Saturday, August 29, 2009

Plans are made to be messed with

I planned on traveling light. 140 pounds later that idea was out the window. I planned on getting many things done before I left - thanks Hogan for picking up the slack. I planned on studying "Chinese for Dummies," but I found amazing ways to do anything else. I did NOT plan on spending 6 hours in Chicago O'Hare waiting to get to Beijing.

I'm told by anyone who has traveled to China, get used to plans changing. Even better, don't really make plans you expect to keep. This delay right now is a particularly United Airlines-type of disruption, one that has nothing to do with any Chinese zeitgeist, but I'm prepared for a year in which having an itinerary pinned to dates or, god forbid, times is a recipe for aggravation. So here I am, whipping out the credit card and buying time online so that I can fill you in on my 'great adventure.' I offer my piercing insights on killing time in an airport bar.

First, it took me almost 40 years to figure out that throwing money at problems makes them go away. This $9 glass of Goose Island Matilda and $10 internet access junket has greatly ameliorated my current discomfort. It's really only dessert for the $150 main course I ate for overweight baggage (one bag was 70 lbs. instead 50). Honestly, before I learned how to buy my way out of problems, I used to subject myself to doing the math: Calculating how many real things in the real world I could buy for the same amount and fretting over what a rip off it is. But now, I watch my expenditures carefully when and where I have choices so that when I don't have a choice I think, "Yo tengo efectivo, yo quiero este, en punto!" And it's done. Mmmm, I recommend the Matilde, it's so smooth it deadens the metallic squawk of the boardingcallwhitecourtesytellephone loudspeaker.

Next, to quote U. Utah Phillips, "You've got to mess with people! Otherwise they might slip into a cryonic tropor!" You've got to chap their hides, ride them, and put them in the barn wet. When I overhear some blowhard spouting and unpalatable aphorism, I call him on the carpet in a heartbeat. People love it when you mess with their friends (who clearly are asking for it) and it is your entree into no end of conversation. The guy next to me came in with (to my trained eye what is clearly) a band of traveling musicians. His reply to his bandmate soliciting to buy the next round was, "Another Chardonney," to which I had to say (finally, because they were talking so as to gain my attention as all band guys do), "Real friends don't make their friends order chardonney at a beer pub." "That sounds like you're trying to give me shit." "No, I'm trying to help you improve your relationships." And so forth. These guys are Robert Cray's band touring at the moment from Canada to Kansas City with a stopover to make my day in Chicago. Most of them are Berkeley/Oakland through and through and shared the Eli's Mile High Club memories of Eddie Ray Rhythym and Blues with Oscar Myers, Troyce Keys, Beverly Stovall, and the Ratskeller Band from Blake's. Damn, that blood runs thick. By the time they had to get their plane, I was wishing I was heading to KC for some ribs and blues. Damn, those boys are carrying the torch and bringing it. And the point is, you got to mess with people. Otherwise, they might pigeonhole you and you'll put them in a box and we might miss what's right there under the surface. Those guys have lived and shared my world and we found each other at this time at this (options forsaken) place and we never would have known it if I didn't MESS WITH PEOPLE.

Boarding call, see you in Beijing!

3 comments:

  1. Suzanne DeRouen (Subaru)August 29, 2009 at 6:08 AM

    Awesome. And this is just one day in your life. Your stay there will be a terrific novel that I will stretch out over the duration of your assignment. "A Year in the Life of Sarah." Love you, gf!

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  2. MESS! YES!

    Love this post Sarah!

    Fike

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  3. While not the music fan my wife is, I definitely enjoy Robert Cray. Fabulous that you got to meet the band. Now, I'm only a few connections away via you, Sarah.

    Cheers,
    Larry

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