I have only been in China for a little over a week when I find out an old friend is on assignment in China and will be in Beijing soon. We connect on the Internet and say we will try to meet up. I have known Rob for almost 30 years. We were best of friends and worked along side each other as photographers. He is a passionate photojournalist and I think we always brought out the best of each other when we were on staff at the San Diego Union-Tribune. Even before that we would look at each other’s photographs in the papers we worked for and would critique the work. I always kept in mind that someone was out there looking at my work so I better do a good job. After he left the UT for the Los Angeles Times, we started to drift apart; not because of any rift at all just things got busy. I became director of photography in San Diego and was caught up in the newfound pressures of the job and he was working to establish himself in a competitive staff in LA. It had been 10 years since we talked face to face. How odd that we would travel half way around the world to hang out.
While we walk to a restaurant, I am approached by a beautiful woman, who starts talking to me. I miss the first couple words but pick up “lady bar? Massagee?” It takes me a few seconds to realize what is going on. She is trying to divert us to a place where you don’t really get a massage; you get a masaaaageeee which I am told is code for prostitution. I nicely decline. Rob and I go on to a dinner
It was great to see him and we picked up right where we left off. Like I had just seen him a week ago. Caught up with stories and talked about our kids who are grown up. Those bonds are still there and I am grateful for that. The only negative is that he hasn’t aged a day so I may have to destroy him but that will come later. I feel more and more comfortable in my surroundings and having Rob here just adds a great touch to being in country. Suddenly I don’t feel alone at all. I am just a long plane ride away. Rob has been to China twice now. Once, to cover the Olympics and this time for a series of stories around China. He doesn’t speak Mandarin. We talk about the foibles of trying to get around. He is able to hire a fixer or translator for his assignments but employs the old –have the concierge at the hotel write your destination on a card for the cab driver trick- when he doesn’t have access to the translator.
After a few drinks, we decide to try a complex and dangerous maneuver. Both get in a cab and try to get the driver take us to two different locations. This is a move that is usually done but people with far more experience with the language. We decide that Rob’s hotel is closer to where we are so he used his card. The cab driver studies the card as if he is carrying the Holy Grail to its final destination. Then he seems confident and off we go. After some time Rob is relieved to see some landmarks that indicate we are indeed heading to his hotel. We say our goodbyes then with confidence, I rattle off my destination and hope for the best. We make it home. A night well spent and I promise myself that it won’t be 10 years till our next meeting.
Yes the fireworks are still going on.
I read an interesting fact in China Daily this morning. Apparently they are blaming fireworks for an increase in fires. Hmmmmmmmmm. Shocking! I wonder how millions of people setting off fireworks from their front doors and alleys could possible start a fire or two. Actually they sited that firefighters fought 5,945 fires in a 32 hour period. Last year firefighters fought 7,480 fires across the country during the entire seven-day spring festival. I sense a new campaign coming with Smokey the Panda asking people to be responsible with their sparklers. I am immune to the booming sound now. It is just background noise. It is kind of nice to see that kind that light show every night.
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