FUNKY FACES

It was on the eve of his final days here in America. My good friend Wilson Hsu and I drove out to Little Saigon in Orange County. We had no soundtrack, just a destination---but later for that. Our first stop was a quaint little restaurant called Pho (pronounced "Fa" or was it "Fuah"?), Pho 59. I didn't understand the meaning behind the numbers till much later. He did most of the ordering, so I can't recall what I had, but it was good and we were treated(!?) to a host of Vietnamese music videos. The strange looks I got from the regulars there reminded me of our class trip with Perry Kulper to Lone Pine... Anyway, our next stop was Little Saigon. We visited a mall there. Not very impressive but for one thing: its ceremonial spots where their Gods reside, watching with fierce, colorful faces, unmoved by the whims of their subjects as they venture through their lives raising families and burying loved ones and friends... It was quite sobering. Sobering in a way that says Paradise is as colorful and unmoving, eternal and kind, a wisdom that stands before complexity...

"So, are you ready to pray?" he asked.

"It would be fair to them." I indicated the statues. "Besides, I don't think they'll listen anyway."

"Sure they will." Wilson went over to the incense holders, various kinds were offered. He lit one and explained to me the ritual and procession of the prayers. He also expained to me that these shrines are common in public spaces (which I thought was very interesting that the 'notion' of space is 'theological').

"Okay, your turn." I went through the ritual. I asked for something, thinking back on it, dumb like good success and a happy life... yeah, great job...