I stepped into the elevator and realized that I was really tired. It had been a long travel day: a three-hour bus journey, four hours in Lanzhou and then a six-hour train journey from Lanzhou to Zhangye. My eyes closed in a mini-power-nap.
The elevator stopped at the third floor and two short, squat, middle-aged men got in – Chinese of course. They brought with them their beery breaths and grinning faces from a few hours at the hotel’s karaoke bar. The one guy standing closest started chatting to me. I shrugged in a “Sorry, I don’t speak Chinese” (with a side of “and I’m tired buddy, so leave me alone”) guesture. He kept on chatting anyway, making his buddy laugh. Whatever, Dude.
I was in a t-shirt. I crossed my arms and unconsiously rubbed them for warmth. Chatty Dude swayed a little as his arm reached out. I was only half paying attention and then he pinched me on the arm! I think he was trying to see if my freckles were real! I swatted him away as the elevator doors opened for ground floor, shaking my head and laughing. I strode past Dude and his buddy still laughing. Alcohol. It makes people the world over do silly things.
