Beijing bruise!

It was thursday and a fine day for going for a strut through the city in search of traditional life. I walked the high streets and proceeded into the low streets. I saw some dudes skating in a square outside a church and saw one dude grind the church stairs and so I proceeded to check out their skills. I sat down on the stairs and said "G'day" to the guy sitting close by. After talking to him I found out that he was from Germany and despite his Mother had become a professional skater and was travelling the world with his skills. I was a sceptic at first but then he busted out forwards flips, impossibles, double kickflips, insane stuff that i'm not sure of the name and just plain cool moves. I was stoked and he did an impossible off a set of stairs and landed it flawlessly. I asked if he was thirsty and we proceeded to the nearest bar to wet the whistle with a local TSINGTAO beer. We got a beer each and chatted away whilst watching some footy. He finished up, paid for his beer and went back to church to continue skating. I stayed to finish my beer which I was quietly enjoying and nursing. On leaving a couple of local girls came up and said " do you mind if we sit here?", I replied " not at all, go for gold". I talked to them for five minutes and then continued watching the footy. They ordered some drinks and chatted away in chinese whilst I saw a guy score a marvellous goal. I finished my beer, stood up and proceeded to pay for the one beer. I got the bill and almost dropped a log in my pants. Roughly speaking it came to 200 NZD. I said " there must be a mistake mate, I only had one beer". He proceeded to tell me that I had to pay for the girls company and for the girls drinks which turned out to be the most expensive champagne on the list. I said " what the f*ck" and said I wasn't paying for it. He said I had to and so I said that I had no money on me so I needed to go to the cash machine. He told me to leave my wallet there. I told him " No way mate" and then he said " okay, but one of the girls will escort you to the machine". " No problem" I said. I got to the machine, withdrew a small amount of cash gave it to her and said " that's all and your lucky i'm giving you that much!". She said " you have to pay the rest". I told her to " F off" and started a light jog away from her. She tried to follow but on seeing this I put my long blessed legs into overdrive and created a large distance between the two of us in a matter of seconds. Four blocks of stealthy skirting, pretending to shop whilst looking for followers and trusting no one, I found my hostel and proceeded inside to talk to a nice young swedish girl who was studying in a different part of China. She told me that I did the right thing and that I was extremely lucky because normally a couple of big hairy gorillas escort you to the money machine. That night she took me out to some nice bars and we had a great time drinking Tsingtao and playing the local drinking game. I learnt my lesson and look back now with a grin because for a short period in my life I felt like Tom Cruise in the next mission impossible......if only I had had a gun.