You’d never expect to see this when out for a run, that’s for sure.
Today’s Momday Motivations post is about that time I went for a run at dawn in Hong Kong and stumbled across something I hope most folks will never see …
But first, a brief explanation for the newbies. Every Monday I share a teaser from the memoir I’m writing about the miraculous changes I underwent during the decade spent soldiering alongside my Type A mother in her successful Vancouver Asian antiques and collectibles shop. Miraculous? I think so. In 1983 I went in as a reluctant, dysfunctional Summer sales assistant. I knew nothing about Asian antiques and cared for them even less, yet I emerged in 1993 as a penny-pinching bookkeeper, confident buyer and rather capable salesperson. Toss in a boss blessed with multiple personas, two murdered customers, an introduction to the chap who’d become my husband, multiple quirky clients, and six overseas buying trips and well, it’s promising to be a fun read.
My Epiphany
Mom is a complicated woman. It’s fair to say that I’m the only member of the family who could have survived working with her. Writing has got me thinking about my coping mechanisms and I recently had an epiphany. It wasn’t a coincidence that two of my three marathons took place during the time I worked with her. Yes, happily instead of booze, I turned to long distance running as both a stress reliever and an ego booster.
Our six overseas buying trips always included stops in Hong Kong and Bangkok, in addition to other cities. I’ve recently unearthed some photo albums of our trips. Here’s a pensive Francine in Bangkok in 1987, wearing her shop uniform: the cotton Marimekko dress. She had them in every color.
And here’s a one of me standing in front of one of the charming Hong Kong Star Ferry that regularly transports folks from Hong Kong Island to Kowloon. My ears are still ringing from my son’s incredulous “Mom, you look SO young …” Personally, I don’t think I’ve aged a day …
The first two of these overseas trips coincided with an imminent marathon. I took the training prep very seriously; it was inconceivable to defer running while we were traveling, much to Francine’s dismay. She insisted I run with her gifts; the boxy safety vest (a virulent orange with lime green stripes) and the rape alarm. Yes, that rape alarm. The one that deafened us and nearly got us thrown in jail in Bangkok.
You’d Never Expect To See This When Out For A Run
It was 5:30am. We’d arrived in Hong Kong the day before and both of us were markedly jet lagged. Francine was concerned that I’d be running in the dark but it really was the best option. We had several appointments lined up and it was wise to get my 12 mile run in beforehand.
I slipped the dreaded vest over my t-shirt and tucked a good part of it into my running pants, deliberately avoiding the mirror. There was no denying that the charming item added a good 10 pounds to my frame. After making a big show of pocketing the rape alarm I slipped out before Francine could squeeze in one more reminder to stick to the main roads.
I wasn’t alone. Sweepers brandishing straw brooms were clearing away overnight debris as fashionable young men and women strode by on their way to work. Most turned to stare at my shocking costume; this was years ahead of the running vest trend. The ocean breeze was similar to that of Vancouver and with the exception of the early hour, it felt like running at home. My head cleared and I began to relax into the run.
Beware
After an hour of running along the wide streets lined with shops it was time to head back and I made a sharp turn into a well-lit alley. The flashing emergency lights about a block and a half down were surprising. Something was up. As I ran closer, I instinctively grabbed the rape alarm from my pocket. I could just make out the unfurling of a string of reflective emergency tape and the two uniformed policeman huddled around a …
After that Francine insisted on accompanying me on subsequent runs. She’d patiently wait for me to pound by, always clutching restorative bottles of water and a cold damp cloth.
Those shorts. What was I thinking? Apologies to the folks in Lumphini Park, Bangkok …
Enough of me and how you’d never expect to see this when out for a run. I’m curious about you. Do you prefer exercise or booze as a way to relax? Better yet, do you think it was the vest and the shorter-than-short-shorts that you’d never expect to see? If you’d care to share, I’d love to hear.
39 Responses
Love the story…I think I had the same denim skirt, although never went to Hong Kong. I cannot tell a lie, I used to turn to a glass of vino as a stress reliever. I gave up a daily glass of stress relief back in November and have lost 13 lbs…I like the weight loss, so for now that is my stress relief. i can’t wait to read your book.
Oh, yes that denim skirt! So fun you had one too. Mine got a lot of mileage. I am so happy for you regarding your weight loss journey, Beemie. 13 lbs is wonderful. Yahoo!
Love to exercise in moderation and drink in moderation, too! No marathons for me though I did train for a 5K once. I realized that my next goal would need to be a 10K and I stopped the addiction right then and there! With no regrets, by the way. But I do love to do a stretching/strengthening program most days and I love to walk. What you saw? Can’t wait to read the book!
Yes, I’m with you on the moderation front, Molly. That’s my style these days as well. My son got me back to the gym and it’s been really good for my back. Had a cold this past week which put the kibosh on that but I’ll get back to it tomorrow. There, now that I wrote it, I will!
Do I prefer exercise or booze as a way to relax? I think you know the answer to that…
Oh, Mo. I do adore you.
Given a choice of running or wine, I am afraid I would choose the wine ! However, a nice hike in the forest could change that !! You haven’t aged a bit , although, at our age, I don’t think we will be pulling on the short shorts any more .
