This teacher writing is a response to the assignment given on Lingkuan Gorge. It demonstrates a change of mood or outlook in the narrator based on meeting someone. The story is true and took place in 1977 in Glasgow, Scotland.

In Scotland

      It had been a long day. Earlier, I had taken a train to the Glasgow airport only to find that no planes belonging to my airline flew to Vancouver from there. Now, in the amber late afternoon light, I trudged along the banks of the river, my paper bag of hot fish and chips held close. I sat down heavily and began to eat. Out of the corner of my eye, I spied a woman dressed in ragged clothes approaching me. I thought to myself, "Oh no, now I'm going to have an even worse day than I've been having already!" She merely asked me if I would share what I had to eat with her, although with her thick accent it was hard to make out the words. I agreed so she sat down and we ate together in silence. Later on, after I had returned to the hostel, my step felt somehow lighter. All the next day no wait seemed too long, nor any obstacle too great. I flew home to Canada, and that very night my mother cooked me my favourite meal: sweet and sour spareribs, hot potatoes, salad, and apple pie.