Page 20 - Vol. VI #8

Bird’s Nest Soup (continued from preceding page) “Failures?”
on on on on the the the table with two fortune cookies on on on on top “Thank you you ”
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she says says dipping her her her head at at them He only shrugs “She had a a a a a a a a a a a a a a few rough patches but I I wouldn’t call
“No thank you you little lady ”
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Jacob says says winking at at her her her her He pulls out out thirty dollars and and and and hands it it it it it it to to her her her her “Keep the the the the change Don’t go spending it it it it it it all
in in in in in in in one place now ”
her her a a a a a a a a failure ”
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“I didn’t say say she was a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a failure failure ”
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The The waitress smiles and and and and plucks the the the the bills out out of his wrinkled hand hand with her her her her her delicate fingers fingers Ren doesn’t know what to say say She She She looks down at at at at at her her her plate and and pricks a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a cold green bean covered in in in brown gelatin with her her fork “Was that really necessary?” Ren Ren says after she walks away The The toddler is at at at at at at at at the the the the dessert bar sticking her her her her her fingers fingers in in in in in in in in in the the the the the chocolate chocolate sprinkles as as as her her her her her father plops chocolate chocolate pudding into a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a bowl Ren’s head hurts She wants to to to to go home A A new young Asian waitress appears She She She She She bows and and and places a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a bowl of of orange orange slices in in in in in the the the middle of of their table She She She She could could be be be twelve She She She She could could be be be twenty Ren can’t tell “Was what necessary? What did I do?” Jacob says to to to her her her her although his eyes are watching the the the the wait- ress bending over a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a deserted table wiping off the the the seats “You like like sweet orange?” she she asks She She She She is is is exquisite and and tiny like like the the the the porcelain geisha doll Jacob Jacob brought back from a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a business trip to Tokyo for Ava when she she was eleven that still sits unopened somewhere in in in the the the attic “A ten-dollar tip for for a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a twenty-dollar meal? She didn’t even do do anything ”
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“Sure do do ”
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Jacob Jacob says “But bring me me me me me some some more moist napkins Sweetheart ”
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He winks “This could get messy for an an an an old man like me me me me ”
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“Don’t be such a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a tight wad Ren Those Asian girls work hard ”
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He He He cracks open a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a fortune fortune cookie cookie and and pulls out out the the the the the slip of white paper inside He He He reads it it it it it it it it it then then pinches it it it it it it it it it over on on on on itself in in in in in in in and and and tosses it it it it it it it it it on on on on the the the the the table He He He bites into into the the the the the fortune fortune fortune cookie cookie grimaces then then spits it it it it it it it it it out out into into a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a napkin “Stale as a a a a a a day-old donut ”
The The waitress giggles and and and pulls a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a handful of of square packets from her her apron Jacob watches her her her walk away as he he he he he he he he he he slides a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a slice of of orange into his mouth and and and and sucks the the juices out out “They used to to bring us us Mangosteen in in in in Bangkok after every meal ”
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he he he he he he he he he he he tells Ren “You can’t get get get fruit like that here in in in in in the the the the States So sweet and and and fresh make you you you you smack your Momma Once you you you you get get get a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a taste for for it you you you you can can never forget ”
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He drops the the the the the the orange rind on on on on on on his his plate plate and and and picks up another slice slice “You want one?”
Ren unfolds his his his fortune fortune and and and reads it it it it it it it it it It’s an an an an ill bird bird that fouls its own nest Ren shakes her her head and and and watches him suck the the the the the juice from the the the the the slices one one one one by one one one one until they lay
in in in in in a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a heap on on on on on on on on on his his his plate plate They don’t look like fruit anymore but strange sea creatures gutted and and left to to die on on on on on on on shore She She thinks about Jacob in in in in Bangkok how his his hotel phone rang rang unanswered at at at 3 a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a m m m until the the front desk picked up asking if she wanted to to leave a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a message Jacob sucks the the the the the the the dregs of of his his his soda up through his his his straw then says “In Cambodia there are these birds called Swiftlets They They live live in in deep caves caves and and and make make their their their nests nests on the the the the the the the the the the walls walls completely out of of of their their their own own hardened saliva Local villagers risk their their their lives to to to to to climb down into into those caves caves and and scrape the the the the the the the the nests nests nests off the the the the the the the the walls walls They They sell it it it it to to to to to to ritzy restaurants who make make make a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a killing turning it it it it into into Bird’s Nest Soup for rich tourists The The nests nests are so valuable the the the the the the villagers never eat it it it it themselves ”
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The waitress appears with the the check She She places it it it 11
“That’s disgusting ”
Ren says her her her stomach churning His story makes her her her head pound “One man’s man’s revulsion is is is another man’s man’s delicacy