An interesting couple of days.
On Wednesday when I went to withdraw money shortly before going to collect Amy to take to dinner (Anna cried off a few hours before) I discovered that I was still the only one here who hadn’t been paid. Incensed, I withdrew the last of the money in my UK account and fired off a text to Cinny.
The plan had been to take Amy to the barbecue place but en route while we were chatting, the Japanese place was mentioned. Amy had never eaten Japanese food so the plan altered. I had intended on getting off the bus to collect my cigars but couldn’t now because I never had enough money. Cinny had texted me advising my wages were remitted along with everyone else’s so it was the bank’s fault and they were going to sort it asap. The second the bus pulled away from the bus stop by the kiosk I buy my cigars I received another message informing me my money should now be in my account. Great.
Plan B became Plan C. Eat Japanese and afterwards find an ATM, withdraw monies and get a cab to buy the smokes and then take us home. Failing that it was Plan D which was go straight home. Hallelujah - it was there so I collected 700 lardies (only asked for 600 but what the hell, I’ll smoke them) and I was happy again. I wasn’t impressed this time with the restaurant as the chef wasn’t there and had to be summoned and although the food was great, when the time came for the fire ice cream he had gone home! Words will be had next time.
Yesterday the owner of the original kids school called me to invite me to a “gathering dinner” for the start of the new term. It was to be held at a new restaurant and could I meet at the school at six? On the bus, we were halfway there when he called again at five-fifteen - where are you, we are waiting?! I was not surprised in the slightest as it has happened before - I was going to be there at five-thirty anyway but he had said six. For an ex accountant he is highly disorganised.
The restaurant is indeed new and was absolutely packed. To my initial dismay I was informed it was a Sichuan restaurant so I assumed everything would be volcanic. Not so. One of the dishes packed a powerful punch admittedly but the lotus root was sweet and they even did an unauthentic Peking duck. But it wasn’t the food that made me want to return again. At 1850 every night they put on a show. I’m not quite sure what was going on because two of the performers had antelope horns but it was terrific and afterwards a clown/magician came out to entertain the children. They also have two rather portly gentlemen as greeters dressed in traditional Sichuan costume with whom I was photographed and someone has already commented that were I similarly attired we could be mistaken for three brothers. True, as you will see.
A superb evening and before leaving I booked table 101, a ringside table, for next Wednesday evening. It will be Joanna’s last week until she briefly returns in June to actually graduate so I really want to spend as much time as I can with her and make it enjoyable. Trouble is, the minimum cover for such a table is six people. So Joanna is inviting three of her friends (all my students from her class) and I have invited Yvonne who is my new internet shopper. I am keeping mum about the show because I hope it is as much of a surprise and delight to them as it was to me.
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