"You want to hear a really nasty story?" asked Christina. We all leaned in close. She noted our silence and continued.
"One day, this young teenage girl comes into the hospital. She's a peasant from a village outside the city. I could tell she grew up on a farm because she had a dark tan and tattered clothes. She was maybe only fourteen or fifteen years old.
Ah yes, that ever-illusive activity, as exasperating as it is exhilarating. Both loved and loathed, dreaded and desired. Like a wish whispered under a full moon's light.
I speak of dating, of course. That favorite ritual of guys and dolls. What fun!
"Do you have to be unhappy to create great art?"
I thought for a moment. "I wouldn't think so. Why should being happy or unhappy matter if you're a great artist?"
"Okay," Jimmy continued. "Name someone who's been happy and created a great piece of art. Music, writing, painting, whatever."
"What's up with this fascination for Japanese girls in maid outfits?" Kim asked.
Masako laughed. "In the maid cafes, the girls will treat you like a king. The Japanese businessmen love them. When you go inside, the girls will say, 'Welcome home, Master' in Japanese, then dote on you the entire time you're there."
"Do they do, um, anything else?" I wondered.
"NO Mike. Get your mind out of the gutter."
Weekly random rambles, musings & writings of Mike Lee in San Francisco, CA