off of him which smelt like a mixture of leftover food and dust. Everyone quickly made way for him and he stood straight and unswervingly in front of where I was sitting. I dared not show the slightest reaction, as this old-timer was truly just too bizarre. More importantly, I noticed that he had seven or eight cotton bags around his waist, of the kind so famous in Chinese martial arts novels. But I honestly did not expect to cross paths with him again this summer on the streetcar - still the same stubborn old child-like visage, still the same odour … And once again, he sat down in the seat in front of me. An insidious smile spread across his face as he continually turned his head back and forth. And at that moment, I suddenly had this sense of being a wandering vagabond and of drifting aimlessly from place to place.

(This short story was originally published in the monthly Chinese literary periodical Duzhe[Readers])

This excerpt also served as the prompt for creating this image in Gemini.