Dr. Vincent said that he admired Doug and I for our perseverance. It was a nice compliment but I feel like it also gave me a reputation that I had to live up to.
I’ve had some awful painful blisters and I’ve been having an ear ache too. Pair those two things with walking all day and being refused at a town’s only hotel and we’ll, it just got me down and I wanted to quit. Then yesterday we walked through 13 miles of nothing but one marble/granite/stone warehouse after another on bother sides of the highway. They were literally one right after another for 13 miles. It was noisy and congested and my ear hurt and my feet hurt and it was ugly and trucks were honking and I wanted to get on a bus and take it all the way to Shenzhen. But then I remembered -I’m a perseverer not a quitter damn it! I don’t quit! So, we kept on walking and eventually we found a nice hotel. They had a world map on the wall and asked us to point out where we were from and then we gave then a California sticker.
This morning we had a lovely walk. We are back in the countryside now and it’s as pleaseant as can be. We shuffled into a town called Gaoyao at about 10:30 and I absolutely love it here. Everyone is so friendly! They all say hello to us and smile and wave and laugh and are helpful and kind.
We checked into a hotel, cleaned up and went to get some lunch. A man at a table next to ours was with his grand son. I think the child was maybe a year and a half. He sent the boy over to our table with a cigarette to give to Doug. Doug reached his hand out to accept it and the little boy reached up and stuck the cigarette in Doug’s mouth and then shook his hand. A second later he came back with a lighter.
After lunch Doug and I walked down the street to a little clinic to have a doctor look at my ear. The doctor and staff were very kind and I got a shot of antibiotics, some pills and some drops and all totaled ithe only cost me 28 kuai or $4.30. The doctor said I should be better in two days.
10 Responses to “Perseverance”
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You DO persevere Micae! I’m imagining you limping along and being sent away at the inn. Did you find a manger to lie in?
It’s wonderful to know good people are naturally inspired to give to strangers – you always find the silver lining even if it rains shitstorms you still move forward.
Good on ya
Thanks Krista. We have been the recipients of amazing generosity. Someone even gave Doug some money even though he did his best to refuse it. We have found people to give it to. People who really need it. Homelessness is rrally rare here but we still see it. It’s the mentally ill who slip through the cracks. We have seen three men wandering around completely naked and eating trash. These are people we try to help. We just keep on trying to pay it forward.
If it was easy, everybody would be doing it…and what’s the point. Hippolyte persevered to death! You are cut from the same material…Rise above the difficult parts…You are a Martinet! And you are carrying a great many of us with you! See the end goal and let that warm light guide you to Hong Kong!
Thank you Artie! I will remind myself of that. I’m sure Hippolyte suffered from some lesser malladies too. I often wonder about his trip across the north African desert. I read a book about a man who rode a camel on a desert caravan. It sounded like a nightmare.
You go girl, this an adventure.
Thanks Dan! It is an adventure indeed! I’m so glad that your brother is willing to share it with me. He’s such a trooper.
Thnx for thinking of us back here and your generosity. My Controller asked who you were. I love telling the story of your finishing Hippolite’s quest. Here’s to your enjoyment and no more pain. Our great-great uncle of Plessy vs Ferguson fame, Louis A. Martinet,when asked, would respond, “Why do i do this? Because I’m built this way.” God speed!
I love that quote! I mention uncle Louis in the book and I even include that quote. That’s the nice thing about self publishing. I don’t have to worry about an editor cutting that bit out.
We got this baby!
Ya we do!