I usually don’t let complete strangers hold my son on the side of busy streets. But yesterday’s events called for an exception. Meet Shen Jian Feng. She’s an angel. And if the Chinese were Catholic, she’d be a saint. Here she is letting Sam air out his sweaty back after being in his car seat for several hours. Poor little guy just wanted to breathe some of that fresh Beijing air. {Kidding. Beijing is the most polluted city in the world. I made that stat up, but I’m pretty sure it’s true.}
Beijing has terrible traffic. And rush hour is hell. From point A to B, at ten’o clock at night it took us 25 minutes. From said point during rush hour: 1.5 hours. I guess when you’re an American mom in China, and want a cab ride from one side of the city to the other during rush hour, it’s a perfect opportunity to swindle the poor lady {me}. But I wouldn’t have that. To make a long explanation short, three cab drivers were in cahoots with each other to have me pay an outrageous price for the drive. Since when did cab fees become negatioable? Don’t you just pay what’s on the meter? And after loading and unloading my stroller, son, and shopping bags out of three different cabs, I had enough and stayed in the third. Only to be driven a couple miles, have the negotiated price raised, me refusing to pay the raised price, and being dropping off on some side street with me and my son. Cue the tears.
Here I am. Lost in Beijing and clearly getting taken for a ride. No pun intended. I call up our good friend who speaks Mandarin, walk into Shen Jian Feng’s restaurant and hand her the phone with tears in my eyes. I wonder what it’d be like to see a young mom clumsily pushing a stroller and shopping bags, sweaty and teary-eyed, with tasseled wind-blown hair, walk up to you with a phone and want to talk with someone on the other end. She was explained my situation and helped. Again, an angel I tell you. Especially when it takes 30 minutes to hale a cab. I wish she would have taken that yuan. But I knew she wouldn’t. Instead I gave her a hug and our paths split.
Sweet little Sam all sweaty. And the Chinese STILL think he's too hot. No thank you. I'll go ghetto style with him a onesie.
As I was riding in the cab I was debating weather or not I should have just paid the extra money the cab driver dishonestly raised. When it comes down to it, it was only 8 US dollars. And I knew that at the time. But it’s a matter of principle…and I didn’t know he’d actually pull over and throw my stuff on the side of the street.
Lessons Learned:
-There is a universal understanding between women and mothers. {One French lady was also getting taken advantage of by the cab drivers. She helped me find a cab too (but he was the one that dropped me a few miles down). I wanted her to take it since she was first. But she said she doesn’t have any kids with her. And she’s not Chinese. Yeah, since something like this would NEVER happen anywhere else.
-Perhaps it’s okay to get taken advantage of.
Even though yesterday afternoon was a little hard, I’ve really been enjoying our time here. We’ve met some wonderful people through Mick’s work and our church. And for the most part, the Chinese are very nice and friendly.
I thought it only fitting to have Sam in his US jammies after a traumatic afternoon.
When we got home we cranked up the AC and took warm baths. Somehow the food gods told Mick I needed a taste of home, and to my surprise he brought home McDonalds (our communication is limited here). There we sat in our hotel room. Sam in his US jammies, me eating my six piece chicken nuggets with sweet and sour sauce and fries. If Sam would let me, I’d have a diet coke. But I settled with a sprite. Our little American family in the thick of Beijing. Life is good.
