Eleven O two

November 2002

'I'm so glad you called' I said. 'I have to change my plans; I have to go to Shanghai this afternoon'

We exchanged numbers and email addresses, and agreed that we would meet when I got back to Hong Kong. Although of course, I knew I would be flying back to UK at the end of the week. I didn't have any particular intention, other than that I would like to keep in touch.

She told me she had only just woken up. I was soon to learn that Maggie needed a lot of sleep. Indeed, sleep became a barometer. It became my way of measuring how happy Maggie was at any particular time.

'It's is lucky you called now' I said. 'Five more minutes and I would have been gone'.

'That's fate' she said.

We only had a few minutes, Henry was waiting in reception. I asked, 'what was the date yesterday?'

'2nd November' she answered. 'So...... eleven O two'