Old Man in Warm Water
Jasmine Tea from Fushian District is my favorite tea. The gentle sweet aroma of the tea compliments its floral taste. It's fragrance and subtlety are comforting after trekking through harsh conditions. I don't know how this teahouse came across Jasmine tea set aside only for the royalty of the Fushian district. It would take great fortune or force to get it. It makes me wonder about the owner of this little tea shop but after my second cup it is nothing but an afterthought.
After a meal following the tea I head for the hot spring connected to the teahouse. The hot spring was similar to the springs of the Fushian District; it was very clean and well kept. In the pool, there seems to be no one but an old, fat man marinating in his own thoughts. As I step in, the water warms my cold body; it's a relief after the past three days. The cold weather of the mountain pass had worn me down. The cold seemed to open up new and old blisters which had recently thawed out and began to hurt. For a resort in the middle of the mountains, the facilities seemed to be well maintained and would rival any of those in the great cities of the seven great families. The owner of the facilities has fine tastes.
As I let my body and mind recover, I realized this man must have been the traveler who created the smoke stack I saw on my first day in the mountains. "How long have you been at this resort?" I asked. "I've been in this area most of my life" he replied. I should've known he didn't create the smoke. He must be too old and weak to cross the mountain pass. "We don't get many travelers here" He remarked. "Where are you from?" I think of a response not to give too much away of myself. I don't want to get too involved with this man. "No where" I reply. He seems to look me over before replying, "You seem to be in much better shape than those Dàmíng scouts who came through here." Dàmíng scouts are pretty common in this area. They are sent out to find and capture enemies of the Dàmíng Emperor. They must be the ones who made the smoke. "I know how to take care of myself."
Five minutes pass by. The silence seems to dominate the space between the old man and I. I glance toward him to analyze him but he sits there staring me down. I glance Away. The silence persists. "I guess it's time I take my leave. Enjoy your..." "Why do you leave so early?" Caught off guard by his sudden response, I blankly gaze back at him. "I toiled to warm this water for you yet you can only stay for a few minutes?" I wonder if he is the owner of the tea shop. Both Intrigued by his person and Irritated by his interruption, I sink back into the water and give him my attention. "What do you do?" he asks. "I am a traveler." Unsatisfied, he asks, "What do you want to do?" I try to think but my mind is frozen and doesn't yield a response. I blame it on the weather and say, "I don't know." He asks, "Why don't you work for me?" I think about the prospect. I'm not sure what this man is scheming but I do need a place to stay for a while and the tea here was very good. "Ok" I say. We spent the rest of the day in the bath in silence until it was dark. The old man beckoned for me to follow him out of the pool and showed me to a small room. As he closes the door behind me, he reminds me to be ready for the day of work he has planned for tomorrow. The door shuts.