Perspective
Getting out of Penny’s Place went smoothly. Why would it not? They are lovely people, the housekeeper is lovely, the guest all have a story, it is quiet, and I can have the time to stay in touch with my inner self. The uber driver was efficient, the check-in person with Cathey got the luggage tags correct – thru to ROC and confirmed my Hindu Vegetarian meals. (I find is the safest on long flights). Got my three boarding passes and thru immigration is seconds. Last Canyon Coffee..
The flight to HK was good, I listened to my Ajahn Chan teaching audio and two hours went zip (Already knew no TV). Got through immigration in HK and found a cart for my backpack and purse… and an elevator to second floor… 88HK $ for Popeyes….ok ok but I just did not want noodles. They did not post the gate for a long time…waiting for Boston to open for international arrivals. Gate 3…hip hip. Watched Churchill, Billboards, Murder on Orient Express, and a sexy French movie with subtitles. Two meals…and few westerners…I ate my Hindu, and the others ate noodles. My seat was the envy of all. Only one on the plane…second row, aisle…with nothing but aisle in front of me. Three toilets for 2/3 plane and the many of the noodle folks were taking a long time ….I was #11 in line.. and was using my mental vision powers to think of the desert or sand or some dry condition, so I did not focus on … I really have to relieve myself.
Shot through customs… only had to put my passport though once. Two bags came out…and the cart was free in Logan.
Problem. No check-in person for the transit bag. Lufthansa was arrogant and non-helpful. It is now going on 11pm and tired and expecting this to go smoothly. I tried calling etc. and finally a supervising person came thought and said. No one here go to info. When I got to info, I was not as patient as I could be, but she said nothing, and so I repeated my request…and her response ..be patient, I am trying to help you. She could have been playing video games. If she would have said… I’ll see what I can do… I would have been quiet… but assuming her silence was to convey she was in action. I will think of how I can do this differently. But I was 19 hrs. in the air and tired. Info lady got three people to help me, and they found someone else to take the bags rather than tote to the motel. I admit I used the I am old would you do this to your grandmother. I think info lady would or she did not like her grandmother, does not like her job and should not be in the people business. How is that for judgmental
Problem. Called Best Western. No shuttle – airport closed. The line for the few taxis was long. Someone shouted best western this taxi and then suggested I crawl under the metal rail to get to the cab. I am tired and forgot I had the backpack. I laid on the metal bar of the fence for what felt like hours as the many passengers pushed the backpack under the top rail and my sausage body was free again to stand up. This is not the time to think this is a hysterical position to be in…but I would have given my socks for the video. 11pm,snow-covered roads, tired, the line of passengers and this short chunky 78 yr old woman is trying to push the body and backpack under a 2-foot opening. I laugh not writing about it. Shared a ride with a woman also on the HK flight. Fortunately, she knew where she was going and got us to BW Adams. $40 each was a little high, but what the hell and in a storm grateful he was out. Check-in…ok but pub closed…nothing open – watched the news and ate my last Blue Diamond cookie and passed on the caffeine tea.
Problem. Some where along the line I lost my folder with the hotel info and my page of passwords. My guides say… it is in the trash… I will trust that but there is nothing I can do except watch that no one tries to get into my account and charge too much.
I have a 10am shuttle ride to airport…so I want to put a few things down…ooops, there is someone waiting at the airport and could I go early… fine. Now at airport.
Story One – As I waited at Penny’s, a guy who lives there but I have only said hello to…( there are about 7 long term non Asians in the building) . He rides a bike and carries a blue backpack. So as I am leaving and both waiting for the Uber, we chat. Has taught English all over the place – Africa, Kuwait, etc. at the high school and college level. From Canada, but has been on the road for about 20-30 years. Twice a week he is picked up by songtow and taken to an animal rescue operated by vets without boarders at Hong Kong. He goes from 9 until 2 and walks dogs. His favorite can climb a 6 foot chain link fence. His love of the dogs was apparent and his joy in this “job” was on his face. He lives a simple and happy life. He was a very good looking man who appeared to walked away from his ego and was just a nice addition to life. He also made staying longer. He doesn’t want, is not asking for anything, stays simple, but we ended up talking Robert Frost and that if anything happens, we are fine. I look forward to my return and more connection with Kevin.
