Monday 25^th May, 2020 2045

Another lazy but busy day today. Lazy in that I never did half the things I wanted to but busy nonetheless.

Finalising my written exam took some time but I did have some helpful suggestions from a reader of my blog. It also showed me that my thinking I was pulling a fast one by telling the school I needed to finish two weeks early in order to mark the papers proves to have possibly been an understatement, I think I will struggle to do it in a fortnight!

I think the test itself is a good one insofar as it will be a good barometer of English knowledge and one which virtually eliminates cheating but I hope to God I don't have to repeat the exercise any time soon.

Tomorrow I shall go to campus to get a zillion copies printed rather than paying for them locally myself. Not because it would have cost me a lot, it wouldn't, but because Alice is a prisoner.

Now I'm not long returned from having dinner around the corner, a slightly spicy pork stir fry which would have gone down better if I had teeth and my gums weren't sore today. I also got some vegetable dishes for Jody. Some people can be so ungrateful. She complained both were mainly spinach. Given that she declined aubergines and specifically asked for greens, that's what I got! I can't read the menu and I never had my glasses so all I saw was green! How do I know what a human bloody rabbit eats? I cant do right from wrong sometimes.

Anyway, she told me the foreign students had been begging her. Now I thought they were all safely banished to their own countries but apparently not all of them. These will be the Class of 2020 graduating in a few days. The foreign students, presumably because their parents/government pay high fees, are afforded accommodation similar to what the foreign teachers get, indeed when I arrived here four years ago and they never had the keys to where I live now I was offered lodgings there. I declined and paid for an hotel because I prefer peace and quiet. Probably the same as Nordine and Annie's but not quite like mine in the graveyard (an ambulance left as I started typing this, the blues were still on so whoever was inside I assume was still alive) and they have cooking facilities.

Being from Eastern Europe I am guessing they are like me, unused to Chinese cuisine except the kind they get in their home countries. I do wish the Chinese would start to eat proper Chinese food! Well of course, they've been begging her to get their groceries because they are also prisoners on campus! Not even allowed to have takeaways delivered. I mean, really? Security can't accept them and the students collect from them?

When she said to me it was wrong that foreign students were kept captive I simply had to ask why they should be different to Chinese students? In just the same way I think it is ludicrous to allow teachers to come and go at will it is equally farcical to confine the students.

On that subject, Brenda has now had to email my photo to security so they will recognise me tomorrow. Hopefully that will save me from having a tantrum when I try to enter my lawful workplace. I sent her the one of me when I was twelve, holding my pet goanna at arms length in case it bit me, Somehow I think she'll use a more recent one.

So I told Alice that after she has done the copying (I am so out of touch now I can't even work the machine) I will take her out for lunch. I can't leave campus, said she. I will liberate you for an afternoon, said I. You can't said she. Let's hope it works. I have informed Brenda and she said any problems to call her and she will deal with security. Watch this space for Steve McQueen and The Great Escape.

So the plan is to take her wherever she wants to go for lunch. I suggested Burger King or Pizza Hut but her choice. If she picks Pizza Hut I will pay for extra pizzas for her to take back to her roommates. Then a trip to BHG as my wine lake is empty and she can buy cheaper toilet rolls and snacks. A few bob in taxis but if it works she will be a happy girl, as will be her dormitory companions.

No facial recognition for me tonight. I spotted the security gate around the corner was open to allow the restaurant to dump their rubbish in the bins and made a beeline. With a case of beer, bottles of jing jo and takeaway spinach to cart back home afterwards I never took the chance of having to walk extra so came through the other entrance. Most of it was roped off and I steeled myself for the “halt! Who goes there?” routine but it never happened. There were electric cables lying everywhere so I asked the guard what was going on. He pointed out there was no car barrier. That happens quite often when people don't see it and simply drive into it but this seems to be more. I would not be the least bit surprised if in a couple of days the entrance security has been beefed up.

As long as they still let my taxis through I couldn't give a flying fox!