Have you Ever...

Been scared to go home??
My answer-- never in all my life... until yesterday. And the reason for my timidness... this old lady right here (you may think she looks gentle and quiet... but this old lady is the cause of my fright to go home) Funny thing - as I post this I can hear her talking to somebody outside my building.
Otherwise know as "Ayi" She and her husband are the "gate-keepers" of our apartment complex. EVERYDAY she will ask me if I have eaten every time I go in and out of the gate (this can range from 2 to 20 times a day)
On Sunday, I got a text message from one of my teammates saying the Ayi wanted to cook dinner for us at 6:30 on Monday night.
So Monday morning, I am leaving the house to go meet my boss about some business items and the Ayi grabs me and starts fussing- I can't understand a word she is saying except "eat" and I know she is referring to dinner. (she has a very THICK accent)
Each time I come in and out during the day-- same routine.
I teach class on Monday's from 2:30-6:00. I called Wes after finish class to tell him two things- 1. I am scared to go home because of the Ayi 2. I have to pee really bad!!
Game plan- walk fast and quietly!! (there is only one way in and one way out of our apartment and the Ayi is always sitting at the gate)
So plan is working great... until I get about 2 steps past the gate-- she was looking down my first two steps. Then I "EY.... EY... EY..." I keep walking thinking maybe she is talking to someone else. Then she gets up and yells louder AND she starts clapping her hands. I wavy and keep going. I pick up the pace of my walk to almost a jog but not so obvious. I dialed Wes on the phone and the conversation goes like this:

Avery: "Wes, she is yelling and clapping her hands... I am afraid she is running after me... I have to pee really bad!!"
Wes: "Laughing Laughing Laughing... I'm sorry Baby."

Some of you might be wondering why I didn't stop and at least say something to her... there is a great reason... even though she looks sweet and subdue in the picture-- she will grab you and drag you in her house... there is no telling this lady "no."
I wasn't planning on going to the dinner because well... we'll just say I wasn't planning on going... me and the still developing baby were going to eat at home. BUT once I relieved my bladder... I began to feel very guilty. SO... I begrudgingly gathered up a gift for the Ayi and headed towards her house.
The other thing about dinner with "Hengyang Ren" (the people of Hengyang) - they will tell you - you aren't eating enough.- do you think my cooking is bad?- you must not like it.- eat more. (as they put food in your bowl)
Wes and I had a great time trading bowls through out dinner. The Ayi would fill up my bowl and look away to check on the other people... Wes would eat the contents out of the bowl and hand it back to me empty as I passed him another full bowl-- he is a trooper!!
Here is a picture of the team after finish dinner with the Ayi and her husband.