Story Two – As I was munching my scrambled eggs, Tate tots, and bagel this morning. A woman with a cane came in and sat down with her coffee. I watched her fight with the creamer container. I feel that I fight with the plastic bags and container all the time. Earlier coffee container for the in-room coffee and the plastic around the ear buds. I did not offer to help, but smiled at my identification. The clean up person (don’t tell DJ….she is Spanish speaking), Elsa Breakfast said the tag. I asked if her last name were breakfast… she laughed and the coffee cane lady laughed. That was my intro so I asked if she got to the motel because of the storm. Well yes, her house just down the road about a mile was flooded by the storm. I asked which river and she laughed and said …the ocean. Her hair needed a comb and she had what my mother would call kmart sweatpants. We talked and her sister and brother-in-law who lived on the first floor lost everything. She lives on the second floor but had to farm our her 12 yr old white dog and three cats. We talked of the stuff we collect and she said, the only thing she missed was her dog. She is trying to find senior living and the city is paying the bill at the motel This is a real safety net for this woman who lived in the house for 30 yrs and now in her late 70’s is living in a charity situation in a motel. I wanted to jump in and fix it… This is only a tip of an iceberg of a bigger fix. Many people are doing ok… getting by .. and then comes the tidelwave… and they are on the other side of the poverty and needy. I just returned from riding my scooter and massage and smiles.. and and and. Thank you for my life choices that allows me to be were I am.
Story Three – the van driver has been working for Best Western - $11 an hr, no vacation, no insurance, no sick time for five years. He also works at a nursing home part time. The Best Western was recently purchased by a foreign company and they put a governor in the van to monitor where they go and how long it takes them. This was his straw and an insult to his integrity. He is also working at a nursing home part-time with some benefits and it is time to change. He has a wife and kids and when there is a storm and he does not work, no income.
Story Four – There are two stories here, first the bar tender at the airport bar. This is par-time for him and he works at the Marriot for the other job. He was the first employee at the downtown Marriot and is not their oldest employee. He met the Marriot senior and junior and for his 25th yr, they gave him a travel card for anywhere in the word. The Marriot has recently acquired three more chains. So he and his wife take a nice expense paid vacation each year. Two men, same age in the service business. How are they treated and what is the impact oneself worth.
Story five – I sat next to a woman eating a bagel and having a bloody mary. My kind of woman. She has a road warrior look about her and so to pass the time we engaged in conversation. If you show some interest in others stories, it is rather amazing what you share with someone connecting with your life for a very short time. Many times it is with people that would like to know the rest of the story…or give me an update in a year. Sarah, was one of those. In reality, there is no way we will probably ever connect again. We both are only children and had older parents when we were born. Maybe what we might have thought was not such a great think gave us some traits that maybe common with children from this environment. As an old child, I had to learn that not agreeing with your friends and having an argument doesn’t really mean you will never talk again. But it also gives you a sense that you have to pay attention to your life, have some integrity and maybe you grow up thinking I need to take care of me. We both grew up Catholic and both have very strong work ethics that has lead to people seeking us out for employment. She is 32 and is on a good fast track at her company as director of project management. She met Jake 30, which I assume is for Jacob on Harmony and both knew the moment they met that they were good life travel mates. My guess is he is a CPA since he is Finance Director in his company and she has her MBA. They both work long hours but have a plan for not working forever. There was something solid about her and while she has been great strides toward integrity and respect, I get the feeling that she is just beginning on a long road to helping others be a little kinder to their work staff. She is the kind of person who would do a great service to teach others the stuff that is needed beyond the technical work of management - beyond the work spread sheets and how to help people be kind and be all they can be.
Story six– my story is not over, but I have much to take from the people I have met in the last day plus. I have much to be grateful for and as I said to Sarah, tell people who grateful you are to have them in your life and on your shared moments in time. The plane will board in an hour.. I need a coffee.
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