FATE

THIS WAS A PAINFUL EXPERIENCE FOR ME. THE NEXT DAY LI AHN WAS SUPPOSED TO MEET ME IN THE HOTEL LOBBY. SHE DID NOT. HER FRIEND TOLD ME LATER THAT SHE LEFT ANSHAN EARLY IN THE MORNING BY TRAIN FOR DALIAN. SHE SAID SHE TRIED TO CALL MY HOTEL ROOM BEFORE SHE LEFT- I DID NOT KNOW- I WAS NOT IN MY ROOM.
MY PLANS WENT UP IN SMOKE, I WAS HOLDING HER ENGAGEMENT RING - I NEEDED TO SPEAK WITH HER SO VERY MUCH AND SHE LEFT. I FELT A MIXTURE OF BETRAYAL, ANGER AND BITTER DISAPPOINTMENT.
WHY WOULD SHE DO THIS TO ME? THERE WAS NO REASON- ABSOLUTELY NONE. I LOVED HER AND BY HER OWN WORDS AND E-MAILS TO ME, SHE FELT THE SAME.

I SPENT ONE MORE DAY IN ANSHAN BEFORE I  LEFT FOR SHANGHAI AND THEN HOME TO NEW YORK. THE FLIGHT HOME WAS LONG AND LONELY.
GOING HOME, THE AGENCY SAID THE LADY FROM MY FIRST VISIT IN JUNE WANTED TO SEE ME. IT WAS  SMALL CONSOLATION. HER , HER DAUGHTER AND ME HAD LUNCH TOGETHER. ALL OF US KNEW THIS WAS GOODBYE. SHE GAVE ME A NICE GIFT- A JADE PILLOW. I WILL KEEP THAT AS A REMINDER OF ANSHAN.

ANSHAN IS A VERY NICE CITY BUT IT WAS TAINTED BY THE MEMORY OF WHAT HAPPENED THERE.