THE REWARD

Seeing as I got down to the hospital much earlier than was required for checking in at the front desk for my thyroid and chest CT scans, I got both of those done in record time, and split from the radiology department well in advance of the time I was supposed to be there for the second one. Plus I got some necessary paperwork done in a different department as well. Why, I was the very model of outpatient efficiency! So I treated myself to a pack of smuggled mainland ciggies and an early lunch.

I have made it a point after leaving a hospital environment to light up.
Either my pipe, or some ciggies bought in Chinatown.
Today's reward: 利群香煙。

Lei kwan heung yin. Profitable clusters, made in Zhejiang Province (浙江省 'jit gong saang'). Virginia type.


After lunch (紅燒斑球飯同奶茶), which was very good, I headed into the alley and lit up my pipe. Shortly after that I spied the bookseller crossing the street, and hurried to catch up with him. He was taking care of errands on the second day of his weekend, and we walked down to Sansome Street together, where I caught the bus back to my neck of the woods.

As you probably guess, I have never been even close to the factory where my Virginia type cigarettes were made. Some of my tea and porcelain comes from there, as did people I knew years ago. But to me it's part of the Ling Nan hinterlands, the area to the north of Hong Kong and Kwangtung. Brigands, rebel armies, and salt smugglers. And, along the coast, pirates.
Mountains, rivers, lakes, estuaries, and rainforests.
Tigers, kingfishers, malaria.

For some bizarre reason the British wanted to trade there, for which Hong Kong would be their base of operations. Instead, the Cantonese took their ball and ran with it, turning Hong Kong into a brash and thriving commercial metropole despite the best British efforts to have a nice sleepy colonial outpost. The local people benefitted enormously from the absence of Manchurians and official corruption, created their own business houses, and did things the British never intended them to. Manufacturing, movies, publishing houses, an entire record industry, plastics, real estate speculation .....


The hospital is excellent. Top notch treatment, efficient and extremely capable staff, within two blocks in any direction of lunch and unhealthy snacks including many high cholesterol items which I love, as well as at least a dozen brands of cigarettes not legally imported into the United States. It has ties with the oldest hospital in Hong Kong, and, very important for a Dutch American, there is truly exquisite roast duck and roast pork in easy walking distance, even with these crappy poor circulation legs. Mostly downhill.

Trust me, the roast meats are very important.

They immensely benefit the soul.
And healing processes.
As you know.



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