The Diary of Anne Ku
27 July 2000 Thursday 20 C cloudy
THE HOMECOMING
The overnight flight from New York was surprisingly short. Reality hit me as I saw the clouds below. It was another cloudy day. So typical of London. I could almost trace the flow of the River Thames.
After being on the road, in the air, and meeting so many people, I was glad to be "home." Home is where the heart is. But the heart is a lonely hunter. Like my cat, it hunts on someone else's grounds. The cuckoo's nest? Not enough sleep, I reckoned.
The taxi driver was kind. For an extra tip, he lifted my fat suit case and carried the rest of my broken luggage. The zipper snapped when I tried to force all the dry Chinese medicine my mother had insisted I take with me. I must brew them and drink to my health. I got a bit carried away by purchasing not one but two razor roller scooters, the latest yuppie fad in the Big Apple. After getting them at Walmart in Houston, I regretted being so hasty in deciding. There were better models if I only bothered to do some research. If I only had more time. There were lighter ones, better quality. Less space for the feet, but the tradeoff was worth it. Next time, I'll know to get everything in Chinatown. The Chinese know the optimal price - the intersection of supply and demand. Where else could one get a better bargain?
I unlocked the front door and carried my baggage inside. All quiet on the western front. It was as clean as I had left it. Where was my cat? Would he disappear like he did previously when I had gone for three months? No, he was asleep, on the shed. He didn't even stir when I opened the back door. As soon as he heard me scooping out his Science Diet, however, he perked up. I gave him a big hug and he purred.
A few hours later, as I was waking from my short nap, I broke out in a red rash. The air conditioned airplanes, rental cars, and hotels have sensitised me. I am now allergic to my long-haired cat!
Greetings from a lazy cat!