Against the Hedge Outside

Apparently, the tradition is for the graduating seniors to make their way over, after partying all night, to watch the flag raising on Tiananmen Square at 4:50AM.  I’m up at 3:00AM, early, working and around 3:30AM I thought I saw something happen in my backyard.  What was that?  Did someone flash a light?  Then I heard the rumble.  My first thought was to get my bicycle, which is otherwise leaned up against the hedge outside, in to the garage and out of the rain that must now be only moments away. 

Then I thought of my daughter.  It might be good to know that rain is approaching before heading to an outdoor ceremony.  I send her a wechat text at 3:35AM: “Thunder and lightning in Shunyi.  Don’t catch a cold at the flag raising.”  She writes back at “Everyone is too tired and bummed out by the rain.  I’m currently calling a car to go homr.  home.”  In the time in between there was some thunder, but the deluge I expected never arrived.  I look outside and the air is thick, but there is no rain.  I find myself wishing they hadn’t given up. 

Rain can be intense in Beijing when it finally does come.  We go for long stretches with no precipitation and then it hits and the heavens open up, drains and sewers aren’t prepared for the volume and streets and basements flood.  Airports too, stop functioning normally.  I have a flight this evening, fifteen hours from now.  I check the weather on-line.  Rainy in the morning, clearing in the afternoon.  We’ll see.

I hear the car door close outside and my daughter at the door.  I get up to let her in and we chat for a while about her evening.  “How was the club?”  “Pretty boring. A few songs I liked.”  When I was eighteen and went out to see live music it was rarely “boring.”  I can only agree that clubs are boring and predictable and uninspired.  Perhaps it’s just the city we live in.  It’s probably for the best that they haven’t found something of gripping import downtown at 2:00AM.  Next year she’ll be in L.A.  Perhaps that’s gotten “boring” now too, though I doubt it.

Sunday, 5/26/19