Monday, September 28, 2009

Wuxi, China Tuesday Tales

In the Doghouse
I should pay more heed to the thoughts in the back-of-my-mind.

 I went to the pub last night with the KoW.
  To be more exactly, I will tell you I went to the Blue Bar.  I went to the Blue Bar.  I was thinking, or rather in the back-of-my-mind, was the proposition that I should phone Jenny soon, as has been my evening habit while She and Tony have been in Beixing.  But the KoW and I got to talking.  I wasn't wearing my P.L.A. wristwatch.  I lost track of time.  

Just as we got ready to leave the Blue Bar , I felt the vibration of my phone -- Jenny was calling me.  She wasn't too happy.  I pleaded that I was planning to phone but she would have nothing of it.  I got a "fuckey off" and a quick hangup -- I did hear Tony crying in the background.  

Looking at my phone, I saw that she had tried to phone me six times.

The Two Australian Pubs
I went to Ronnie's on Saturday, and then I went to the Blue Bar last night (Monday evening).  I don't go to these places much these days, and having once frequented them a lot, my current abstinence allows me a certain perspective on them.  Entering a room of strangers is how I felt in both places this week.  Normally, that shouldn't be a problem but having spent the time I have in Wuxi, it is a disappointing feeling.  But that really says more about me than the two pubs.  An aspect of the Expat life that I once relished is now gone for me forever.

Jumbo tron
At the corner of Xueqian and Zhongshan Roads, near our school and Ba Bai Ban, a big video screen has just been erected.  Yesterday was the first day I noticed it.  And now as I teach classes the flickering of it always catches my attention.

It ain't ready after all
Nix what I said previously about the Hongdo building.  It isn't quite finished yet.  Just coming into work, I saw that the construction elevator was still in place.

One thing to do October 1
I haven't detected any excitement in the air from the students about the October 1 holiday.  No big activities, as far as I have been told, are planned in Wuxi.  One student did tell me he was keen to watch the big military parade from Beijing on October 1 because he was curious to see what new military hardware the P.L.A. has.  

I will try to watch that myself.

No comments: