Readers of Johnny Delivers are in for a treat as author Wayne Ng fully immerses us in the day-to-day life of Johnny’s family and friends, and the deeply buried secrets of his extended family.
From the get-go, we get a sense of the relationship between Johnny’s dad, Baba and his mom, who spends an inordinate amount of time gambling at the Wong Association, an institution lorded over by “Auntie” (Johnny’s not-for-real-aunt). An old row house situated in downtown Toronto, the Association is a community hub for gambling, where, when you run out of money, exorbitant high-interest loans are dispensed.
Johnny’s mom has accrued huge gambling debts which he is determined to pay off, but in the process Johnny leaves himself susceptible to the influences of less-than-ideal companions. The fact that the “main” tempter —Barry Arble — is a childhood friend who once saved Johnny’s life by pulling him out of a fire, complicates things because Johnny feels that he owes him.
And so, when Barry presents Johnny with the opportunity to make some serious money by including a dime bag of weed in “special egg roll orders” that he delivers for the Red Pagoda, Johnny’s family restaurant, things go up in smoke— fast.
All of a sudden egg rolls are selling out at such a pace that it makes both Baba, Johnny’s mom and his pain-in-the-ass sister, Jane, sit up and take notice.
In addition to this story line is the humourous ongoing appearance of Johnny’s imaginary friend, marital arts master, Bruce Lee, who is Johnny’s life-advisor across a broad spectrum of difficulties.
Seeking to boost Johnny’s courage and backbone — both emotionally and physically — Lee embarks on a continuous series of sidebar conversations with Johnny, often upping the ante by performing martial arts moves and backflips as a way to keep the imagery alive.
As well as being highly entertained by the beguiling characters in the book, Ng reminds readers of what the Chinese went through in their early days coming to Canada, including the history behind the term “paper sons and daughters,” — a period of time when Chinese people had to procure false documents claiming to be the sons or daughters of Canadian citizens in order to get into Canada.
Readers are also entertained by Ng’s witty and imaginative quotes, such as:
“It’s like comparing a Toronto-born city slicker to an Albertan raised by wolves.”
And, “If there were a social ladder to climb, talking to him would easily cost me a few rungs.”
Funny, entertaining and informative, Ng cuts a swath through what it is like to defend family, stand up to your elders, crush on a girl that just might be out of your league, deal with the betrayal of a good friend, and ultimately find the courage and confidence to make your own place in the world.
A fun, intriguing and completely enduring read, Johnny Delivers…magnificiently.
Creative Aging Books & Ideas Thursday, October 31 at 2 p.m.
featuring
DANIEL KALLA
Vancouver Emergency Room physician and best selling author of fourteen novels
Kalla’s character-driven thrillers focus on themes that lie at the heart of his professional life and issues that are important to him, including such diverse topics as addiction, pandemics, superbugs, DNA evidence, and patient abuse. He has written global thrillers, historical suspense, epic stories, and psychological thrillers.
Daniel will read excerpts from his new book, “High Society,” and will be in conversation with Cece Scott – and YOU!
Join the FUN -get your FREE ZOOM LINK HERE: Meeting Registration – Zoom
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Cece is the feature cover writer for several prestigious publications both in print and online, and is an informed, connected and enthusiastic book blogger at cecescott.com. Her first book, The Love Story, was published in 2019, and was named one of “8 Books That Will Change Your Life,” by City Life Magazine.
Her books, “Nunzio Tumino: A Pocketful of Dreams: An Immigrant’s Journey,” and “Helping People One Hand At A Time” are all available on amazon.ca.
Cece is also working on a book of Daily Pick-Me-Ups for AutoImmune and other Life Warriors, called:
“My Body Parts Are On Recall But I’ve Still Got Gas in my Tank.”
Sign up for a preview of my upcoming book here: right here, right now.
