Hong Kong protests: The mask I wear on weekends

In Hong Kong, I go to work and see my friends as usual. But I also spend time in a parallel universe of tear gas, barricades and anonymous allies.

PHOTO: AP
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In August, the air in Hong Kong takes on a life of its own. The winds weep with so much moisture that it often feels suffocating. On one of those stifling days, I welcomed a sweaty handyman into my flat. The tanned, smiling, 30-something stranger was there to dismantle a spare bed that I was hoping to sell.

As he removed the nails from the bed frame, he asked: "So you've been out on the streets, eh?"

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on September 03, 2019, with the headline Hong Kong protests: The mask I wear on weekends. Subscribe