Wobbles

27^th Jan – Wobbles & Scrapes

Had a bit of a wobble this week – actually a wobble, skid and smash as I fell off my bike! There are war wounds, a particularly disgusting scabby knee and a couple of gauges to the hands have allowed me to call myself a brave soldier on several occasions and evoke the pity of anyone passing who looks vaguely like they’d be interested in having my knee thrust upon them for close inspection. Fact is, it really meant that for an evening, perhaps and afternoon and an evening, I felt a tad dreary. Potentially it was homesickness because that tends to descend swiftly when one becomes vulnerable, or perhaps the fact that in the UK the man walking past when I crashed would have deftly avoided collision (as the Chinese gentleman did), then perhaps attempted to help me up, at least check that I was not overly harmed. This one, however, just looked at me blankly and continued walking. It’s a different place, a different reaction and they have different laws regarding suing apparently. I was clearly not going to die though, so it was unlikely he’d get stumped with a ‘blood money’ payment or suchlike – still, I don’t know the law so mustn’t speculate – he was but one man. I was just a little thrown (pardon the pun) and again questioned whether what I had assumed was an intrinsic reflex, that of jumping to the aid of a splayed cyclist, was in fact learned behaviour.

Anyway, that said, if anything is going to lift the spirits more than a beautiful cape of beautifulness, I think you’d have a hard time proving it! I have a beautiful cape of beautifulness and I’d go so far as to say that when I am wearing it – no! When I am putting it on (it requires a delicate but firm swoosh across the shoulders before securely fastening a button about the neck), it makes all woes seem irrelevant niggles and sets all things straight.
As well as collecting my beautiful cape of beautifulness, this week has also been fairly productive – I made another trip to Ikea so my home is being realised; I tried on my new Chinese dress which is being custom made – oh, yes it is! I also got absolutely smashed on cocktails when out with a couple of colleagues and proceeded to fall on my arse when the curb appeared a little too early and I had not the coordination to rectify the balance issue before me.

So that’s about it, a week involving two falls, only minor injury (more to pride than body), a brand new magical, beautiful cape of beautifulness and the promise of a dinner date with an ex colleague which will undoubtedly be entertaining. All is still good in the Shanghai hood and my bicycle and I remain firm companions although we’ll perhaps be a little suspicious of each other for a short while.