Lookie Lookie

Last night was my first venture into Luohu that had a less than loving flavor…  During the week, it's just the regular shopkeepers. Come Friday night, the freaks come out.

I have not been openly harassed like this since we strolled along the main drag in Playa del Carmen, Cancun, Mexico and even then the Mexicans are so laid back and perhaps a tad lazy that they don't really harass but more guilt-beg for the business. A simple no, especially from a man, will usually send them on their merry way.  I am sure that the same is true here in China, but last night was a nice Friday evening and as such, it was nice enough for the freakies to get really aggressive.

I'm white.  I'm perhaps a bit taller than most men here. I stick out worse than a sore thumb so they saw me coming in my red pantsuit a mile away. Mental note: wear black, take off the makeup, ditch the designer handbag and maybe throw in a limp…. Having said that, I did all the wrong things that I should have known better but because I have felt increasingly confident, and safe, during the last two weeks, I got a little complacent.  

NEVER be complacent about common sense and safety.  I learned this last night.

I was prepared to say No! in a very strong voice.  What I wasn't prepared for is that NO here, on a Friday night, actually means, Oh, Please, chase me around town until I give in and buy something from you.  When I got off the train station and headed into the shopping district known as Qi, I was followed by a man up the elevator who tried to talk to me. I sharply told him NO! He said he remembered me from last week and he had helped me find my handbag. I looked at him and for a split second thought I did recognize him so I apologized for my rude behavior and asked him to take me to the same shop.  

First mistake. Talking to him. Second mistake. Believing we had met before. Third mistake. Letting him take me all over the shopping center winding around the back, up stairs, down aisles until I finally knew what he was doing.  He was trying to get me lost and confused.  It worked.  He took me to a  handbag shop and the girl told me she would exchange the handbag I had come to exchange with the original shopkeeper.  I knew she wasn't the one but she said she was calling her friend and would take care of it. I settled down a bit…. just a bit. My alarms were up.

Sensing the game that was about to play out, I let it. She asked me what I was looking for tonight, what new bags did I want to buy. Ah, here it goes I thought. She was willing to exchange my bag of course if I would buy again from her. I had no intention of doing so.  So, I gave her a made up brand that I wanted. She was confused. No Coach, no Louis Vuitton, no Hermes, no Prada? No. I wanted blablabla. Oh, we don't have that and she asked me to write it down so I did. Nope, still no recognition of the made up brand. Good, I was making a clear way for my exit.

Except, they take me to a different shop to see the girl I had come to see, although when we get there, I know this still isn't the right one. I had come equipped with the shopkeepers business card just in case.  I ask for the same made up brand and off we go to another shop. Although, this time, I let him get too far ahead of me and just as he ducks in, I quickly turn around and head back up the escalator making quick work of it while he yells, "My friend, my friend, wait!"  I keep going. He gives chase. He finally catches up. Shit.  I'm not James Bond apparently, but I seriously didn't think he would literally run after me, chase after me like some getaway movie. But he did. People were watching and laughing, knowing I was trying to get rid of him and at this point, I still didn't feel like it was a real threat.

Finally I stop and look him dead in the eye. I give him the card and tell him in a strong voice. TAKE ME THERE. He knows I'm serious.  He agrees. He takes me to the shop.  As soon as I get there, the girl who sold me the handbag recognizes me and says something to him sharply. They have an exchange, he goes and waits outside.  She asks me if I know him and I tell her that no, he is following me, driving me crazy and I want him to go away. She looks concerned. She tells me I must be careful. He told her that he was coming back with his cousin and they would take me to their warehouse. She looks worried and says, NO GO. Dangerous!  No must go!  Be careful.  Very bad.  Now, I am worried, not just alarmed. I assure her that I will go nowhere with this man and make up my mind that this has gotten out of hand and I will return home as soon as we are done. She gives me her card again and tells me to call her if I need help or get lost.

Hell no. I'm not getting lost and I am going right home. I've had enough of this Shanghai Surprise.  I gather my wits and start to leave, he begins to follow me so I turn on him and as loud as I can tell him LEAVE ME THE F ALONE! and point right at him. He stops. He is stunned. I get on the escalator down and do not take my eyes off him.  As I am exiting the building, winding my way back to my landmarks, always keeping my destination ahead, I am surrounded by people and a myriad of voices, "Hey missy, missy, lookie lookie, Chanel, watches, missy, missy, handbags, lookie lookie…" and another man approaches me. This time I am fierce. And loud.  He actually hits me and I whirl on him, "DON'T YOU DARE F-ING TOUCH ME!" and he yells, "I hate you."  I flip him off and push him. He is surprised.

At this point, I am outside and there are police so I know I've made it to the "border"; back to reality, back to safety. This type of behavior is known as Shen Zai (not sure if I am spelling it right) or in other words, what I have just experienced is highly illegal and a prosecutable offense but these freaks know where their "zone" is and they know how to get lost quicker than I know how to escape in James Bond fashion. Where are the sharp studs on my shoes when I need them?  Must find some brass knuckles...

The metro is literally beneath the shopping center so I knew that if I got outside or even down to the basement level, I was home free.  I make my way to the train I need to take and board just as the doors are closing. Wow.  Not really interested in doing that again, no matter how good the shopping is.  I make up my mind not to go again until my colleague comes back on Sunday. We are scheduled to meet the tailor again for final fittings and this time, I am glad we are going during the day, glad I will have a male companion and glad that I escaped with nothing more than a very, very fast heartbeat and a slew of curse words said under my breath… I take a deep breath and let the train soothe me back to a calmer state.

Bottom line: safe is relative when you are a visitor. Safe is not a given even in a country where harming a Westerner is punishable by death. Safe is absolutely nothing to ever take for granted and if you do not wish to be a target like I made myself last night, then take every precaution to blend in as much as you can.  When in doubt, scream or run or just generally make a scene. Luckily, I do this even without trying so it worked out and I left with nothing more than a little bit of a scare. But that is no way to spend a Friday night, I can certainly tell you that.  Wish I would have opted for a movie. :)