Spain/China 2023, continuing (40)

[aadler]

Twenty-sixth day in China – August 06 Sunday

I woke somewhat after 8:30AM, immediately texted Kevin to ask about the day’s plans. He answered that Mass today would be at 2:00PM, so he’d be wanting to pick us up by 1:15.

I let Susan sleep, but then woke her before 11:00. Groggy, one of her first questions was about lunch; I said, “I’ll go get something,” took her phone and left mine (because her WeChat app works on telephone service, whereas mine only operates when it’s internet-connected), and went downstairs and then down the block to get us something from Burger King.

This turned out to be a problem. As I was on the way back, I noted that Kevin had tried several times to call (his mother’s phone, which I was carrying); I tried to call back, but his line was busy. When I got back to the apartment, Susan was on my phone trying to call me … but she turns her phone to silent when she sleeps, and I’d taken it pretty much as soon as she’d got up, so I’d never been aware of any calls. Kevin had arranged previously with Mei‑li to take Amber to her lessons today while he stayed back, and he’d planned to have lunch with us. (And, some of those plans had been communicated to us, but primarily to Susan, so I was a little surprised when my morning inquiry brought a response that didn’t include anything before 1:15, but shrugged and went on my way.) Kevin got his feelings hurt, Susan was annoyed with me for not remembering … well, everything would have gone easier if he had mentioned lunch when I first asked him, this morning, about today’s plans.

After our takeout lunch, we got ready for our church attendance, and went downstairs at 1:15PM. Kevin was already there, and he got us a taxi to take us to St. Therese’s, over in the Shekou district. He and Mei‑li were both in the choir, and we sat next to them; Susan went to confession before the Mass began, I just did a Rosary, and I remained in the pews when it was time to take Communion.

Another taxi back to the apartment when everything was over. Kevin was careful this time to fill us in on the evening schedule: a bunch of us — he and his family, Mei‑li and her family (plus Amber), and a friend couple and their daughter and parents — would be meeting at a restaurant for a meal at 6:30PM.

Susan and I rested (and both napped for a bit), but made ourselves ready to depart by 6:15. Downstairs, once again Kevin got us a cab …

Problem. Susan had decided that, since we were going door-to-door by cab, she’d leave the wheelchair and walk the intervening distance. Unfortunately, there was a glitch in Kevin’s travel app, and the place the cab dropped us off wasn’t quite right, and we had to cross two parking lots to get to where she needed to be. She was in substantial physical distress by the time we arrived (and Mei‑li was loudly aggravated with Kevin).

Everything after that went fine. Mei‑li’s brother Jack had come along with her parents, but the rest of the attendees were as I had understood. The ‘elder men’ passed out baijiu, in small pitchers so every drinker could replenish without having to go back to the bottle. The table itself, like at the Yins’ apartment, had a central rotating turntable, but the table and the turntable were both about four times bigger, and the turntable was motorized. Some of the dishes served to us were beef, but most of the rest were seafood of one type or another. Which made sense, since we’d passed tanks of various fishes and shellfish on the way in.

As the younger son, Kevin was assigned the duty of keeping my baijiu ‘cup’ filled; I told him privately that I’d like him to do ‘ghost’ refills on at least every third toast, because I knew I couldn’t hope to match Logan for alcohol intake and I didn’t want to be impolite. Jack apparently picked up on some of that, because partway into the meal he poured half my pitcher into his, so I didn’t have to take on as much. Additionally, he or someone else got the remainder at the end of the meal, because I’d estimate I probably drank, in total, maybe 25% of the little pitcher. Maybe the equivalent of five small drinks, but baijiu is very, very potent.

(Amber playing with the other couple’s little girl reminded me of something that happened at her birthday party. Kevin had asked her how well she’d done in speaking Spanish with one of her friends; he wasn’t satisfied with her reply, because he exclaimed, “She couldn’t speak Spanish?! She’s from Spain!” And Amber answered, quite crossly, “No, I said she wouldn’t speak Spanish with me.” This little girl has some personality and is willing to speak up for herself.)

Another cab to take us home, and because there were no complications this time, it all went smoothly enough. Kevin left for home as soon as he had us back in the apartment.

Susan went to bed almost immediately, and I not too long afterward.