A personal journal

Traveler 12

The Comedian

July 5, 2026

The great ordering incident

This morning at yum cha I insisted on ordering for the whole table myself. I pointed at the menu with the confidence of a local, and that is how we ended up with four plates of chicken feet and exactly zero shrimp dumplings. The others laughed so hard they were banging the table, and I told them it was called a surprise.

The volunteers came to the rescue, and the har gow did eventually arrive, along with siu mai and rice noodle rolls to repair my reputation. Honestly though, watching everyone cry-laughing around the teapot, I forgot to even be embarrassed. New proverb, invented on the spot: a table that laughs together eats together.

In the afternoon the rain arrived like it had booked the venue in advance — proper Guangzhou rain, no warm-up act. We hid under the qilou arcades and I performed my umbrella routine again, earning three laughs and one groan, which is a ratio I can live with. If wet socks cannot make this group grumpy, then I am doing my job.

July 9, 2026

The night I ran out of jokes

Last full night in Guangzhou, and we stood by the Pearl River while the Canton Tower cycled through its colors like it was showing off just for us. I had a whole bit prepared about the little waist, I swear. But when I opened my mouth nothing came out — apparently even comedians have a loading screen.

Here is my secret, journal, since it is just us: I make jokes because I never learned how to say the serious things out loud. Every time I got the others laughing through jet lag or a downpour, that was really me saying thank you, and I am glad you are here, and I do not want this to end. I suspect our teachers figured that out around day two.

So here is the serious version, exactly once: thank you, Guangzhou. You laughed at my worst material and fed me the best breakfasts of my life. And when I come back — I will come back — I am ordering the chicken feet on purpose.

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