March 28, 2010: Mordor, a Mao, and Another Odd Bus Ride

If you felt that the Eye of Sauron felt a bit stronger Saturday, it was because my ring and I crossed over into Mordor. It was totally inadvertent, I assure you. My new personal assistant Leanne, a student-worker in the International Office and a total sweetheart, said she would take me to the biggest supermarket in Deyang. So Saturday morning, along with her friend Song, we embarked upon the bus. After a trip around downtown Deyang, we ended up at our destination…Wal-Mart!!! At home, I don’t go to Wal-Mart because of their corporate political outlook, anti-unionism, and exploitation of workers. But, well, we were there, and I didn’t think I should be rude to Leanne and Song. So I, in my Che Guevara t-shirt, entered the Gates of Mordor. I promise I won’t do it again.

Back in the Shire, after stowing my purchases from the Dark Side in my apartment, told Leanne and Song that lunch was my treat and they were to pick the place. They took me to have fish in a little place in the ‘hood. Each table had a whole in the center with a gas burner in it upon which a metal bowl sat. Seasoned oil in the bowl was brought to boil as a whole fish, chopped into pieces, was dropped in, along with vegetables. I was given a less spicy broth to put the pieces of fish and veggies in, but it was still HOT! Yes, Sichuan cuisine is spicy. It was good though. As we walked back to my apartment, Leanne said she wanted to clean it. Now my apartment needed dusting (I had bought Pledge and a dry mop in Mordor), but it wasn’t that bad (see picture). I figured it wasn’t a diss. Leanne is just that sweet and helpful. Have at it, I said. She and Song mopped and dusted the floors and furniture. I’ve met so many truly nice people in China.

How many people can fit on a Chinese bus? I found out the answer today – as many as the bus driver will allow! I rode downtown today on a double-decker bus (I stayed downstairs). Apparently school is also held on Sunday morning because there was a horde of kids leaving the big middle school on the route to downtown. A horde got on the bus. Yet our Ralph Kramden still kept letting people on the bus at the next stop, despite my telling him "Dude, enough already!" He stopped admitting more riders only when the door would not close. Yet another adventure in Deyang bussing which I survived!

I made amends for going to Wal-Mart by going to my preferred supermarket, “Deyang People Market.” Later, when strolling around a place which had a lot of knick-knacks, toys, sundries, and miscellanea, I found a Che Guevara coffee mug! Of course, I bought it. Wait, it gets better – I saw a mao! He came up to me as I “kitty, kitty-ed” and almost let me pet him.

Tomorrow, I introduce my students to Johnny Cash…