Massage

I promised some of you that I would continue the next episodeof my trip to the massage therapist. This time was a bit disappointing. It only hurt a little. I called ahead of time to make sure the doctor of Chinese medicine who runs the place would be available on Sunday afternoon. I spoke to John Paul, a young Chinese man of maybe 20 who is studying under him and who speaks pretty good English. It is easier to call him to schedule appointments than trying to use my very poor Chinese. His English name is John but Jacqueline, another westerner, named him John Paul because he is Catholic and plans to go to Malaysia to become a priest after he has a trade that he can use. He said to come at 3:00 and Dr Zhao would be there. I got there and he told me the doctor would be a little late but he would get me started. Then he realized that he couldn't do it either because he had just started another massage. In came #16 to do my foot massage. The water I first soaked my feet in was hot, but not scalding like the last time. He did the feet, neck and shoulders, not too bad. Then John Paul came in and said the doctor couldn't come til later so could #16 do the whole thing. Hmmm I was there and didn't want to wait, so I agreed. The massage was fine, and I feel better today, but it was not like what I was used to with the accupressure of the most sore spots on my body and the scraping of the bottoms of my feet that brought tears to my eyes. The price was also less. I was getting ready to leave and John Paul informed me that he would be quitting the next day because the doctor and his wife who usually does the scheduling were very mad at him and it hurt him badly. He said he was going home to his family and going to study for awhile. I figured he knew what he was doing so encouraged him to do what he needed to do. I called Jacqueline to let her know. She called me later to let me know she had called John Paul and talked him into staying. The reason the doctor and his wife were mad at him was because he made the decision to have #16 do my massage and not explain to me earlier, before I came, that the doctor would not be available. I was really wondering myself if they really didn't need the business since they replaced the doctor with a very young man. It turns out that John Paul may not have understood what he actually had done, he just wanted to make me happy! Another China story. I am glad that John Paul will not be quitting his job not only that it is much easier to make an appointment for a massage, but that I really like him, too!