Thirst

 

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Thirst

My name is Cheng.

I come from Chengdu in China.

It sounds like a joke, but it is true.

People do joke with me when I say this and say that I must have a ‘can-do’ spirit.

I think this is true.

They say the proof is in the pudding. I would prefer a dumpling, but we still have to eat.

I eat later. First this morning I walk the walk.

They also say talk is cheap, but I have never tried to buy it.

It’s a funny language this English.

I walk every morning before I eat. It cleans the body and pumps the blood.

I must remain true.

I think ‘staunch’ is the word I hear people use. Like so many of these words it can have a double meaning. Strong and stop!

Like the marching and guarding, but I keep going round the blocks.

The habit is in the blood.

My training was healthy.

For the army. PLA.

I served as a young man when I took orders.

Now I give and take different orders.

My style is obvious if you have seen soldiers on our patrol.

I cannot walk any other way. It is efficient for the body. And soul.

A beautiful morning. Fresh. The air clean. Not like China.

I am lucky to have this freedom. And to share it with my wife.

To live it as my life.

I must remain true.

Now I think of congee. I can almost taste it. She is a good wife.

We will drink tea together and sing with the birds in the garden.

This is a good life. Why spoil it?

I am spoiled.

This is a good community.

Soon it is Chinese New Year. The year of the dog.

We will be ready to celebrate.

Wang wang. Woof woof.

We have Shih Tzu. This sounds like something else if it shits you.

Ahh ha ha.

Why do so many people have big dogs? They scare me.

This is not security state.

It is a sign of insecurity.

Like big car or loud bike.

We have what we need and know what we did not have.

Yin and Yang.

The culture is popular now.

Like fireworks!

Food always brings people together.

Food also means struggle. To live without.

Now we have plenty.

All good like the locals.

We are citizens too!

We have taken our medicine and now TCM is on the corner.

All the malls and plazas.

Not a needle in a haystack. Ahh ha ha. Smile at the man from India.

He also follows the path.

We share common good. They call it the common wealth.

Three new words: autocrat, oligarch and plutocrat.

Sounds like another dog.

Or rat. Another sign.

They are in the the news.

Real news, not fake. Not twitter.

Reminds me of old and new. Capitalism.

With Chinese characteristics.

I left after Deng and Tiananmen.

I miss Rudd. He could speak for us.

Falun Gong.

The state is hungry.

Greedy.

First the Nansha Qundao Islands.

Then Diaoyu.

Now it wants to take from the sea land and build runways.

This is one way why I walk. To make peace in the air.

In breath.

We have forgotten to breathe.

Also how to be still.

Too much to compete with.

Even here the new money buys empty property like a promise.

More cheap talk. And I walk and walk…

The eyes and ears hear and see what we are told we fear.

Influence. This is expensive.

Look at Dastyari.

It’s a bad look.

Told what to think and believe.

New money buys the education and must show fapiyao for the dream.

Proof for the professor.

Who reports on him? Who reports on you?

Xi like a cry, a sigh of disbelief.

My English is better. My tutor will be a relief.

Not too busy thinking. And I walk and I walk…

Wait. Too far?

How many steps am I away?

I could get a counter for my wrist, but it would not tell

Me the right time to return.

In time for what? Lychee in the mouth as I head west?

Still I walk and I walk, each step another reason to go on.

I know from the inside the temperature of the day.

Michael Haward.

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