I got in to my
cab. My driver yelled at me. “WHERE?”
“Airport” I replied, adding that there was no need to yell. He asked his next clarifying question with
another shout. This time I shouted at
the top of my lungs back before I knew what I was doing: “YES THAT’S
CORRECT. WHY DO YOU FIND IT NECESSARY TO
SHOUT? I AM ONLY TWO FEET FROM YOUR
FACE. SHOUTING IS A COMPROMISE AS IT
CONCERNS LEVELS OF CIVILIZATIONAL SOPHISTICATION. DON’T YOU AGREE?” He considered this. Laughed nervously and asked the next question
at a more modest volume. But he couldn’t
help himself. Within twenty seconds he
asked again with a yell to clarify if I were heading to the airport. “YES.
AS EXPLAINED I AM HEADING TO THE AIRPORT. SHALL WE TAKE THE
HIGHWAY?“ He kept quiet. I kept quite.
By now my head hurt and I wondered if I was coming down with a
cold.
Popped open my second can of Watson’s soda water, here at
the Shenzhen Airlines lounge in the Shenzhen Airport. I feel a better but still a bit wheezy after
my spirited shouting match. I had a
large and reasonably tasty lunch at place that served Sichuanese food. An aspirational, upscale, chain restaurant,
adorned with rustic wood and fake daub and wattle walls that made me think of
the real ones I know in the dwellings of my extended family in Shandong. For now I’m still full, so I passed on all
the compromise snacks they make available here in the lounge. Though I did take banana.
I got on line and noticed that the departure time was bolded
red in the updated email with my ticket receipt. The plane was delayed. Of course it’s delayed. I looked more closely. The plane would be delayed by three
hours. The 7:00PM flight would be
departing at 10:00PM. I wouldn’t get to
see my kids tonight. Checking with the
desk at the Shenzhen Airline Lounge they intimated that the flight might simply
be cancelled all together. Planes were
not leaving Beijing. I considered having
to kill three more hours in this lounge.
I considered having to ride back into the city and spend another night
in Shenzhen. I considered hotels and considered
the inevitable return to this lounge, once again in the morning. I felt numb.
The ladies at the desk were very professional and asked me
if I wanted to switch flights to something earlier. I hadn’t even thought to bother. We went through the exercise of checking on
the three flights before me, which were all delayed as well. They dutifully made a few calls. My hope rose slightly. Then I could over hear her confirming that
there was no room on any of the flights.
Now I know how to say “stand-by” in Chinese.
Food was served. I
had a bowl of their complementary gongbao
jiding. Pinching from the bowl of
fresh parsley I did what I could to garnish it up. Presently, about thirty minutes later, with
the bowl of food digesting in my belly I am very tired. It is difficult to finish this sentence
without nodding off, my thumb pressed on the space bar. Perhaps I’ll try for a simple nap. I’ve many, many hours to go.
Thursday, 01/19/17
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