Eat a Bowl of Tea

Eng Shee, the wife of Ben Loy’s cousin, visits Mei Oi as soon as she hears about the pregnancy. Mei Oi is anxious and unsure of what to expect. Eng Shee makes her a soup from oxtail and Chinese herbs, instructing her to drink it every day in the early stages of her pregnancy. She reassures Mei Oi that pregnancy and birth in the US are far easier than in China. Wah Gay insists that Mei Oi spends her days relaxing.

In a local barbershop, a group of men, including rent collector Chong Loo, idly discuss neighborhood gossip. When the topic of unfaithful wives is raised, Chong Loo reveals that he saw Ah Song leaving Ben Loy and Mei Oi’s apartment. Chong Loo suggests that Mei Oi pursued Ah Song because of Ben Loy’s impotence. When one of the men jokes about Chong Loo pursuing Mei Oi, he storms out.

In the close-knit community of New York’s Chinatown, Ben Loy is a celebrity: As the only son of a prominent community member, he is known even by people he does not know personally. As a result, gossip quickly spreads about his pregnant wife. At the barbershop, Chong Loo suggests that