After spending an entire month in the UK, I’d almost forgotten how life can be here in this crazy city. Last night I arranged to meet my friend and financial adviser Mark for a quiet drink at the Fat Olive to catch up after a month away. He happened to bump in to some work people while waiting for me, so it ended up being a group of us.
After a few bottles of bubbly, I was more than ready to head home for some much needed sleep. Unfortunately, Mark is the kind of guy who won’t let you quietly drop out and he insisted quite forcefully that we move on to Laris, together with one of his colleagues. Not long after arriving, Mark realised he had lost his mobile phone, so he borrowed my phone to call his phone in order to try and retrieve it. The problem was, he then disappeared with my phone and after about 30 minutes I came to the conclusion he wasn’t coming back. His colleague was still with me, but announced that he was going to Bar Rouge to look for some of his friends who were celebrating a birthday. He also mentioned that it was a group of about twenty five 20 year old Asian-American exchange students, mostly female, so I thought the best thing was to stick with him so Mark could find me later to return my phone. While walking in to Bar Rouge, one of the girls on her way out suddenly asked “are you WoAi?”.
I confirmed that I was and it turns out she had just discovered my blog and commented for the first time earlier that day. That in itself was a pretty big coincidence, but she was also part of the big group of exchange students that Mark’s colleague and I were on our way to meet. They had had enough of Bar Rouge and were all leaving to go to Sky Club on Yu Yao Road.
So, off we went again, 25 or so people all jumping in to taxis in a race to the next club. I ended up in a cab with Jill (the girl who just discovered my blog) and Megan, whose birthday they were all celebrating (happy 21st Megan!). One of the protective guys in the group of youngsters spotted the two girls in a cab with this strange middle aged stranger and came running over screaming something like “who the fuck is that dude, yo?” before Jill reassured him “it’s okay, I know him”.
I have to admit, I was amused by the assumption that anyone who has his own blog cannot also be a serial rapist and axe murderer, but there you go!
So we arrive at Sky Club but Mark’s colleague is nowhere to be seen. Luckily, my new saviour Jill let me use her phone to track down Mark so I can scream down the line “where the fuck is my phone you bastard”.
There is a point to all this. It’s not the first time that I’ve started a night with one group of people in one place and ended the night at a completely different place with a completely different group of people. But I much prefer it this way, the feeling when you leave home that you never know who you’re going to meet or where you’ll end up.
October 16th, 2009 at 9:02 am
who was the middle aged dude ?
October 16th, 2009 at 10:56 am
My Thursday night consisted of the gym and then 3 downloaded episodes of “Curb Your Enthusiaism”
But then again, I’m not a middle-aged guy.
October 16th, 2009 at 10:56 am
A woman’s intuition is never wrong!
October 16th, 2009 at 11:16 am
Anthony – It was me of course.
T – Well we all have our quiet nights. Mine is tonight and I can’t wait!
Jill – Yes, but the intuition of 20 year old college girls is usually wrong :p
October 16th, 2009 at 12:29 pm
five 20 year old Asian-American exchange students, mostly female
The stuff of 3AM fantasies! Almost makes the life-threatening pollution worth it. By the way, have a look at the top right of Jill’s blog:
http://jill-doe.blogspot.com/
!!
Shopgirl now has a serious blogging rival. Let battle commence!
October 16th, 2009 at 3:49 pm
sounds like a nice way to return to shangers, woai!
October 16th, 2009 at 3:52 pm
@David – It was TWENTY five not five! And yes, there’s a new kid on the block.
@Angie – Well yes, a nice re-introduction to the life I’d almost forgotten about.
October 16th, 2009 at 5:12 pm
The way WoAi robs cradles, we should just be thankful it wasn’t 20 five-year old Asian American exchange students.
October 16th, 2009 at 6:48 pm
@david, ha ha. very funny, wishful thinking. that’s not my body, it’s some blogskin thingamajig. and shopgirl has been around for YEARS.. i love her blog!
October 16th, 2009 at 11:25 pm
@jill, are you saying shopgirl is old ?
October 17th, 2009 at 1:33 am
Wow, sounds like quite a night. I’d expect nothing less from the way Mark sounded when he called me. Why is it that every year when he calls to wish me happy birthday he’s always in a bar and always pissed? (By pissed I mean drunk. Just in case any Americans are reading this.)
October 17th, 2009 at 7:19 am
@Mike – Shopwho? We’ve forgotten her already!
October 17th, 2009 at 7:59 am
waah this makes me miss Shanghai! Nights like this don’t happen often (if at all) in sleepy Australia.
October 17th, 2009 at 12:12 pm
@mike, i refuse to be embroiled in this.
October 19th, 2009 at 9:41 am
T – Robs the cradle??? Moi???
Mike – Ouch I can’t believe how bitchy these young rival bloggers can be, LOL!
Rich – Yes, Mark and I always celebrate your birthday here in style. Maybe one year you could actually be here. That would be quite something.
Maxie – Come back to Shanghai, all is forgiven.
Jill – You’re no fun at all!
October 19th, 2009 at 11:16 am
Mais oui, monsieur. Le berceau. Jeunes filles and all that.
October 19th, 2009 at 11:18 am
T – I think you’re mistaking me for Roman Polanski.
October 26th, 2009 at 5:29 pm
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