“Anyone know where we can buy some spare stroller wheels?”

IMG_5627, originally uploaded by zawelski.

(posted by Dave)

Just try saying that in a language that you’ve only been speaking for three months. The right rear inside wheel of our stroller, long abused by bumpy loose sidewalk tiles and huge gaping holes in the pavement, finally gave up the ghost a couple of weeks ago and rolled off to parts unknown, leaving the poor wobbly outside wheel to try to support Ysa’s weight all by itself. (Yes, I am the King of Run-On Sentences...)

Last Tuesday afternoon, we realized that we’d been procrastinating the stroller repairs too long, so we packed up the family and hopped on the mighty 704 bus to the nearby town of Pixian. How do you fix something broken in China? Start with a rickshaw driver, and gesticulate wildly to the broken part in question, along with the phrases “This broken. Fix where?” They will point you down the road a ways and to the right, at which point you find the nearest handy-looking shopkeeper and repeat.

After several blocks, we found a store that sold kids’ clothing, bikes and trikes, and yes, a stroller or two. Not being very optimistic, we repeated our problem to the owner of the shop, who hauled out a cardboard box filled with, yes, about five or ten broken stroller wheels and axles. After a lot of rummaging, pantomime, and a few judicious whacks with a hammer, we were able to jury rig two replacement wheels - all while Ysa was still asleep in the stroller! Victory!

Of course, all this standing around in one place attracted an audience. Jane was soon answering the usual questions (Yes, three kids. Yes, they’re all ours, etc. etc.) as our kids provided involuntary entertainment to the passers by. A first - a few vendors were passing with their rickshaws, and sensing a business opportunity, stopped to set up shop and sell snacks to the gathering crowd. Maybe we should have asked them for a cut of their business...?

The guy that ran the shop was super helpful and super friendly, and one thing led to another, and so we decided to buy a kid’s bike from him as well. Got a good deal on it too! (or least I think we paid close to the regular Chinese price.) By the time we made it back to the post office to pick up three very heavy and very welcome care packages from Colorado (thanks again, Liz!), we had quite the convoy going. We really need to think about hiring ourselves out for weddings and Bar Mitzvahs while we’re here...