Why I was tempted to buy a cow in China...

I was so elated! I had found real creamer (for coffee) and real mozzarella cheese (for whatever!) in Guangzhou, China. I quickly bought them!   Overcome by joy!   I didn't think about the long trip back and the 90 degree weather outside.

They would have been safe from damage except I felt the compelling urge to buy a digital camera for my lessons at school.   I then I tried to buy an MP3 player.   But it was so pretty.

After two hours in my backpack in the humid Guangzhou night air, my packages had begun to...fade. Hoping to lengthen their life span, I took a quick detour to Starbucks.    I asked them for two cups of ice.

I packed the items in them as if they were my own children.  You would have thought I was transporting a live heart for an organ donation. I smiled to everyone and thanked them for their compassionate looks. 

Maybe I saw compassion but they saw a wide-eyed, crazy, American redhead who had lost her marbles in the insane SE Asian heat.  Balancing a backpack, a shopping bag, a map, a purse and a bus schedule--that kept coming in and out of her purse--along with now two cups of venti ice, she looked like this was normal.   All she needed now was an ice cream cone and then 8 flutes to juggle.

I had had a stellar day otherwise in the city--finding things, buying things, getting places, seeing sights, all breezily.  I was feeling very confident with my bags and cups. However, when I saw that my ice had melted just by walking to the bus station, I gave up.

 I let go of my dear purchases.   Without a decent burial, I placed my treasures in a nearby trash can hoping a local beggar might discover them.

But what local beggar is going to be excited over mozzarella? Would he even recognize the luxury value of real cream if he tasted it? It would have given me joy if that could have been arranged.  But it could not.

I made my way home not too disheartened.    If I had found them once, I would find them again.   They would appear when I least expected it.  And I would be ready.

All was not a total loss, however.   For there in my backpack, where my dairy creamer should have been, was a pink Cannon Powershot camera,  next to a jewel-green MP3 player.