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The gold medalists of serendipity
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Evan, left, and Will Randall of Marietta and Rachel Cathy of Jonesboro are having MOR fun than you can imagine here in Beijing.
A guy and a girl are walking down a street in Beijing. She spots his UGA hat and goes, “Go Dawgs!”
“You’re from Georgia?” he asks.
“Atlanta,” she says.
“I am too!” he says, and they start talking about what they miss back home.
“Chick-fil-A,” he says. “Man, do I miss Chick-fil-A.:”
She smiles, reaches into her pocket and pulls out one of those little “Eat Mor Chickin” cows.
Evan Randall of Marietta has just run into Rachel Cathy of Jonesboro, granddaughter of Chick-fil-A founder Truett Cathy and niece of its president, Dan Cathy. He’s a 2006 UGA grad, now living in Beijing on a Fulbright scholarship. She’s a 2008 UGA grad just here for the Games and figured what better way to spread international goodwill than some free sandwich coupons and stuffed cows?
“I was like, maybe I’ll carry these around,” she said, never dreaming she’d run into folks from metro Atlanta.
Cathy and Evan and his brother Will, a Rice University student, were celebrating Will’s last night in Beijing when the chance meeting occurred. He’s got to head home to get ready for the school year.
“I am so sad to be leaving,” he said.
But at least he can hit Chick-fil-A soon.
International diplomat John Mion at his seat of power: a table at the Beijing Hooters.
Atlanta’s corporate community has exported much of itself abroad. You can’t take three steps without spotting a Coke logo. A giant General Electric sign is one of the first things you see upon landing at the airport. And when I ship my clothes home to make room in my suitcase for souvenirs, it won’t be hard to find a FedEx or UPS location.
But let’s not forget the Atlanta-based corporation famous waitresses in clingy orange shorts and tank tops. That’s right, there is a Hooters in Beijing.
That’s where we went to watch the U.S. team play China tonight, figuring we’d run into some Yanks in the crowd. And that’s where we met John Mion, who has lived in Beijing for two years. He works for a company that salvages materials, like the platinum in old carburetors.
He says he’s gotten many a deal going here over plates of chicken wings and that introducing Chinese to Hooters takes on something of a diplomatic air.
“I don’t mean that in an arrogant way,” said Mion, whose brother lives in Alpharetta. “You’ve got to spread real Americana. They think everything is just McDonald’s and KFC.”
Comments
By ATL Event Planr
August 11, 2008 6:46 AM | Link to this
Hey SB
I just wanted to say thanks for all the updates…it kind of makes us feel like we are there with you! I know I wish I was!!! Thanks!
By Mike
August 11, 2008 11:02 PM | Link to this
I second the previous comment - thank you so much for your fun and witty posts from Beijing! It reminds me of the fun I had at our own Olympics. I only went to one event, but I was out all night every night among the crowds. It was incomparable fun, and I’m glad you’re sharing this Olympics with us!
By Mary Koronkowski
August 12, 2008 1:05 PM | Link to this
Hey SB! I loved the story about the two Georgians meeting on a crowded Beijing street! That was great! Be safe and come back with fabulous stories for the book club! - Mary K.