A Spitting Image

This is a story that I wrote for the yakyak, but Mark is convinced they won't let it through because it portrays a bad image of China and the Dragons image.  Turns out the yakyak isn't really a means to communicate your experience to those back home and to fellow Dragons students, but it is a marketing tool for the organization.  I guess I shouldn't be surprised.  Anyway, everything in this story is completely true, and nothing has been embellished.  Sorry if there are errors, proof reading it was honestly too intense because of the flashbacks it triggered.  But our story had to be told!

 

Erica, Ilana, and Jack bravely set out the other day to procure some guitar strings.  After successfully completing their mission they tried to make their way back to the hostel.  Hailing taxis is pretty much impossible in Chengdu, and they were wary of the overcrowded busses, so their options were limited.  As they made their way along a crowded street Jack spied a man begging on the street.  So far, nothing out of the ordinary.  He bumped into Ilana, but it was seemingly out of clumsiness, not out of rudeness.  The travelers continued on their merry way, and soon afterwards, successfully snagged a taxi.  As Erica bent over to tell the driver where to go, she felt a bump against her behind.  She turned around to see the very same beggar from just a few moments ago standing behind her, looking suitably sorry.  He wandered off and the three boarded the taxi, which started to move into the crowded street.  All of a sudden, the beggar's face appeared in the open passenger side front window.  A glob of spit sat glistening on his lips, and in a split second, he spat at the three of them sitting in the back of the cab.  Ilana was hit in the leg.  In shockingly fast time he was around to the other side of the cab, right next to Ilana, with spit prepared.  This time, his aim was better (or worse, depending on who you ask), and he hit Ilana square in the chest.  Her white shirt was stained yellow from where the spit had landed.  Just at that moment the path ahead of them cleared, and the cab driver peeled out, leaving the crazy far behind.  Once they were away, the driver glanced back to survey the damage, obviously just as surprised as they were.  After taking a long time to collect themselves, they called Jess with the good news: They were safe.