Socks in Beijing

I never intend to be late.  It just happens.  

My mom used to say it runs in the family – a reassurance and a curse. 

When flying, it is important to be on time so you do not need to rush or stress unnecessarily.  I like the calm of getting there with plenty of time.  I don’t like that feeling of panic that overcomes me when I am late.  Yet, it happens again and again - I’m late.

And all for trifle things.  In Beijing, it was a pair of socks and spray deodorant at a subway stop in the Business District, and, then in Dublin, it was a pair of reliable underwear purchased a second time to replace the stupid lace thongs that I’d accidentally bought the night before.  

My trip to Beijing was an 18-hour layover from Seoul to Los Angeles.  I was tired from the 10 days in Korea that I had just finished, walking everywhere, and I’d forgotten to pack several items in my carryon that I took to the Air BnB I stayed at in the Gaobeidian District.  The plan had been to get in, sleep, then wake up early to see the Forbidden Temple and Tiananmen which were five stops west from where I was staying.  But, I was exhausted, and the first snag hit was upon arrival into Beijing Airport from Seoul the night before.  I got confused by the signage and went the wrong way to exit the airport so was routed back to start all over.  This added an hour.  Then, I had to change Won for Yuan at the machine and find the subway entrance.  Finally, I got it all squared away and arrived at my destination at 930pm.  

My host’s mother relayed via her daughter that since it was summer holiday I should get up by 6am the next day to ensure I get in line for a ticket to the palace if I wanted to see it.  Again, exhausted.  So, I changed my plans.  Instead, I slept in and woke up to a breakfast of tea and toast with my host, observed her mom embroidering.  While chatting with my host who just so happened to be a psychologist in training who was applying to study in New York City the coming year, she had been a Mandarin Teacher before that.  We bonded over similar career paths, I was in the middle of my Master in Social Work program in the U.S., and our shared interest to see beyond our own nations and cultures we were born in.  She then took me to a Tao temple on the ancient riverway and a city park with amusement rides.  Then, I got on the train for the airport.  I didn’t see much but it was fine with me.  I didn’t have much money that year anyway as I was in grad school and this was a YOLO trip after a traumatic breakup.  

Also, time differences.  I forgot about time zones.  So, I stopped at the subway stop in the IBD hoping to go up to street level for a quick view.  I went into the convenience store in the underground stop, couldn’t find the stairs.  I got socks and spray deodorant - which I forgot to pack and was wearing my hiking shoes for too long barefoot. I wanted to be a good plane neighbor.  Back on the train, I saw the green trees spread out from the window and the massive blue Ikea.  The buildings popping up here and there.  I didn’t get to see a ton but for a short while I was on the ground in China seeing with my own eyes a small portion of this massive global city.  By the time I got to the airport I still thought I had time.  But again time zones.  I was late.  They stopped boarding.  The plane was leaving in ten minutes.  How did I get that so wrong!  So, I had to spend the rest of my day in the airport walking around passing the time until my 10pm flight.  In the end, it wasn’t so bad to have this time though it would have been better to have spent it out seeing Beijing - I did score a Chineasy book, a panda neck pillow, and lunch from a fast food chain popular in China named after Bruce Lee.  And those previously  noted socks.