The Hour of Shou Ting

Like the guarantee of a new day's dawn so is the occurrence of the hour of Shou Ting. Every workday after lunch, around 3 or 4pm my normally quiet coworkers manage to work themselves into a frenzy. At first I thought that they were arguing with each other. Then I thought that maybe they had an urgent deadline to hit. But as I started to notice this day in and day out I began to understand that it's an apparent energy release.

I on the other hand am sleepy by that time of day. Ready for that after lunch pre-dinner siesta. I think of waves on the shore, an empty hammock, a frisbee floating through the air. peaceful, soothing things. I am in my own thoughts so deeply that I haven't taken notice of the time.

What starts off as soft office banter steadily begins to rise into a rumble. Voices creep upwards. Words fall out of mouths faster and faster. Calm and collected talk morphs into shrieking comments, yells, shouts, and high pitched laughter. before you know it, it's an all out yakkity yak squawk fest at the loudest of decibels. All indoor voices have vanished. A barrage of noises similar to a pinball machine slam into my ears. DINGDINGDINGDINGDINGDING, but in Chinese. SHEE CHOW SHUR ZHA WAH etc. etc. I momentarily freeze, stunned by the sudden burst of sound. My instinctual reaction is to lower my head and plug my ears. But I ride it out. As that is really my only option. Besides, their energy is contagious and it has woken me from my sleepy daydreams. No need for red bull now.

Then as quickly as it started, it stops and everyone returns to their quiet routine. The Hour has past.