Extreme Ironing

I couldn't quite wake up this morning, so when I looked at my clock and it was 7:16 am, and I'm supposed to be at work at 7:30 am, I jumped up from bed, threw on my clothes (clothes that were formerly on the floor), and ran out the door. This morning rush used to be status quo, but now in my older and wiser years, I have a morning routine which includes coffee.

I'm walking, it's hot. April is by far the hottest month of the year--don't argue with me--in Vietnam, and I'm looking forward to the rainy season as I shuffle to school. Blurry-eyed, racing thoughts, I look up and there on the sidewalk is a line of thirty Vietnamese people squatting in way only the Vietnamese and Michael can squat, eating breakfast, chatting, drinking coffee. And then I see it, a generator buzzing loudly, and what's plugged into the generator is so baffling to me that I have to rub my eyes and blink a few times. Yes, an iron is plugged into the generator, and there is a woman standing, ironing a pink dress shirt on the sidewalk where folks are gathered for breakfast. I envied this morning routine. A freaking ironing board! I wish I had my camera.

Sometimes I love HCMC, and sometimes, well let's just say, sometimes I struggle with the place, but today with laughter, I love this place if only for the insane joy it brings me.