Shopping That Way

If I intend to shop on line, this morning will be the last possible opportunity.   I’d waited till the last minute in the U.S. and largely pulled it off, having a good number of things sent to my friend’s in San Francisco.  And I’d long told myself that I’d do the same here in Beijing with Amazon.cn to finish off my shopping that way. 

“Women’s sweaters.”  Everyone needs a sweater.  Everyone with one exception is a woman.  I’ll get one of these things.  It forces me to choose a size.  Now I proceed to the check out and it asks me to reenter my card info, over and over and over.  I seem to be stuck.  I put a book into the check-out cart to test something.  I’ve ordered plenty of books from Amazon.cn that always seem to deliver. without a hitch.  And this time there is, indeed, no hesitation to my ordering the "Lonely Planet Bali and Lombok."  So. 

Presently, forced to evolve, I recognize the Chinese characters high-lighted next to the American flag, beside the item I’m trying to buy: “Overseas”. Reconsidering the pages of sweaters I’ve just browsed it becomes clear that all of them are tagged as "imported."  This suggests items that will have absolutely no possibility of making it to my door in three weeks, let alone three days.  All the clothing I can find is imported.   I will need to find domestic things within the vastness of the Amazon.cn range of possibilities.  I sit there anxious for a while, trying to imagine how to proceed with my virtual shopping s though it were a physical location. 

Books work.  Books beckon and I find lots of books for everyone.   Now I select for what’s in stock and can ship.  With a bit of translating I can discern which ones will take a few weeks and which will ship immediately.  Clothes are out but musical instruments and kitchen appliances both seem like they’ll ship out today.  By mid morning there are still a few things left that I’ll need to visit a store for.  But most of the heavy-clicking is done. 

Friday, 12/22/17