What's the deal with cute old ladies?

by Matheus Moraes (Brazil)

Making a local connection China

A beautiful morning in Beijing called me to explore the city in the first week of August. It wasn't easy to get to the subway station with my eyes lost by the paintings of herons on home walls, metallic emblems on mysterious red doors and bracelets with smooth spherical green stones. Entering the main street, I notice that the striking architecture, with long illuminated lines, has been replaced by dedicated merchants and cooks, who somehow talk to me by eccentric smells. My goal was to visit a beautiful park and the majestic forbidden city, which for some reason thousands of people were allowed to enter. For the journey I took my energy, curiosity and a bottle of natural yogurt, which became my friend for the delicate porcelain packaging with reliefs of Chinese typography. Thinking about the adventures and colors of the previous night, I quickly arrived at the park, being surprised by the number of possible partners. On the day the park had a marriage market, in which parents present their sons and daughters as a great suitor for people in the place. Reading some files I found interesting people, but unfortunately none described an interest in magic tricks and juggling. After the park my glass of fresh tea emptied, and the streets with colorful bikes and cars were only filling up with rainwater. I barely arrived at the bus stop and was already completely soaked, with my hair dripping with water and heavy clothes from the cold rain. Arriving I noticed a person at the small bus stop, and so I stayed in the corner with my own wetness. Beside me was a small old lady with glasses, all dry, with a beautiful embroidered blouse and shiny shoes. With almost half my height, I felt her nudge me calmly, and when I looked, I realized that she was pointing at her little umbrella that she held so tightly. In addition to pointing she gave a slight lift to the left, showing that I was supposed to go down with her. Sincerely, I laughed at the situation, and already giving up trying to speak English, I tightened my shirt showing that my clothes had more water than fabric in their composition, besides lowering myself a little, showing that I would not fit in the umbrella. She gave a small smile, but really small, and stayed quietly looking to the street, while very slowly singing a Chinese song. Suddenly I noticed the umbrella floating towards me, realizing that she really wanted me to be there with her. I tried to show my soaked hair, but she looked at me seriously leaning on my arm. That look was too intense and striking, I just kept quiet and let her continue with her challenge. She finally stretched her entire arm up, and held it between us, while I realized she was getting rain so I wouldn't. In this way I started pointing at her unprepared legs, indicating that she would get wet, but she retaliated with that striking eye. In this way I was calm, wet, still, with the mysterious lady, while she sang the special song. We stayed like that for a long time, and I slowly calmed down, forgetting the rain, the cars, the past, and the future. We were mutually quiet and peaceful, from such a long distance to such close affection. I looked at the illuminated advertisements and glass buildings, wondering why she worked hard to keep me dry while getting wet. The arrival of her bus pulled me out of the trance, and while entering she looked at me with a warm smile, closing her umbrella, and going up for her journey. To this day, I think about the situation, and I believe it was a pure demonstration of compassion and affection, of making a little of herself kind for society, or she was just a crazy old lady. Anyway, in addition to learning about Chinese affection, I learned how to give a striking deadly eye, and I use it only in emergency situations. For all these reasons I love cute little old ladies, as they always have something to teach.