Tuesday 20th August, 2013          2140

Yesterday’s assignation with Angela was cancelled when the forecast 2mm of rainfall transpired to be an utter deluge, all I did was go out in the early evening with Pepsi to shop and get a takeaway but just as I was about to leave the heavens opened again.

I bought another bottle and waited but it became apparent it wouldn’t stop for a long while so when it was down to merely “normal” rain I broke out the cape and headed home. On the main road towards the west gate the road (which slopes uphill a touch) was flooded and thinking I was approaching a large puddle about two inches deep I entered it at full steam. It was a foot deep. The wash filled my shoes and I was thankful Pepsi didn’t leap off in fright.

Today has been dry and I met Angela for lunch at a traditional Chinese teahouse for a couple of hours. She introduced me to a gem of a dish made of pork and bamboo shoots which was really rather special. That may or may not be the last session with her as her mother has a business exam in Hefei on Thursday and seeing as her own will probably be there on Saturday she may accompany her and stay over.

I was on my way to RT Mart afterwards to buy animal meat and a baguette for my supper when Helen from the small school called to tell me her friend wanted to take me to dinner at the Japanese restaurant I had told them about last weekend. Bugger, dinner less than four hours after lunch and I normally only have one meal a day! Still, free lunch and dinner are not to be sniffed at.

Not really free of course, with Angela I was working and this evening I had a little work testing the pronunciation of a 15 year old girl who was surprisingly good. Now the friend who had invited me is a government official, rather intriguingly I am told he is in charge of the Yangtse river (how anyone can be in charge of a river per se is bemusing) but he is a nice chap. I was the only one on time so I had a beer on the tab whilst waiting and trying to explain to my mate the chef and part owner (with wife) that others were joining me to eat later. Now, I like to eat downstairs watching the chap cook but I just knew the govt man would want to go upstairs, so when they arrived - and we turned into a party of eight with wife, son, daughter plus Helen, husband and daughter - I had Helen explain that for their first time at least, I thought they should sit downstairs centre stage even though it is a little warmer. They did.

I think everyone enjoyed it. Not being very hungry I simply ordered tempura prawns and a sushi platter but ye Gods did the others order plenty! It was as I imagine an ancient Roman feast to have been but with out the vomitorium! There were steaks galore, buckets of clams and shedloads of egg fried rice to go with the squid, curry and about half the extensive menu. In fact the only thing I never saw were noodles. In cahoots with the chef I got the daughter to agree to have the “fire ice cream” as a surprise for all and wasn’t disappointed. As before, everyone bar me legged it from the table just before the flames!

I really enjoyed myself and I am certain so did they. Helen’s daughter certainly did because she was given a “milk light” consisting of a plastic glass with swirling plastic milk which eventually lit up when I complained the battery was flat. Hell, the amount of people I am introducing there I think they should give me a free meal every month! When Helen asked me if I had had a good time I stated I had but I was glad I wasn’t the one paying. “How much do you think it will be?” she asked. I guessed 850y and there was utter amazement when the bill was presented at 859y. How could I be so close they wanted to know. Just a good guess. I was keen to point out that I had not colluded with the restaurant to inflate the bill for my kickback and even suggested the govt man got a VIP card, stuck a thousand on it and got 185y discount off the meal. I think they will all take their friends to impress so I am becoming that place’s best friend with my bringing people there. In fact the govt man was at pains to thank me for introducing him to such a nice place.

I just wish I could afford to eat there more often….

I had some bad news from Kiki this afternoon, she will be in a Beijing hospital for ten days with a broken leg on which they want to operate. I am not keen on the propensity here to operate on every single fracture (I don’t know anyone who ever broke anything who never had pins inserted) but from this distance I can’t help. I would love to see the x-rays and challenge the doctors.

Further to the changing banks scenario and being paid late for July, it is now 8 days past this month’s payday. I can last until September’s payday but I know Kevin will be in the ess aitch one tee on Thursday when he lands. Not only does it appear he wasn’t paid at all in July (so has nothing by way of money here and has been away for 6 weeks) but he will need money to get his car from the garage which serviced it and stored it for him in Anqing and will want paying. Cinny is doing her best for us and was told earlier that an account number is not enough, the bank needs the exact name as well. Unbelievable, but get this - accounts told her they couldn’t pay me either until they had HIS details!

I can wait but Kevin may find himself up a creek, so as you may imagine between Cinny and myself (she really is a treasure) it has been arranged that at least I will be paid tomorrow and I have left texts and emails for Kevin so that at least if necessary I can deposit my cash in his account to at least get his car out and he can get back here. I will go to the bank myself tomorrow to see if I can find out his details so the school can pay him direct. There is going to be some serious complaining when term starts because accounts should have told us, at least that way when I had contact with Kevin I could have sorted it. Even by Chinese standards this beggars belief.