December 16th: jacket stress and piano hassle

day 90

Classes were alright, although I kept having to stare down two guys who were talking and several students were making little clay projects on their desk.

I rode out at after lunch to have a sportcoat made so I can attend this banquet with style. After measuring and giving thumbs up, the dude tried to pantomime it would take five days to finish. I explained I needed it for a party tomorrow (I wish I'd brought the invitation to show) and told him I'd be back at 5pm today. He nodded like he understood.

I pedaled back, taught the remaining two classes. I rode back after a hastily eaten dinner and strolled into the shop. I shrugged to indicate, "where is my jacket?" and the lady made a gesture it would be ready at 5pm tomorrow. AAGGHHHH! I explained that tonight I would be in Nantong (Ok, a lie, but it conveyed the urgency that I needed the coat immediately, after all, at 5pm tomorrow I would be on the way to Nantong). he pulled a coat down, sewed a few buttons on it, had me try it on. Fine, little big in the shoulders. She said it wasn't mine, but I could use it, mine would be ready tomorrow. I wish I could have just rented one in the first place now.

Next I went to Kedu for a shirt and tie, had a lady help me select one that had long enough arms. I tried ghetto-ironing it when I got back: running the shower's hot water on full blast, steaming it. That didn't work, so I hung it on my door and hoped time and heat would smooth it down.

For rehearsal, I had to push my way into a room that had a piano against the door. I found out from Nigel the primary teachers didn't want us on the first floor pianos because last time the room was left dirty. I can only assume that one of my students left an empty coffee drink can on the chalkboard tray. After rehearsal, I spoke to the skinny piano teacher guy, had him watch me inspect the room for dirtiness, erased the chalkboard.

I gave him the key that Nigel had provided which turned out to be the same beat-down out-of-tune piano as before. I illustrated this would not work by playing two dissonant keys, making a face. "no good." Hopefully he will understand and talk to the other music teachers. I'm getting fed up with them being stingy about the pianos. They belong to the school, not them.

I pedaled down to Dongzhou middle school, Lindsey and I watched a bootleg DVD of "Shark Tale." Two times during the feature, you saw someone get up and walk across the screen. We started to watch "The Grudge", but then Alainna (I had misspelled her name before as "Elena") knocked and said the gate guy was locking up and kicking me out. He referred to me as a "tall guy" which rarely happens.

Pedaled home, ate some peanut M&M's, blogged, slept soundly.