When Barbie Met Twink

Twink, unlike Aoife and Ping, had no problems inventing new ways for Barbies to have conversations among themselves. She instantly loved everything about the dolls: their removable shoes, their bendy knees, their plastic blonde hair neatly implanted at the scalp in miniscule bushels, their little lips, hairbrushes, handbags, and especially their very handsome Ken-doll boyfriend.

And, because Twink knew Barbies would never be part of her world, she promised herself that she would do absolutely anything to have Ping invite her back to play with them. Her own mother wouldn't mind as long as she was back in time for dinner, she knew that. After all, she worked nights and was always asleep in the day, so Twink only saw her at dinner time, when they would both sit down to eat Maggi instant noodles with luncheon meat, the only meal they shared together before her mother had to leave for work.

"But why can't you put me in night classes so I can sleep in the day time too, just like kor kor?" she asked her mother a day later, peering over her dressing table as Winnie Teo applied mascara.

"My dear Twinkie, I explained to you already: they only have night classes for people over 16, and your brother is 18 - you're too young!" She added: "Anyway, night classes are only for stupid people. You're smart. You must study hard and try never to be in a night class! Don't be like your brother. He failed his O Levels, that's why now like that."

"But you're both only awake at night, and I always have to sleep here alone," Twink protested, watching her mother tug on her turquoise-and-silver cheongsam, one of several she wore to work at the Peony Pavilion Bar And Restaurant, with side slits that reached the hip, and thinking she might be a real live Barbie, except with black hair.

"How? Mummy pretty or not?"

Twink nodded, wondering for the fourth time that day why, if her mother was as glamorous as Barbie, couldn't she also live in a mansion and have a boyfriend who looked like The Six Million Dollar Man, instead of always having to worry about living above a 24-hour coffeeshop with cockroaches who made nightly visits to the homes of people living upstairs. And, instead of pouring brandy for men at the Peony Pavilion, who always insisted on drinking bottles and bottles of Martell even though it made them turn swollen and reddish and more ugly than they were before they started drinking.

"I wish you worked in the daytime," she told her mother.
"I've told you before, this job pays me a lot because my boss thinks I'm very pretty and a lot of customers come to see me."
"I never see you."
"I know. I'm sorry. But I'm getting late for work, so I have to go."
"Ma, I wish I had a dad. Everyone else in my class has one mother and one father."
"Well, you're just going to have to get used to the fact that you're not like everyone else in your class."
"I don't like it. Can we change."
"I hope so. I'm trying."
"Can I have a Barbie doll one day?"
"We'll see."

Winnie's smile weakened just as she turned her back to Twink. "Can you help zip me up, please dear?"

I must've said something to make her sad, thought Twink guiltily.
"Ma?"
"What?"
"I won't ask for a Barbie again."
"Mummy has to go to work now."