FOOD FOR THOUGHT
(07/11/2010)
[
ODE
TO 7-ELEVEN
Cindy Hong
Oh, 7-Eleven,
how do I love thee? Let me count the ways…in grade school I loved visiting
you because your cherry Slurpees provided an hour of refreshment. On road
trips between Chicago , Detroit , and St. Louis , your Big Gulps washed
down the hours spent in the car and the extra pit stops broke up the monotony
of the miles. When we moved to North Carolina , the humidity of that first
summer kept us all indoors. We had no friends except the TV and spent
our days waiting for Dad to come home from work. Some days he felt sorry
for us and brought us a coke Slurpee. After the first sip all was right
again with the world, even the move halfway across the country. We didn't
spend too much time together during the college years, me needing to find
my own way and all. At age 24 the time finally seemed right to learn Mandarin.
After landing at what was then Chiang Kai-Shek airport and using up my
one way ticket to Taiwan , it was sink or swim. The next morning, auntie
took me to school to register for classes. I thought we'd drive there.
Come to find out they didn't own a car. Taking a taxi was my next guess.
Nah. Okay, bus. Nope. She hops on uncle's bike that has seen better days
and motions for me to jump on her bike and follow her. She's weaving in
and out of traffic without a care in the world. It was a stressful ride
for someone who hadn't been on a bike in years, sharing the road with
buses and cars, mopeds and pedestrians. In the midst of feeling lost and
full of doubt about this new adventure, I looked up and saw you—a sight
for jetlagged eyes. I knew then I would not be alone in this new life.
It was as if heaven conveniently came down to earth and spoke my language.
Your sign was in English. Your air conditioning was a balm in the heat
and humility. Your tea eggs and rice triangles fed me when I was hungry.
When parched, your cold drinks quenched my thirst. Your popsicles, a quick
snack on the run. You are a seventh heaven in Taiwan , making available
life of another kind, full of blessings. You beckon all to come and partake
of your oasis from the noise, your shelter during unexpected storms, you
even provide tissues to dry our tears. You are no longer just 7-Eleven,
but 24/7, neither sleeping nor slumbering, always there for us.
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