But I Didn't

The friend I dined with last night told me within five minutes of arriving that he wasn’t drinking.  This suited me as I wasn’t either and now I didn’t have to second guess whether to sample single malts with him, as I’d otherwise expected to.   He had an ayi from Anhui who filled the table with lovely dishes and we chatted a very long time, ending with confirmation of an ugly rumor that he and his wife had been filling themselves up with Judge Dee novels. He pointed me to bag behind him.  They’d read everyone and credited me with having introduced the books to the mutual friend who'd turned them on to the series.  I must credit my step father for the seminal handoff.  

I ate the big, fat complementary brownie that the Le Meridien always leaves around in the room before bed.  But I hadn’t had a bit to drink and so I woke up fresh with time for the gym and a shower before the 7:30AM call.  And finished it in time to meet the gentleman who’d come across town to meet me down in the lobby.

We talked Berlin and Munich and technology and China and all that he wanted to do and all that I was up to.  And, with China as the pivot it is possible to spin and replicate much of what I do to other parts of the world, such as the world that he knew best.  I kept referring to my internal clock, as I knew I’d need to leave at 9:00AM.  But I wanted to know more about how Berlin had changed.  My mind was back in that Autumn city I'd visited only once, twelve years ago.  By 9:05 I was down with him in the lobby bidding him farewell and summoning a car. 

The next place was much further than I thought.  The driver took longer than I’d reckoned to arrive and I showed up at the hip café at the far end of Huahuai Road about twenty-minutes late to meet someone whom a mutual friend had introduced.  No matter. We got right into it with all we’d both been to for the last twenty years working in and around China.  He asked good questions.  I tried to as well.  Soon we were fast-friends though I knew I should head to the bathroom and check my watch.  I knew it was getting late.  But then things turned to Taiwan and then things turned to Ah Q and I couldn’t resist another volley. 

If I’d had my luggage with me I’d have been fine.  But I didn’t.  I’d need to go grab my stuff at the hotel,  before I could proceed to the airport.  I called the Trip.com folks.   I’m never going to make my flight.  What else do you have this afternoon.

Friday 10/26/18