Sukiyaki

“The way to remember how to say ‘you’re welcome’ in Japanese” Kaoru san says, “is ‘don’t touch my moustache.'” After Hope admits she’s taken to Asian men, Kaoru san says, “you riiiike tofuuu?” She says to me, “we are soul mates,” and I believe every word.

We are talking about boys and, “how obvious is that guy from security? He keeps passing by your counter. You know that guy is checking you out?”

“What guy? It’s his job to make rounds,” I say

“That’s what I thought, but you were on one side and he was staring at you while you were helping the customers and then you went to the other side, I dunno, I think to get the merchandise or something and he went out of his way to get to the other side too. And then you went back, and he went back too.”

“Who is this guy? Do I know him?”

“He’s a handsome guy, tall, kinda dark complexion.”

“You mean the guy with the huge Hispanic butt?”

Kaoru san says she was married for 20 years, but now they are separated because you can’t domesticate a Latino. I ask her what’s her type of guy and is she looking for someone new? She says, no she’s not looking. “I’m too old to start over again.”

I say, “you’re never too old for love. I guess it’s just a matter of finding it.”

She talks of her dog, “my Hanachan, gives me enough love… But I like an intelligent man. Maybe one with a heart of gold.”

I tell her, “oh, that sounds like just my type, too,” and think about playing something from Neil Young.

I’m changing the c.d. for our counter music. I ask her does she prefer to listen to anything else in particular and she says, “anything is fine with me, except rap… I don’t really care much for rap.”

I say, “not all rap is bad, yea know. Like Outkast is pretty alright.”

And Kaoru san, this kind little Japanese lady says in the tiniest most agreeable tone of voice, “oh yeah, some is okay… I just don’t like the one’s that are like, ‘da booteh’ and ‘da bitches.'”

“word.”