LOOK MAH, A BEAST!

For the first time in several weeks the weather is perfect. Low to mid sixties (°F), overcast, dull and grey, slightly wet. It started to rain as I was near the end of my pipe bowl, and was distinctly doing so after I finished and by the time I was up near the intersection. Rain, but almost apologetic about that. You could tell that its heart wasn't in it. So I was slightly damp at the shops, and the lady at the last one had pulled the sidewalk carts in to prevent the display getting wet. Not real rain. Sort of half a posterior's worth of rain.

It kept the tourists away, though. That was good.
Perhaps they melted. Except the Germans.
Germans are quieter than Latins.
Or Midwestern visitors.
Trimmer too.


While loitering after lunch I saw one of the local merchants carrying his cat while going to get something to eat. A patient animal, used to the concept. When he returned he put if down in front of the outside carts, where it wandered and lurked, on the look out for old ladies with petsome hands. I did not go over to stroke the animal because I was smoking.

I'll have to make its acquaintance some other time.

I briefly toyed with the idea of stopping somewhere for milk tea and a pastry, but one bakery is out of the question because of the cold old geezers, and another is on my tish list because of the apathy of the counter woman who would clearly prefer not to be bothered. And, as you know, I am an unlikable kwailo, so I don't count for much at some places.

To a certain extent I am often merely part of the landscape. Old trees on a golfcourse or something. At my favourite lunch spots they are always happy to see me, courteous and respectul, because I am not a Karen, speak the language and clearly read it too, and I like the people who work there. And I tip very well, because I want to be remembered favourably for the next time (and their prices are way too low in this economy). One's tip should always really be commensurate with the pleasure of being somewhere and the time spent, not so much the actual prices. The other day I spent nine dollars on food and tipped six dollars.

Because I was one of the last customers today, I tipped over sixty percent. Sorry, I'm not a full table, and I will take my time, but I thoroughly appreciate your hospitality.
As well as the calmness, attention, and "cleanth".


Cup of milk tea at home, no pastry.
And a Jinsheng cigarette.
From the stash.



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