Last Thursday, on my way to the train station to catch the train to TV Land, I got caught in the rain. Not just any rain, a friggin' mini-monsoon. I don't know exactly how much rain fell, but it started around 4, and by 6, our car engine had stalled (the driver was trying to drive through three feet of water) and I ended up getting out and walking the last quarter-mile to the train station in water which, at best, came only to my knees, my suitcase over my head. I had to laugh: it was still raining, I had my big Michael Kors bag with a laptop stuffed in it (that bag holds EVERYTHING and still looks great) plus an Eddie Bauer All Weather Rolling Suitcase which I balanced on the top of my head and I was slipping in my hideous little Crocs. I kept thinking, "Am I going to die in a riptide in downtown Beijing?" Seriously--there were eddies, waves, currents in that water--even a vicious undertow at one point. The water came up to my crotch and I was wet from head to toe by the time I sloshed into the train station. Did I mention this was raw sewage plus rainwater? Since I had very few extra clothes with me--just a little black dress I had planned to wear for the final event, and a different shirt--I spent the next few days in the LBD, trying not to show my arms too much (it's sleeveless) except to people like The Rose who has so little sexual interest in me that I could probably run around in a dish towel and two pasties and all he'd say is, "Did you cook anymore potatoes? Ah, they were lovely, really lovely," and mean it.
By the time I got to the hotel I was dry, although my clothes were stiff with sewage. I showered--declined an invitation to join others at a banquet--and went straight to bed. I woke up the next morning with the worst allergies ever and spent the day snuffling in The Rose's ear, making him regret having arrived at the train station hours before I did. Irony: had I taken a taxi straight from the place where I lived--and skipped going to Beijing to meet him at the high-speed train--I would have avoided the rain altogether and smelled a lot better too.
Two things to note here: my Michael Kors bag kept my computer dry, even though it doesn't fasten across the top, and it still looks great, even after a year of using it as a bookbag. (Must get inside pocket zipper fixed.) Second: That Eddie Bauer suitcase, while soaking wet on the outside, kept everything inside nice and dry, including the LBD, my good shoes, and my new Kobo e-reader. So--no complaints, really. Buy quality, that's what I'm saying, because you never know when life will slam you straight into a tropical storm and leave you to bail yourself out and still be camera-ready when the red light turns on.
Could I use this to justify buying myself a really nice piece of jewelery? Or, maybe a really good umbrella? If I HAD brought my umbrella--I couldn't have used it as I needed both hands to keep 29 pounds of luggage over my head. So it all worked out, although I could have used a better LBD. It just didn't live up to the promise of the handbag and shoes.
By the time I got to the hotel I was dry, although my clothes were stiff with sewage. I showered--declined an invitation to join others at a banquet--and went straight to bed. I woke up the next morning with the worst allergies ever and spent the day snuffling in The Rose's ear, making him regret having arrived at the train station hours before I did. Irony: had I taken a taxi straight from the place where I lived--and skipped going to Beijing to meet him at the high-speed train--I would have avoided the rain altogether and smelled a lot better too.
Two things to note here: my Michael Kors bag kept my computer dry, even though it doesn't fasten across the top, and it still looks great, even after a year of using it as a bookbag. (Must get inside pocket zipper fixed.) Second: That Eddie Bauer suitcase, while soaking wet on the outside, kept everything inside nice and dry, including the LBD, my good shoes, and my new Kobo e-reader. So--no complaints, really. Buy quality, that's what I'm saying, because you never know when life will slam you straight into a tropical storm and leave you to bail yourself out and still be camera-ready when the red light turns on.
Could I use this to justify buying myself a really nice piece of jewelery? Or, maybe a really good umbrella? If I HAD brought my umbrella--I couldn't have used it as I needed both hands to keep 29 pounds of luggage over my head. So it all worked out, although I could have used a better LBD. It just didn't live up to the promise of the handbag and shoes.
You definitely need to invest some good cash in a LBD or two - one for outrageously formal occasions and one for everything else. Glad to hear you only suffered allergies and no e. coli infection. Keep on Truckin'
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