Reminiscence at a Laundromat

Laundromat Time.... I haven’t been to one of these in a good long time. We have a washer in our apartment (and I’m glad I used it today, I guess that nasty stench coming from our laundry room was from the machine not being used in who knows how long) but no dryer. I need sheets to sleep on tonight, so that meant loading up my huge duffle with damp clothes and dragging it a city block to a 24 hour laundromat.

I’m glad that I carefully selected the wrong dryer to put my money in. Some Taiwanese girl is going to have extra crisp undies thanks to me. Oh well, you live and learn. I now know the Mandarin character for up and down... seems that an up arrow and a down arrow would suffice.... And now that I sit back and look at it, the Taiwanese people must think so too. I just missed it.

It’s Sunday night, and I am about to begin another work week. I must say that my gastro-intestinal system is excited... or perhaps nervous. My Taiwanese ladies thoroughly enjoy taking me out to lunch because I will try just about anything. Just about, when Chris and I went to a BBQ place I happened upon the owner came by to chat it up with us... in perfect Mandarin. We did our best with pointing and TALKING LOUD SLOW ENGLISH (typical Americans) to communicate and we did pretty well with one exception.

Ming-None, the accommodating owner of this fine establishment, decided that we Americans were not enjoying his BBQ properly and promptly pulled up a chair after stopping by the condiment bar with spices and a healthy (pun) amount of butter. Ming’s son, Jackie, came by because he had some english in his vocab and through some rough translation and gesturing Ming asked if I liked seafood. I gestured with my thumb and index finger that I like “some.” Ming’s face lit up and he disappeared.

I quickly scanned my memory for what I recognized from the seafood section and didn’t recall any salmon or white fish being available.... Turns out I have excellent short term memory recall because the “seafood” smorgasbord Ming returned with was... interesting.

Apparently my “some” gesturing translated perfectly to “I will try a little of whatever you got back there” in Mandarin.

I about hurled onto the coals when I saw what Ming was wanting me to sample.

Thankfully I had already grilled up some wonderful steak and chicken, and after the salad and ice cream bar, was sufficiently stuffed. I declined our patrons offer of seafood but allowed him to sizzle up some tasty veggies for us to sample.

We finished up, payed our bill, and invited Jackie to meet us at the basketball courts next to my building to play some pick-up.

He showed, we played, and only lost one game.

The game is different for me out here. I am always the tallest on the court by at least three inches. That being said, I remember that from playing with Asians back in Orlando that they have lightning quick lateral movement... and when they jump, they just hang. I need to start meditating to boost my hang time a few tenths.

Basically, I am envious of Asians athletic ability.... Not their height mind you. That being said, this is where I am:

I am white. I am 6-2. When it comes to basketball, I have a target on my back. Anybody who knows me knows that I don’t mind a good competition, but the way these guys come at me.... I am terrified to jump.

I have fragile ankles. Every time a rebound is in my reach I have one guy on my back, one on my arm, and another hovering somewhere near my waist. That is a minefield of six feet waiting for my delicate ankles to land on, turn, and snap in half. I don’t know if I’ll ever get over this mental block. My Taiwan game is a ground game.

Well, I now have sheets to sleep on. I am tired. I walked easily 25 miles this week. and I expect to average that while I am here.

More stories to come.

AND GO BUTLER!