Surviving in China

This article by James Fallows is floating around the blog sites I follow. Its a great piece I highly recommend. It was referenced mostly due its addressing of air quality (or lack there of) in major Chinese cities. After reading my cyber friend Donna's blog, it made me re-think our Beijing trip this weekend. But, the article also addressed traffic safety, something I've made not-so-vauge reference to on this blog in the past.

.... Yesterday I did my normal Monday morning routine of running... the cupboards were bare, so the tai tai tried to be creative and thrifty in what she bought since 1.) Mr. Johnson is gone for several days and 2.) we'll be leaving for Beijing soon. I took the bus to Jusco where I had some pics developed for (spoiler warning) the great grandmas Christmas gifts. (Lucky for me, I don't think any of them actually can access the blog on their own) and then headed to my favorite Korean grocery for fresh produce, imported milk, and bread. I called the driver to see if he could swing by and pick me up on his way from getting Bei Bei @ school. (I love to take the bus to the store, and love to have a private car service pick me up!!)

He met me @ the local Korean coffee shop where I nipped in for a white mocha to warm me from the bone chilling wind that swept up overnight. I jumped in the van, and answered we could head home when he asked where to next. After I drop off the groceries, though, I told him, I had a few more errands to run.

"Can you do them tomorrow?" he asked me, most uncharacteristically.

"Um, yeah..." I replied, thinking of the growing number of clothes that required a button here or a stitch there that I was hoping to run to the tailor, they had been waiting for weeks, another day wouldn't hurt.

But still, I was curious why he would ask.

"Ni you shi, ma?" Do you have "some matter" (the generic, non-prying way of asking what he has going on without asking what he has going on.)

And then he told me: His wife's father was struck by a taxi that morning. He over-smiled to keep from tearing. His voice was shaking. He only told me because I had asked. They didn't have many details. His wife was already waiting for him at home. His driving company had offered him use of a small Buick sedan to make the 90 minute drive to his wife's hometown. None of it sounded good.

I told him all of my "shi"could wait until next week. I told him Mr Johnson can find another way home from the airport tomorrow night. I told him he should go and be with his wife. She needed him. I pressed some cash into his hand and he left. I haven't heard from him since.

Our Driver, Mr Zhang with his wife Mrs. Li and our girlies