The Doctor and the War Widow Read Online Free PDF Page A

eyebrows. She was hardly jingoistic, but China was not known for its cultivation of freedom. Maybe this guy needed to talk to the Dalai Lama. “Funny, that wasn’t the image I’d gotten from Tiananmen Square.” As a young woman in college, she’d even visited China with a church group, and their sponsors warned them about the dangers of asking certain questions or taking pictures of taboo objects.
    “Well, that’s what a corrupt Western culture wants you to believe. China really has no limits to its freedom. For example, people in the provinces are totally free to pursue anything they want.” Hugo leaned closer to her.
    Harley leaned further back into her chair. The man’s breath reeked of stale cigarettes. Harley gazed at him with what she hoped wasn’t obvious amusement. “Is it that the people in the provinces are so poor they present no threat to Beijing? Things are only peaceful there when no one has protested anything. When someone takes a stand, the government cracks down with an iron fist.”
    “There again, you’re saying what the government wants you to believe. We’re a culture that has been imperialistic and then condemns others.” Hugo was turning crimson as his face contorted into a grimace.
    Harley wondered if he was going to have a stroke. She wished she could feel sympathetic, but she only wanted to laugh. Feeling suddenly evil, Harley decided to play his game. “I do see what you mean in a way. Foucault talks about how we categorize people and deal with what some people call the unruly in his book about the birth of prisons. Jacques Derrida does similar work with language.”
    The man stared at her blankly.
    She stared back. An impish giggle almost erupted from her lips, but Harley suppressed it. She wondered if she could hide the twitching at the side of her mouth for the rest of their encounter. All of his talk was just that. Talk. He knew nothing about social theory and obviously had very little experience with the Chinese political atmosphere. “You don’t know Derrida? He’s the deconstructionist who wrote about language being a social construct.”
    She stirred her now cold coffee and smiled placidly, waiting for a response she knew wouldn’t come and made a mental apology to her mother . All right, Eden, I had to do it. You always told me not to be a snob with education, but I can’t help it. This guy deserves it.
    “Would you like another coffee?” Hugo glanced around. She could tell he hoped she didn’t take him up on his offer.
    “Oh, no, thank you. I have to be going.” She smiled brightly, hooked her purse over her shoulder, and bounced out of the room.
    Harley groaned and buried her face in her hands as she listened to Donna’s encouragement. “This whole experiment has been a monumental waste of time and money. These guys are too damaged. I may be, too, but not that much. Besides, I’ve put on weight meeting these men for coffee or lunch.”
    “You have to try some others.” Donna munched on a cracker. “What can it hurt?”
    “No, I don’t have to do anything. You talk as if they’re samples of wine and cheese. I can’t just spit them out, and they’re proving to be nut cases.” Harley poured Donna and her husband Mike more wine. They were drinking Merlot and eating cheese in Harley’s living room. She’d been regaling them with tales of her dating adventures. Harley filled her own glass as she provided them with detailed accounts of each Romeo. Nico walked from one human to another and received a pet from each. He soon grew bored with the company and trotted to Donna and Mike for good night affection before heading down the hall to Harley’s bed. Harley glanced at Donna while Donna petted Nico. She narrowed her eyes, staring at Donna with mock severity. “You, old pal, just want to torture me.”
    “I have your best interest at heart.” Donna laughed heartily and settled under Mike’s arm. They looked perfectly paired sitting on Harley’s brocade