Whistling birds

There is an old saying that I came face to face with today. It's like looking in a mirror sometimes and seeing 'who' you really are. You have all heard it, and people often use it against each other to show disapproval when someone falls. They fall back into an old habit, a past love affair, an addiction. We love to look at that person, (and usually under our breath - or to the person nearest us) repeat the words, "Does a leopard change his spots?"

I would like to think of myself as a person, whom over the past few years has gained certain 'control' of my life. I also like to think that I am moving upward and onward and not re-visiting past wrongs. However today, as I was walking through the old town market across from Tian'anmen Square I fell back into a most dangerous routine. I suddenly found my heart racing, my breath gasping, and my pulse quickening. I simply could not believe my eyes of what lay before me....you guessed it, a bag of honey cakes! O.M.G! I began speaking in some unknown language (well, at least to the honey cake lady) and started licking my lips, and began clapping my hands like the little wind up monkey with the symbols.

Rubbing my fingers together to mimic 'money' I asked how much? She replied by holding up 10 fingers. I squealed with delight reaching for my money. I think she must have suffered a wave of disappointment realizing the money that 'could' have been made, for I am sure she could see from the crazed look in my eyes that I would have paid far more just to get my hands on this delectable treat.

While walking into the sweet shop next door I almost knocked the quiet little sales girl over. I didn't see her nor hear her - all I could hear was the rustling of my honey cake bag as I struggled to open the knot that had been tied in the bag. At last I had success and popped a piece in my mouth. Aaah, It was all I remembered it to be!
Earlier, when leaving my massage, I had a young man approach me with a pedi-cab. He said he could take me to Tian'anmen. I asked how much, he held up 3 fingers and said, "Tree". Knowing it most likely meant 30 kuai vs- 3 kuai, I still thought it was worth the price if only for the experience of riding through the streets of Beijing on the back of a bicycle. I asked 3 more times to be sure and we went through all the motions and practically did everything but kiss to seal the deal.

I hopped onto the 2 person seat on the back of the bicycle and we took off. It was lovely. We have a very nice day happening today and the wind in my hair felt great. He asked if I wanted to go through the hutongs on the way (the old chinese living quarters - they are leveling most of them) and I said, "sure." He explained the names of the roads, how to say them etc. When we reached Tian'anmen I asked if he could take me across the road to the market (it was easier than navigating the underground walkways), he smiled and said yes. He was just the nicest guy.

My favorite moment was at a stop light when he reached in his pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. He lit one, turned around and said, "You want smokey-smokey?" I said "No thank you, I just recently quit." I figure my one cigarette moment in the tea shop justified my beginning and ending of smoking. Everyone was smiling as we went by and other pedi cab operators smiled and said things to him in Chinese. I thought they were happy he had a fare. I thought to myself, "This guy is so nice, I'm gonna give him a tip."

When we stopped at the end of an alley, two men came and stood by the bicycle. He walked me to the end, told me where to go shopping and smiled. We walked back to his pedi-cab and I reached in and got the 30 Kuai, and was reaching back in for the tip when he said "No, wrong amount...it is 3..............300!" I was so pissed! I had read about this in my guide books. He pulls out a card that shows 300. He then says, "it is hot day, a lot of work." I told him adamantly that was not the price agreed upon and he showed me the card again. I said, "You should have shown me the card earlier."

I was so angry I didn't quite notice the two men closing in on us. They are obviously his partners, there to convienience you to turn over the money. I looked at all of them and then got in his face and shook my finger and said, "You are a very bad person! In America we don't lie to each other and hurt people. You should be ashamed of yourself." He couldn't look me in the eye. I Turned and he said, "Just give me 100 then." I turned back around and said, "No. I told you 3, and I was gonna give you a tip. You should have listened to my agreement." And I stormed off!

It took a few minutes to find my way to where a taxi could pick me up, but in the meantime - I had the most amazing things happen. In the back alleys of the Hutongs I found 2 separate shops that openly had Christian messaging on the fronts of their stores. You can see the attached pictures. I also heard the most amazing sound, I thought it was a Diabolo I was hearing a child play with. I noticed though that the whistle came in waves. Every time I heard it there was a flock of pigions flying above me. When they circled back around, I heard it again. I looked and could see small little objects attached to their wings. It would catch the air, funnel it through and make the coolest whistling sound.

After a while I hailed a taxi and began the journey to the hotel. I had noticed a magazine rack on the back of the passengers seat and I decided to take a peek. There was a copy of The Taxi Times. I found that quite hilarious. Kind of like Skymall on the airplanes.

Tonight is dinner with friends. I think back on my day. A 2 hour massage, a bicycle ride through town, a rip off artist and whistling birds. I can't say it was a bad day, and in the end it led me back to an old lost love. So yeah, it WAS good to be me today :)