Lunar Love (23)

At 11:00 a.m. on the dot, Harper Chen breezes through the door. Harper, founder of a boutique public relations firm specializing in the culinary world, discovered Lunar Love on her way to meet a chef to discuss details for opening day of his new restaurant just a few blocks away. When she stopped by last week, I thought she wanted directions to the restaurant, but really she was looking for more direction in her love life.

People come to us feeling optimistic, heartbroken, anxious, and motivated. Some are knowledgeable in the Chinese zodiac while others have no clue what to expect. We see it all. In times of anticipation or hopelessness, many of us look to the stars for answers and comfort. In our case, we look to the moon.

“Olivia! How are you?” Harper says. She looks sophisticated wearing a lilac linen dress that ties around the waist and a few pieces of delicate jewelry. She reaches out to give me a hug.

In the Session Room, we take seats opposite one another at a table made from reclaimed wood (another flea market score).

“It’s been eventful. Sorry about the construction noise next door. Sounds like they’re on lunch break so it shouldn’t be too distracting in here. How have you been since we spoke last week?” I ask.

“Wildly busy but in the best way. It feels like there are national food holidays happening every single day, so I’ve been pitching clients constantly for different opportunities. And there’s another big client I’m trying to land.” Harper sweeps her dark hair into a loose bun. “But I’m excited to do this. I feel the need to be honest with you, though. I’m also using dating apps.”

“Oh!” I plaster a smile on my face and keep my tone neutral. “Any in particular?”

“Just a couple of the big ones that have been around forever, and ZodiaCupid. That one’s still in beta, though.”

“I’ve heard of it,” I say.

Harper places a jeweled hand on the table. “I hope that’s okay. I figured, why not? Try multiple avenues of dating. Your way sounded charming and nostalgic, so here I am. Just giving you a heads-up. It felt kind of wrong to not tell you.”

“I appreciate that,” I say. “I have complete faith that Lunar Love won’t let you down, so don’t get too invested in ZodiaCupid.”

Harper laughs. “Well, good! I’m excited for more context about the zodiac. That’s something ZodiaCupid doesn’t do. My family celebrated Lunar New Year on and off over the years, and my dad would teach my mom, brother, and me about the upcoming year’s animal sign, but that’s pretty much the extent of it.”

“That’s a great start! Let’s dive into it,” I say. “You were born on October 10, 1988, which makes you Year of the Dragon. This is a highly desired and respected animal sign. In fact, some women opt to have C-sections so their children are born in the Dragon year.”

“That’s dedication,” Harper says, looking impressed.

“Exactly. I’ll walk through the traits of the Dragon with you, and let’s see how you identify with them. The Chinese lunar horoscope depicts Dragons as direct, enthusiastic, loyal, strong tempered, and no-nonsense. Practical. You want respect from others and will do anything to earn it.”

Harper listens carefully to each trait, nodding along and sometimes shaking her head in disagreement. Not all traits are immediately obvious and take some time to find in people, both from their perspectives and mine.

“Did you ever find out what time you were born?” I ask, propping open my notebook against my crossed leg.

“My mom said it was sometime between twelve thirty and one p.m. Definitely during lunch hour because she remembers being hungry. Maybe that’s why I love food so much,” Harper ponders.

“That’s a narrow enough window for me to work with.” I calculate her ascendant, the animal sign that rules her specific birth hours. “People sometimes demonstrate more dominant traits from their birth hour animal signs. You were born in the hours of the Horse. This means you’re not only compatible with Monkeys and Rats as a Dragon but also to animal signs that Horses are compatible with, like Tigers and Dogs. It’s something we look at, but it’s not always part of the equation when matching.”

“Like a loophole!” Harper says as though she’s figured out something.

“Kind of?” I say.

“That’s amazing!”

And that, my friend, you don’t get from an app.

We spend the rest of the session discussing what’s important to Harper in a future partner. Later, I’ll type my handwritten notes into Lunar Love’s archaic but dense database. The system may be old, but it contains valuable information and contacts from the last fifty years. To convert the system to a new one without losing that precious knowledge would take time and money that we don’t have right now. If this database had a system or software that could complement our in-person matchmaking, we’d be unstoppable. In the meantime, it’s all manual, all the time.

I review Harper’s traits, habits, hobbies, and preferences all listed out on the page. “This is what I’m hearing: It’s important that the person you’re with has a stable job where shifts don’t last fourteen hours. And it sounds like you want someone to share your passion for food, whether it’s cooking together or eating at a new restaurant. And someone who’s honest, speaks his mind, and isn’t afraid to go after what he wants.”