Beijing moment: A little after five on July 9, a muggy, polluted afternoon along Dongsi North Avenue in the old city. Behind the parking attendant in blue and the man in the chef's hat, there is a manager of some sort loudly haranguing the restaurant staff lined up on the left. Called a staff meeting, this gathering will continue after verbal abuse of the staff is complete with pep rally sorts of cheers from the poor folks in line. On the right are cars parked on the sidewalk. Drivers are supposed to pay the attendant, but if past experience is a guide, later more than a few will try to sneak away without paying. As for the sidewalk itself, the tiles have come loose, probably because they were never meant to support the weight of automobiles driving on them. And why is the man riding his bike down the middle of the sidewalk instead of along the side of the street? Well, that's for him to know. |