Shootout at The Black Bright
Met the owner. His name is Hei Liang literally meaning Black Bright. Now we should have no problem remembering the name. He busted out a very nice camera and indicated that the photos on the walls are all his work. He is an amazing artist with his camera. He took some great staged photos of Jed and I that we hope to see down the road. Maybe we’ll make the walls. In fact it turns out we’ve met him several times. It is usually just Jed and I and the two bartenders and the owner and his wife. There is also this one gal we see there but it never seems to have any customers other than Jed and I.
Until last night. We had been there for about 3 drinks when a group of middle aged men came in. After a quick glance I turned to Jed and told him that two of them were trashed. They pushed a couple of tables together and busted out their own liquor and it wasn’t long before we had to join them. I resisted and hung at the bar for a while but Jed jumped right in. He was talking to one of the super trashed guys who was flying with the, “Fuck America”‘s and “China! China!”‘s. Jed was giving as good as he was getting but of course the guy didn’t really understand. Probably a good thing. I could only stay away so long and joined them in drinking some of the nasty hooch they had brought. Since I was right between Jed and our very Red drunken friend I soon was back at the bar. Pretty quickly a couple guys were there with me buying me a cigar. I’m really not into it but, you know, being amicably social sometimes requires adjustments. Plus at least you don’t inhale a cigar. After a few puffs on my stogie Hei’s wife comes up on me and says, “bye-bye”. It suddenly seemed a very good idea for us to leave. Promptly. I turned to grab Jed and we settled up and were out the door. She came out and said, “tomorrow-tomorrow” to encourage us to come back. We’re thinking a day off might not hurt.
We found a great noodle soup place right around the corner that we will be going back to and then went back to the apartment where Dan was waiting. I had left Cool Hand Luke out for him and a note that we’d be returning from a quick run to the internet cafe around 1800 or 1900. Turns out we got distracted and made it home closer to 2200.
On Dan. Dan is Eeyore. If you are reading this then you have some idea what I’ve been through so far and having an Eeyore roommate is pretty exhausting. I can’t really figure out why he is here what with all his constant bitching about, “communism, marxism and Chiang Hai-shek”. Yup, he doesn’t even get the name right. I know it is me nit-picking but he tries so hard to look and sound smart only to not. He is one of those tiring 24-going-on-14 that we’ve all known. Jed and I were shocked recently to return to the apartment to find that Dan was out and he had locked the door to his room. C’mon, man. He won’t eat from street vendors for fear of getting sick. Ok, maybe that isn’t too crazy but I came here to experience China. Alright, enough Dan. Despite him, I’m trying to make the most of this.
We may try to head to the Yungang Caves today to get some sightseeing in before the Holiday ends. May even take Dan.
– O