Epigrams

Henry empty-headed, how about? —The longest journey begins with the first step, or — It’s time to start something new and trust the magic of the beginnings. 

Henry hated epigrams. 

Queens on a fall night, cool cobalt air pulling and blowing on you, inviting you to step into it. 

Leaving his apartment at 1030 PM, stoping at Chaim’s Deli for a late snack—matzo ball soup, chopped chicken liver spread on rye and Robatusin mixed with soda.  Ruby, Henry’s regular waitress, a good women working to put her son through college. 

Leaving Chiams at 1100 PM with no plans. 

Near Times Square a young asian gal wearing a white Ao Dai (an asian dress) and pumps open at the heal, says hello. Henry taken back, mesmerized by her winsome beauty. 

She asked him if they can go have a drink, Henry paralyzed and finding it hard to speak finally saying, “Sure doll.”

The two duck into a corner bar, Jimmy’s Place, they sit in a booth and order two gin martinis, exchanging names. Her name is Mai and she is right off the boat from Viet Nam, on the run from something. Mai asked him if he can help her get a green card.  

Henry living off of crazy-pay from month to month, romance for him a long chain of one-night-stands, feeling powerless, laid-low by Mais allure, he orders two more drinks, then says “What kind of work do you do Mai?” She tells him she is an exotic dancer, he says “Oh, no problem doll, the city is full of strip joints.”

After more than a few gin martinis Henry picks up the tab and says to Mai, “Lets get a rub down baby.”

They take a taxi to Siam Massage, Henry at the counter asking for Nam, then saying “We want a threesome.” 

Nam, Henry and Mai walking down a long hall glowing purple. They settle in a room draped in East Indian prints made radiant by candle light, smelling of jasmine and coconut, getting naked. Mai with natural tits, her body like white silk. 

The girls massage Henry, he is turgid, very turned on. They start making out, he lays lines of cocaine on a small mirror, the three snort it up, having a ball.  

Mai tells her story to Nam, it turns out Siam Massage is looking for a masseuse. No green card required, a couple hundred a day in tips, room and board. 

Henry as luck would have it was off the hook. He would have access to Mai at Siam Massage  without having to be responsible for her. 

Flowing water always finds its own level in the sand and the Lord works in strange ways—

More epigrams Henry thought.