My Computer, My Darling, My Love and I

A month has passed! A long and what would have been an insufferable month but for my computer in my apartment in this unfriendliest of places called Huainan in the Anhui province of the People's Republic of China. Don't get me wrong. China is generally a very friendly place, especially to foreigners - at least at a superficial level. And, who has the time or need to probe deeper? But Huainan? Huainan's another story! It was among the world's ten-most crime-infested cities and it held on to its position for a long time until the powers-that-be stepped in, cleaned up their act, and the streets of hoodlums.

When I first arrived here, my students advised caution. 'Don't go to Caijiagang alone,' they said. Caijiagang is one of Huainan's unfriendlier-still neighbourhoods and one where the hangover from the criminal past lingers on. 'Don't go out alone at night' and 'don't get into any argument with any strangers,' were other recommendations. I did it all and, thankfully, still survived. Well, maybe Huainan is not as unfriendly as to cause me physical injury but it's unfriendly enough to leave emotional scars. Well, not really emotional emotional!

Anyway, in this unfriendliest of places, with all my acquaintances having left for their homes, leaving the vast university campus practically to me alone, I had little choice but to stay cloistered in my apartment. My broken rib didn't help matters either. But, my darling computer waited for me every single day. She waited whenever I left her to go out for a stroll, a meal or whatever else. And, when I would return and touch her, she would smile, her eyes blinking like lights, and she would sing in her own sweet, not-so-melodious voice, a voice that, nonetheless, was music to my lonely ears. In this unfriendliest of places, I had my very friendly darling - my computer!

But my darling is aging. She's already something like sixty (oops, six, I should say!) and she's been with a few others. But, she never says anything about them, never makes me feel less loved and never compares my skills against theirs. So, when I am with her, I think she's mine, and only mine!

My darling's a little slow! I thouch her once, press, you-know-where and then I have to wait while she hums and sends the right message to her bird-brain that her lover is ready for her. I wait patiently. No point rushing her, I know. That might anger her and cause her to lose interest. Oh, my darling! But, I know what I need to do to keep her in good humour. Wait, and then, when she's ready, start! Easy!

I am a simple bloke and know little about what goes on in my darling's little peabrain and my sweetheart realizes that. I never force too many tasks on her and she reciprocates by doing the simple things I need her to do - though sometimes, she does them rather slowly. But, then, some things in life must not be rushed. Some things in life must be relished and enjoyed at a relaxed leisurely pace.

Hey Darlin', Compy, I luv Ya!