It's Me and the Staff

Cold, cloudy day in May.   Beijing was bright, now Shanghai is dull and grey.  Enjoy the built in air conditioning while it lasts.  Soon, it will hot and sticky.  It’s early into the lunch break and everyone is coming out into the street.  There aren’t much of any children about but every other age group is reasonably well represented. 

I caught a cover of Time Out Magazine that had a cover story on old, Shanghai eateries.  Regular readers will appreciate that I have had great difficulty finding reasonable Shanghai style restaurants in this neighborhood.  My mind is cast backwards to the food I loved when China was young to me.   Perhaps I’ll go and  try one of these recommended Shanghai eateries, this evening.

Now I’m off at a time honored Shanghai restaurant.  I meant to order xiaolongbao but it appears I’ve ordered a bowl of hundun.  It’s ok.   It is certainly the best family style Shanghainese food I’ve had in a while.  I’m eating peanuts with a slightly and that adverb is ever so important in this town, slightly sweet wine taste.  It’s lovely.  The other night I had the same dish at a nearby place and it was wretched.  My only complaint is that I’m here and now one else is here.   It’s me and the staff.  The staff think I’m cool.  They’re happy to rap with me. But I’m the sole diner.  And there must be fifteen people staffed here this evening hovering over me, milling about..  I have no idea how they do it.   Perhaps its’ backed officially and not allowed to fail as a civic treasure. 

I finished something tonight.  Noted.  Acknowledged.  But there are only one or two hours to celebrate before the next overdue obligation beckons.  I seem to remember a time when I’d finish something difficult and there would be a day or two to revel in this achievement.  Not today.  Any one achievement is overwhelmed myriad of other pending obligations. 

The cook in his white short sleeved shirt, matching white cap and off color grey trousers, is looking decidedly ‘off-work.”  He seems to occupy the center of gravity in this after hours’ conversation. He’s talking about restaurant policy.  That has the everyone who'd otherwise only have me to concern themselves with, talking animatedly.