I'm taking a trip with my family. We're near the end of two days spent staying with some American friends in China.

It's night, and we're sitting around with the family in their living room. The head of the household has a big easy chair with a footrest, in which he likes to sit in the evening and listen to music. Behind his chair is a room full of audio equipment, like a sound room in a studio. He seems a lot like me, except he has a footrest, and I think I should get one of those.

The man's children, four girls ranging from teenage downward, are sitting on a couch to his left. His music is random, and a Skinny Puppy song comes on. Of course, I know it practically by heart, but I'm surprised to see all the girls singing along. They know all the words, and rock out to it, and I rock with them, with just a word here and there.

Later I'm thinking that I should get these girls' email addresses and set up a Junkyard Playthings advisory committee. But then I'm thinking why; it would be a good excuse to keep in touch with them, but why would I really want to?

The next morning, I'm walking on a dusty city road back toward our accomodations. It is the end of my 2 days in China, and I'm kind of disappointed; I feel like I didn't get a real China experience, because of our American friends and this particular town. Also I think maybe I should bring back some trinkets for the folks at home, from some of the shops along the road, but the main wares are Hello Kitties that it seems like everyone already has. We're going to another country after this, so maybe I can find something more interesting there.

I get back to home base and ask my parents when we have to meet for our flight, and it's very soon. I kick into high gear. I still have to pack and clean up. The only bath resource is this one fellow who will sell you a room and a large bowl of hot water and a large bowl of cold water for a few minutes. The rest of my family already got theirs, though to me it seems that something better should be available. The fellow seems very friendly about his monopoly, even giving directions to get to his nearest competitor, a rather long walk away, saying "You can go there if you'd rather, but it's no better..."