Nicholas Quirke was keeping it simple again on 27 May 2021 and making teaching his focus. It was not that he felt overwhelmed by the work, but a visit to the the exit/ entry bureau was approaching and if he was given another extension he would be taking an additional tour into China’s heartlands and if was anything like the last trip he was going to need reserves of energy and taking it easy was the best option. The weather continued to be grey and cloudy with prospect of rain and when he made his way to the Galaxy mall and the Little Nap Cafe a shower started and he got of his bike at Chongwongmen and took a subway the rest of the way. As he left to go to the school the barista who was now familiar with his appearance in the cafe gave him a rose cake which was a very nice gesture and was actually delicious. He loved the little random acts of kindness like this that he was often the beneficiary of. Though there had been a downpour as he enjoyed his break in Little Nap by the time he emerged into the daylight brilliant sunshine had replaced the grey giving the cityscape an unexpected luminosity. He had a good class with Harry and Willis though he did have to raise his voice on a couple of occasions. The movie, ‘The Unholy’ was a religious horror concept with evil dressed as the holy and he had high expectations and though he bought into the miraculous redemptive force he found the was short on shocks and scares and left him feeling uninterested. The feeling of disappointment must have followed him to bed as he experienced a dream laden and unsettled sleep. The mood of trying to do little continued into 28 May 2021 and with the only plan going to Tai Koo Li to get some coffee from Nespresso for Peng he was looking at a relatively chilled day. The brilliant sunshine lured him out early though he combined his journey with the subway, walking and cycling. He had expected to spend the day working in the Page one Bookstore cafe but this was closed when he arrived and instead he sat in the more expensive Elephant Grounds where, having been reliably informed there was no milk in it he ordered a Thai Tea. It was very creamy and when he questioned it saying he thought there was no milk they produced a tin of Carnation condensed milk. ‘It’s milk’ he said. He ended up with a delicious cold osmanthus Oolong instead. After a light lunch of fries he decided to explore an alternative route to the school and when he stopped at a roadside to get his bearings his presence was noted by a young Chinese man who started talking to him. They ended up conversing for nearly an hour. Tim was boisterous and reluctant to work in the class again and one of the assistants sat in the room to try and help control him. He had the opportunity to speak to the twins Mum after the lesson and he politely made it clear that Tim was a disruptive presence. He was relieved to get home and watch ‘The Water Man’. He didn’t feel he had wasted time watching the film but it promised  more than it delivered and it was disappointment by the end. With the weekend starting and not working the next day he felt relaxed and ready for a long nights sleep.