Laundry with a View...a reflection by Connor

LAUNDRY WITH A VIEW

Walking forward I approach the large white door, smoothly it slides open. Entering the room a set of stairs looms out to me from the opposing side. Step by step they get closer. I know what waits for me;  it's not the first time I've made this journey and reaching the top of the stairs, bracing myself,  intimidation is a good description. Hmm... novelty, form, a  creature pounces by.

                The date is june 6th, well at least at the time I write this, and it has been around a week now on the other side of the world. In terms of it actually techinically being the other side of the world (from Buffalo) is debatable in my mind, thats neither hear nor there I guess as it is culturally a different side for sure.

                 A number of things don't surprise me though and my continuing need of coffee is among them. I guess in the land of tea that may sound a bit out of place and well honestly it is. Picture this--  Sweltering hot Chinese morning; people out in droves for holiday weekend; a bus packed so tight it's standing room only; me bouncing back and forth in sweat soaked clothes with one hand grasping a saftey rail: a cup of coffee in the other. Good stuff really.

I progress forward knowing the way in is not the way out. The slanted floor is just as it was left yet the intimidation, the precesence, is gone. Out I go and land with ease. As feet touch the ground the sky illuminates, a deadly cloud takes form, pins needles.

                The date is now June 7th, I'm sort of a lazy distracted writer and there is so much to be said; I find it hard to really express it all. At least two things are apparent though: 1. China has a beautiful culture with such a rich and complicated history that even getting little glimpses of it can be overwhelming 2. A massive metropolitan area is a massive metropolitan area whether it be in the United States or in China. I think there are a number of unwarrented assumptions and myths about the culture I find myself in now, it would be good to slowly unravel and dispel them.

I recover unscathed and stand up. Behind me is the large white door but instead I walk  in the opposite direction. Moving forward the creature, a cat, approches. I jump and remain suspended. It runs back and forth underneath, one side it is white the other side it is black.

                Aparently I'm not only a lazy and distracted writer but also a lazy and distracted submiter as it is now June 13th. Sorry for the spaceyness, there is a lot of tea to drink and what not.