Are you feeling it?

Economic crisis, financial turmoil, credit crunch.  They all sound the same and mean people will become poorer and poorer.  It usually appears in papers and out of government officials’ mouths.  But it is definitely getting closer and closer to you and me.  Let’s take my experience for example.

Last night, I went to have a foot massage.  For local Chinese it is no fun to be in an empty place.  All around me it was silent except for the TV.  I asked the masseuse who I had met  before “did you have many customers today?”

“No, because of the economic crisis,” she replied.

“What?” I almost jumped out of the sofa, “even you know about this?”

“Of course, lots of our regular customers don’t come any more. They are trying to save money.”

Then, this morning, I jumped into a cab and asked the driver whether the fifth ring road would be jammed.
“It shouldn’t be. Due to the economic crisis, lots of people gave up driving and take the subway.”

Never before had I heard a cab driver make such an informed expression.

“Actually, we are the first to feel the pinch.  This month has been really hard for me. Some drivers would rather stay and wait for customers rather than drive around aimlessly like they used to. To save gas, you know.”

US and Europe are in recession.  Japan has started whining.  And the rich guys suddenly lose all their glamour.  They are not oceans away.  You can feel the pain right here around you.

November 21, 2008
By Fred Li