tears and panic in the wal-mart.

Today Gary and I, with the help of our friend Harry, ventured to Wal-Mart to buy some necessities. Everything was going well....we were enjoying meandering through the aisles and attempting to decipher pinyin (side note: The Chinese Wal-Mart is fascinating, clean, and consumer-friendly....oddly, an enjoyable experience). After we had found almost everything we needed, we headed to the produce section to pick up a few bananas. I chose four bananas, placed them in a plastic bag and headed to the counter where I could have my fruit weighed and priced. As I walked to the counter, I looked down at my wallet...clenched under my arm. I stood in line for about 30 seconds and then glanced down at my wallet again....it had disappeared. I frantically searched my basket and ran back to the banana stand. Panic swept over me. The only other time I felt this utter dread was when I lost Garreth at Disney World. Even though Gary, the Wal-Mart staff, and Harry were trying to help me, I resigned to disappointment and sadness....I knew my wallet, cell phone, apartment and office keys had all been stolen. Moreover, I have always understood that unless divine intervention plays to your advantage, once you are pick-pocketed in China, you must simply count your losses.

Of course, it was bad enough that I lost my cell phone, keys, and more than 300 kuai. However, as I stood crying in the center of the produce section, it seemed like every Chinese person ceased shopping and simply stared at me. After all, being blond draws enough attention....but being blond, unable to speak Mandarin, and sobbing in the middle of a Wal-Mart in China is an even greater show!