Shanghai Lockdown ‘22: “Rules are made to be broken”

Just after sunset.
Innocently out of our apartment when we are not supposed to be, Serena & I approached the COVID testing tent site along our compound’s front stretch of road. Directly in front of us is Life Mall, a nice little mall I usually like walking around in, having dinner at the Japanese spot after evening runs at the lake.

Two men are inside our compound on the ground near a high metal fence. A man on the 3rd floor rooftop is dropping a cardboard box package down to them, on a plastic rope line that looks like packing tape. The line screeches like tape as it ferries the box below.

The box begins descending within the fence line as the men inside with us shout up instructions. Rooftop man pulls the line back, reorienting.

Within 30 seconds, the two men grab the package. Rooftop man pulls up the line and disappears. Soon, so do the two men, although seemingly not worried.

A mall security guard walks nearby beneath the lights of the parking garage. Does he know?
Does he care?

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Innocently, I walk along that same front stretch of road just after finishing a run. In the shadows, I hear a crash. I look towards the trash bins but the noise isn’t from there.

Suddenly, a man comes running out from the darkness of Life Mall’s fence line area. He’s carrying a red bag. Looks like one of those restaurant food delivery bags (from the days when we visited restaurants). Off he goes into the yonder.

“Life finds a way…”