I had been nervous (as usual, before seeing the Lama, which is absurd!), but the pleasant bustle gave me something to think about. I called him from the station and he said he would head down to meet me. "The streets are packed," I said wonderingly. "But I am wearing the ugliest bright yellow coat so you shouldn't have any trouble finding me." I was--the yellow jacket, as CM calls it, though given that it's crawling with spider logos it evokes arachnids more than wasps. Ridiculously ugly, just the thing to wear for a lunch date! But what could I do? It's the only jacket I have that I can bike in. And the main purpose of my outing was to obtain a used bike and ride it home.
Met the Lama on the street somewhere between his apartment and the subway. We quickly agreed on a little noodle shop nearby, and passed a pleasant hour there talking shop. He talked about Mozi, one of my favorite Warring States philosophers because he was a pacifist and his ethical position has generally been summed up in the term "universal love" or, can't we all just get along? The Lama is working on Mozi right now. One of the problems with Mozi, as you can guess, is that it seems too idealistic to actually work. But the Lama, who is carefully working his way through the text, believes that there may be some hints that the Mohist doctrine actually leaves room for something like "expedient means"--actually best known from Buddhism--that great adjustor by which idealists can sometimes succeed in a nasty cheating world, a strategy that comes out a bit problematic but in certain cases fairly defensible. In short, if you truly possess a higher truth that truly can help someone, it's okay to deceive and lie to them in order to teach them what they need to know. The problem is that in the real world there's no one you can trust that much...! Still, it's an interesting spin on the Mozi.
After lunch we walked down to check out the used bike scene. There wasn't much, but there was one guy who was selling them. I felt too shy to bargain in front of the Lama, so after canvassing all the potential places (many still closed for the holidays), we parted company with a promise to meet again on Saturday for some live music. Then I went back to the bike shop. The problem with the used bikes for sale was that they were all boy's bikes and were kind of big--I mean, really pretty big. And for some reason, the one I liked the best was the absolute biggest. I mean, Pocket of Bolts could ride this bike, which if you know him is pretty funny. But, what can I say, it just felt RIGHT.
So, after half-heartedly bargaining the price down by ten kuai, I became the proud owner of a $15 new to me monster of a bike. It was amazingly comfortable to ride. I couldn't even BELIEVE how much more comfortable than my old one. Here are pictures, taken on a later day, but to give you an idea.
I texted the Lama to let him know the success of my mission: "best bike ever~the Lincoln Continental of bikes", and then set off for the long ride home. Although I'm not a great namer of vehicles, in this case the name has stuck. A bike with this much character NEEDS a name, so I am naming him Lincoln.
It was a glorious ride home--a little too warm even for my yellowjacket. And on the way I passed the Altar to Earth where there seemed to be a marvelous fair in progress, with veritable gobs of red lanterns.
Not sure why I didn't stop an check it out. I guess I was pretty focused on my long ride home and getting that done before I got too worn out.
Here is me somewhere on the Fourth Ring Road, with silly helmet and yellow jacket. I think it makes me look my age, or older, but what matter. It was really pleasant in the sun, cruising along on this big boat of a bicycle. It took me an hour and a half, which includes a detour because I got lost, so maybe an hour and fifteen minutes, this to bike across more than half the city. I was so happy when I got home--a very good afternoon.
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