How appropriate that I choose this topic to write on September 11th, a day during which America swells up with patriotism and pride for her country and culture.
Last weekend at Julie’s surprise birthday party, I met a guy named Clement. He is 22, from France, and works in Beijing. Once we began “so what do you do?” conversation, I learned that he works for SIPO, the State Intellectual Property Office of China. It could not have been better timing to meet him! We exchanged emails and planned to have lunch this week so that I could pick his brain. He seems very intelligent and knowledgeable about IPR in China, so I am eager to sit down with him. Not only will he paint a better picture of the IP business landscape here, but he could also serve as an “in” for future contact I need to make with SIPO on behalf of KITO.
Well, it turns out the only time our schedules meshed is tonight. As far as I know, this is not a “date.” However, I am fully aware of the standard math: dinner+ Friday night at 8 oclock+ French guy = date.
Zack (one of my roommates) somehow got convinced to participate in a meat-pie-eating contest tonight at an American bar on TaiKang Lu. There will only be five contestants. To witness Zack, who is very mature, put-together and pragmatic, ferociously shovel meatpies down his throat is something I must witness in person! So of course I invited my sophisticated, intelligent French friend to come along. The plan is to get dinner, talk IP, and then partake in a good old-fashioned American pastime: an eating contest, a gluttony race.
As I was writing Clement an email to suggest the new plan for the evening, it dawned on me just how silly my proposal sounded. “Hi Clement! My roommate Zack has signed-up for a pie-eating contest tonight.....” Ah delete delete delete. How do I write this tactfully??
I am very curious to see what Clement will think of the evening! Will it be too uncivilized for his refined French palate? But, after all it is September 11th and by golly I wanna to see Zack win. He is determined! He has been chugging water all day to expand his stomach, a trick he learned on the internet by Googling “how to win an eating contest.”
Ooo la la I will let you know how it turns out!
GOD BLESS AMERICA.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment