Barbara J. Hamby

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A Little Excitement for a Change

Some good news, some a little sad. I just received an email from a writer who had asked me to contribute to a book she was working on. She is asking now for my mailing address so she can send me a copy of the book when it comes out, so I assume it is forthcoming.

The sad news is that a rental truck is being loaded with my favorite neighbors’ furniture as I sit here. They are such a sweet couple that I’ll miss them very much. Their daughter has decided that they should all get a place together so she can keep a closer eye on them. They won’t be far away, but we won’t see them every day any more, walking their cute little black dog. We wave to each other out our kitchen windows as we come and go in the parking lot.

They told me their place is already rented, but I didn’t see the people who took it, so will have to wait until they (or she or he) move in to see who our new neighbor(s) will be. There will probably be a delay while the management spruces up the place, so we’ll have to be patient.

I’m also trying to be excited about the Summer Olympics, but Beijing left a bad taste in my mouth when I stayed there for a couple of days a few years ago. The fact that I had a bleeding ulcer attack while I was there, was not the fault of the city, but the general ambiance was very depressing.

The “five-star” hotel where we stayed would probably not make three stars here. The carpet was water stained where, presumably, the oversized bathtub with no overflow drain, had run over. The beds were good and the furnishings elegant, but somehow it didn’t seem as clean as our facilities. Maybe it was the air quality that contributed to the gloomy mood and the gritty look.

Walking along the street by the hotel and watching the local pedestrians and bicyclists depressed me. Body English and facial expressions gave them a downtrodden look.

I was surprised to read, in this morning’s paper, that a Beijing citizen who is hanging out near the Olympic grounds, because at $80.00 a month wages, he can’t afford a ticket, stated that he didn’t agree with a reporter that too much was spent on the Olympics. “It’s our chance to party with the whole world,” he said—"they should have spent more.”