If you’ve been following along, you know there’s someone special in my life I haven’t seen since the Coronavirus started in Beijing three months ago. You can read about the street food chef gone missing in my last post. Craving Normal
I began to give up on the Baozi Guy, trying to accept the parts of my life that have changed forever. Some friends who left China will never come back. I can’t wear lipstick in public because it just gets smeared inside my mask, and going out carries an element of tension since we have to scan an app (in Chinese) and verify our health status to enter most public venues.
It seems that everyone can relate to craving “normal” – that part of your daily routine that stabilizes your life, whether it’s a lunch stop at Chick-fil-A with the kids, a sweat-inducing workout at the gym or catching up with a friend at Starbucks.
I love that you are cheering for my Baozi Guy to return right along with me. I was savoring your words of encouragement with my morning coffee a few days ago when my phone pinged.
Who’s texting at 6 am? The kids were asleep and Mike was out running.
“Closer to normal,” the message said, with this picture:

In addition to Baozi, the fried dough sticks on the right are a popular breakfast food.
I’m not one to cry over sappy movies, but that one image caused the tears to flow. There really is hope that we’ll all come out of this OK on the other side. I wondered what battle the Baozi Guy had been fighting while I struggled with loneliness and uncertainty in my apartment?
Five minutes later Mike returned from his run, like the Messiah bringing good news.
I took the precious warm bag and cradled it in my hands, inhaling deeply.
“You only bought one bag?” I asked. Ten bite-sized buns divided by four people times two teenagers is a very small number.
“Hey, I was impressed that I was able to pay for them at all. I didn’t want to get two orders and then have to leave them there because my phone didn’t work.”
I couldn’t respond because my mouth was full. Those little fluffy, pork-filled bundles were just as good as I remembered. How does he get the dough so light?
“I think he recognized me,” Mike said. “We were both kind of excited to see each other.”
It was a milestone day. The Baozi Guy returned, and the city of Wuhan reported that all virus patients had been released from the hospital.
Today I had to go and see him for myself, to make sure it hadn’t all just been a dream, like a mirage in the desert.
I gave a joyful wave as I approached, knowing I was probably embarrasing him with my unreserved emotion. But he waved back and stood up as I approached.
“I’m so happy ! You’re back!” I said, using the simple words I’d practiced all day yesterday. “Are you good?”
”Yes, yes, I’m good.”
In the past my camera-shy friend refused my requests for photos, but today his eyes crinkled kindly as he smiled behind his mask.
I paid for my order (called a Ti from the word for basket) and headed home, sampling a warm bun from the bag. I’m sure it was my imagination but it seemed like the friendly exchange added a depth of flavor to the pork and scallion puffs that I didn’t notice yesterday.

A taste of normal in my day.
I thought about all of the pieces in our lives that have been scattered, at least temporarily. It’s left me longing, craving for connection. At least in a small way today, normal has returned. I hope your normal comes back soon too.
Angelika Sorrow
May 1, 2020 at 11:15 am
So happy to read this!
Kirsten Harrington
May 1, 2020 at 11:23 pm
Thank you !
Jackie
May 1, 2020 at 1:31 pm
So happy for you
Kirsten Harrington
May 1, 2020 at 11:21 pm
Thank you – hope your normal comes back soon!
Paula Kasnitz
May 1, 2020 at 1:59 pm
A good omen for all of us.
Kirsten Harrington
May 1, 2020 at 11:20 pm
I hope so! Love your pictures – you two eat well. Makes me smile.
Michelle Taylor
May 1, 2020 at 2:06 pm
I love this. I could feel your emotion & I’m ready to feel closer to normal as well. Big ((hugs)) my friend.
Kirsten Harrington
May 1, 2020 at 11:26 pm
Thanks Michelle – hope it comes your way soon!
Tina
May 1, 2020 at 2:09 pm
sniff…….I love this!! I think we will all look at normal a little differently after this is over. At least I know I will.
Kirsten Harrington
May 1, 2020 at 11:20 pm
For sure! Hope you aren’t going too stir-crazy. Thanks for the encouragement.
Ainslie Lewis
May 1, 2020 at 5:27 pm
I’m so excited for you! And I find it encouraging that normal will return, at least some of it. For the first time in seven weeks, I saw toilet paper on the shelf at Walmart. It was just stacked there without a large group of people gathering around to make it disappear again. And yesterday the stay at home order expired. There are still many restrictions in place however, I’m encouraged that in the coming weeks will get small bits back. I’ll continue to pray for you and your family. Thank you for your blogs.
Kirsten Harrington
May 1, 2020 at 11:19 pm
Thank you ! That’s funny about Wal-Mart. Isn’t it crazy that things that seemed so mundane are now causes for great joy? Good lesson here.
Ruth Meyer
May 1, 2020 at 6:28 pm
Det ser rigtigt lækkert ud,Kirsten, kan du ikke sende nogle hjem til Danmark?
Mon ikke også du selv kunne lave sådan nogle?
Glad for, at I har det godt og at tingene bliver nemmere for jer – her er meget lukket ned.
Pas godt på jer selv. Ønsker moster Ruth
Kirsten Harrington
May 1, 2020 at 11:18 pm
Hi, so happy to hear from you. I wish I could send you some. I could learn how to make them but we pay about $1 for a whole bowl, so it’s cheaper to buy them. Take care – hoping things will be better this summer.
Wanda
May 1, 2020 at 6:41 pm
Wonderful news .. I’ve enjoyed you Blog-sharing your adventures. Grateful for the JOY you experienced!
Kirsten Harrington
May 1, 2020 at 11:27 pm
Thanks for following along Wanda!
Rimjhim Dey
May 1, 2020 at 8:24 pm
Lovely love story dear Kirsten.
You are a wonderful writer. And, your dispatches are so heart-warming.
Kirsten Harrington
May 1, 2020 at 11:29 pm
Thanks for the encouragement Rim. Hope things are getting better in NY.
Marlyn G.
May 1, 2020 at 10:55 pm
Wonderful story about your new life in China. I am so happy to read that your bun guy is back; and you can feel that things are coming back to being somewhat normal.
Kirsten Harrington
May 1, 2020 at 11:27 pm
Thanks Marlyn, it’s been a journey for sure. Miss all you Tuesday ladies❤️
Frankie
May 1, 2020 at 11:12 pm
Our human connection to those people who come into our lives, makes living rich. Delighted your friend is back in business and that YOU get to share those savory treats with us.
Kirsten Harrington
May 1, 2020 at 11:28 pm
So true- I think that’s the biggest lesson in all this. We are wired for connection.
Shari
May 3, 2020 at 1:33 pm
I LOVE a happy ending!!! ❤️❤️