Memories..

 Believe it or not, when I was single and lonely years ago I decided to try and learn some Japanese to stay mentally sharp - (some help that was, right?)

I used to work as a waiter at The Balcony restaurant on Camp Bowie to get through college..When I got off I would sometimes go to my favorite authentic Japanese restaurant down the street, the Japanese Palace..( Sadly, it’s no longer there.) The Palace was decorated with understated elegance..Not like a lot of other, “ Watch, as I cook your food light  in front of your stupid, fat, round eyes!” kind of joints..It was like walking into a scene out of SHOGUN..  Mama-sans sitting on cushions staring at me like I was the one that had dropped the big one on Hiroshima.. To them, I guess I may as well have been.. The waitresses and ALL the staff were top shelf..

One night I was into a few Ichi-bons and the most beautiful oriental young lady I had ever seen delivered the next one to me..A true Japanese lady will never put anything down on a table in front of you unless you request it, (and why would you?)

Anyway, this wasn’t my first Tokyo-Rodeo so I knew to take the rice beer, then by custom, bow my head slightly taking my eyes briefly to the floor and say  “Thank you.”

Which I didn’t do.. I was spellbound by this geisha-goddess, so I bowed, but like taking a countess’s fingertips, I stared her straight in the eye and kissed her tiny hand..Then a sentence popped into my head and I said, “Hitoribotchi no yoru..” ( But I am all alone tonight- in English.)  

We hit it off like peas and carrots and went out, under the disapproving glare of the older ladies, and danced until the middle of the night.. Her name was Miyoshi, and I never saw her again afterwards- the place went out of business.. And the rest of the events of that amazing evening will stay locked in this black heart, forever..

JBS Blackheart