Can’t wait for the book !!
Ha! No, I think we can fire the short shorts to the Sally Ann for a younger set to enjoy. Good call, Jane.How about a nice hike in the forest followed by a wine. I’d be up for that!
What a teaser! How far off is the memoir so we can read what they were huddled around?
No running for me thank you. I’ll take relaxing with wine for $200 Alex. ?
Love the denim skirt, shorts not so much. ?
Aw, thanks, Kenya. I’m plugging away – am about 2/3 done on first draft. And yes, nowadays I’d be up for relaxing with wine. Haul out an extra glass for me! I’ll pop over in my denim skirt …
I meant to tell you that you should like this up with FTSF this week – it’s share a photo tell a story week.
“link”
I will! Thanks, Kenya.
I would pick alcohol over running 12 miles. Just saying.
Love the pictures!
A colleague told me about getting his ears deep cleaned in Beijing once. It sounded horrible. So in my mind I’m picturing you running by the newly opened deep ear cleaning store and customers are running out screaming, “a Q-tip goes THAT deep???”
OH my word. I am imagining a cone of hot wax as the ear treatment. Not sure where I saw that but I hear it’s very effective. Ouch. My daughter had to give up a set of swimming lessons when she was little due to her brother’s over zealous use of a Q-tip. “Let’s play ear cleaning, Sis …” Pass the wine, please.
A picture of you in your hot pants and yet none in that stunner of a vest? What gives. By the way, Sis, you do not look a MINUTE older! Enjoy your week.
I know. Silly me. However, I was aware that the vest was ugly, Sis, so declared a strict no-photo law on that delight.
Love your epiphany regarding marathoning vs booze. And those shorts! Now there’s a #TBT look.
Yes, this writing is becoming quite a good therapy and awareness session for me, I’m thinking. And yes, those shorts.That was the only photo of them that M would let me post …
I’ve never run a race, and have no plans to. However, I will gladly walk the same distance.
I’ll walk it with you, Kathy. My long distance running days are but a memory.
I’d choose reading over exercise or booze, and sometimes I combine it with one or the other. But never exercise AND booze. That’s just dangerous.
Smart girl, Dana. I just learned that one of our Canadian Olympic athletes got drunk and stole a Korean car with his wife and manager. Oh dear. No.
OK now I need to read the book as I want to know what you saw there. Oh and the pics of you and your mom truly priceless. But still my mind is running wild here 😉
Ha! Thanks, Janine. It really was quite something to stumble upon while out for an innocent run, I must say.
Um. Booze. This is such a great teaser! Seriously! I’m dying to know what you saw. Wowza. I can’t wait to read it!
Ha! Cheers, Kristi! Gotta say it was quite something to see …!
Your book sounds like it will be an interesting read.
I remember shorts like that. Some of our gym shorts kind of resembled those, only they were white.
Denim skirts and dresses just last for ever. They still come and go in popularity.
Since I don’t drink alcohol and am not able to run these days, I guess so walks out in nature would be the next best thing.
Yes, walks in nature are the very best stress busters. We rarely get snow here in Vancouver but it has snowed nonstop for the last 24 hours. The sun is out now, I’ve shoveled and am SO looking forward to my walk in the woods. It’s going to be magical.
exercise…. you mean physically!? (actually, I do have a preferred exercise, seasonally-limited, however) digging holes.)
Yes.
Digging holes in the ground and moving the dirt from here over to there
such a sense of ‘having an effect on the world’… (the scale is secondary, the world, in it’s spinning has, to sufficiently sensitive measurement, a slight wobble after my afternoon with shovel and wheel barrow).
as to yourself in the post …who doesn’t enjoy time travel?
I reckon digging holes is a splendid exercise option. You can see the results which is even better! And thanks for the nudge to look at it as time travel. Brilliant.
What lovely photos and such a nice story to read.
Thanks for popping by and leaving a comment, Julie. Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
I have found that exercise stresses me out – so it has to be the other. 🙂
In other news, great set up and tease. Keep the fingers running, my dear, so we can turn the pages someday.
Aw, thanks, Mardra. I shall keep the fingers running!
ahh.. you’re teasing! I don’t drink much so exercise it is. If I did, I’d choose exercise first and then wine!
Also, the vests are really really smart!
Cheers, Tamara! Here’s to exercise first and then wine. As for the vests … the version I was gifted was vastly different than those of today. Ha! It was really boxy and tended to swim around as I ran, unless I really pulled on those velcro straps. Tended to not do the latter as it made me look like a sausage in bondage.
A what? A WHAAAAAAAAAT??? Huddled around a… WHAT, DAMMIT??!! LOLOL! 🙂
Oh man Kelly, these are killing me! Every time I read another one of your tales, I just get more excited to read the entire book!!
As for the exercise-booze dilemma- I used to pick exercise when I was a young cute energetic thing, and even when I was an exhausted mama of little ones- just to manage my anxiety and stay awake. Then I got older and less motivated to move… and well, kicking back with a drink in my hand has increasingly become much more gratifying. 🙂
Thank you so very much for your positivity, Chris. I adore your comments and want you to know that! Yes, kicking back with a drink in my hand has also increasingly become much more gratifying!