THE TALENT OF SUCCESS IS NITHING MORE THAN DOING WELL WHATEVER YOUDO WITHOUT A THOUGHT OF TIME
[Taipei, 9/26/24]
The title of this article I lifted from a woman’s half cotton dress that was more like a long T-shirt or night shirt. At least half the world are sleepwalking around in American style “casual wear.” If I was still at Seven Stories Press, some ditzy proofreader would miss the humor of this bad English. Sighing, I would have to correct her frontally offensive correction. Fresh from college with her English degree, she’s just thrilled to have one cutesy stubbed toe in Manhattan, so is working for next to nothing, if not nothing.
This morning at Tomorrow Hotel, I slyly positioned myself right next to the dancing girl on the screen. I doubt anything can happen to supplant her as the mindblowing summit of my Taipei trip. So spontaneous and joyful, she’s clearly possessed by being here, just as I was decades ago. I, too, believed in my poetry. If I could blush, I would. Instead, I must gnash my cracked, broken and misaligned teeth.
All around me, I heard Tagalog. The Spanish “pero” gave it away and, of course, the rhythm. About to go to the airport, a dozen Filipinos were laughing and yakking. One woman in a “NY” dress wanted to have her photo taken by the reception counter. Her friend, though, kept messing up. NY wasn’t happy. By her wide stance, it’s possible NY just wanted to kick that bitch in the mouth.
You don’t need to read her mind to know she was thinking, Did I come here for this?! Ten fuckin’ years I saved to see Taipei, and now you’ve ruined not just this trip, but my life, with your vicious photos! This is surely not me. You’ve made me look like some aging ladyboy who hasn’t gotten any in decades.
The lone male receptionist was in pink this morning. Just half a block away are all these gay bars, Secret Garden, Kiss, G-Paradise and Ximen Red House, etc. There’s a sex toy boutique. The most common type in this area, though, are young girls looking sexy. After dark especially, they parade around. Last night, I noticed one masked girl having her photos taken. Why try to look cute if you’re hiding half your face? Her thin fingered hands were so lovely. Her hair was tinted auburn.