Kevlar Sighting

They are rare these days but I had a 20 minute meeting with K-Dar the other day.

Text message from Kevlar received Thursday around noon. I looked at my phone around 12:20.

"What you doing? Wanna get coffee at 7"

My reply,

"OK which one?"

Then, after some time with no response, I sent:

"I got til one ten so tell me where you're gonna be."

He messaged back,

"Family Mart in 15",

meaning the Family Mart on Si Ping Rd. just a block off Zhong Qing, not far from Wei Dao. Deep into Bei Tun. Kevlar, now working waaay downtown at Yu Ren, was coming allll the up to see me. By Buddha's Lobes! I finished my peanut butter sandwich and made for the scooter.

Happy to have a different diversion at lunch time, I arrived in probably 12 minutes.

I should have made it 20.

After all, I was meeting Kevlar. And he was driving alll the way up from downtown. What was I thinking?

On the other hand, he does have that really fast motorcycle. But it's Kevlar, right? He's always late. He could well wind up transfixed by some construction site on Cheng De because they're pouring yellow cement. "Well, why would they be pouring yellow cement?" Tardiness be damned! I was prepared to wait. There was an excellent chance he'd have cigarettes.

While I was waiting I got a Mr. Brown and drank it outside. Having nothing to smoke, I called Sandy to see how the boys were doing. They have been fighting the germs from their new school and had been to see the doctor that morning. Ivo is sicker than Burl. He picked up a virus, and is on antibiotics for the next week or so. (Two days of meds and he's already getting better, no fevers!)

I had expected to Kevlar come roaring up on his blue Yamaha but instead he arrived on that dinky little scooter that Bread borrowed when he was here. I finished up talking to Sandy as Kevlar disappeared into the FM for a coffee. It was 1:50.

"Hey you all done your phone call?"

"Yeah."

"Talkin' business are ya?"

"Talkin' to Sandy. Boys went to see the doctor this morning."

"How's Ivo?"

"Pretty sick. Got a virus."

"Burl?"

"More of a cold. How's little Kaia?"

"Kaia likes to walk around the house carrying a stool. For climbing."

"Funny."

"I'm always picking up stuff, and sweeping!"

"I know what you mean."

"Kaia can take her clothes off and likes to run around naked."

"Just like her dad."

"Yeah, heh-heh-heh-heh-heh."

"Why are you riding the scooter? I expected to see you on the bike."

"I got a flat. Pushed it to get fixed yesterday, at three, the guy says come back at six.

"So what happened?"

"I went to pick it up and it wasn't done. Three of them sitting around the tire trying to figure out what to do with it! My Jesus! What's up with that?"

"Remedial mechanics. Tough luck."

"So they said it'd be til seven so I went over to NOVA."

"Shopping?"

"Looking, then I bought something. Yeah! So I went back, picked it up and drove away. An hour later? Flat! Idiots!!"

"Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!"

"You laugh."

"That sucks."

"Anyway I couldn't be bothered with it today."

"You're late."

"I texted you at five to twelve, didn't hear back from you so went to 7-11 near school with a co-worker. We were drinking coffee and smoking cigarettes when you got back to me."

"Kinda like this."

"Just like this! I said sorry I gotta go, pal! People to see!"

"Jesus! Is that all you ever do at lunch time? And you've recruited your new co-workers to join you?"

"And they like to drink! On Fridays after work we get draft beer at a place near school. They have picnic tables for sitting!"

"So I hear you've been entertaining the teachers over there!"

"Wellll, getting to know people, you know?"

"I know the Friday night I got a call from D-Wayne 'cause Anne called Fubar looking for you. I think it was 10:30 or so. You didn't go home after work? You stayed out drinking and didn't bother to call your wife?"

"I lost track of the time. That was a late night. I got home pretty late."

"You don't even hang out at Fubar."

"Yeah, but she doesn't know that!"

"I see. you musta heard it."

"Oh, Christ you wanna talk about miserable."

"I gotta go."

"Right. I drove in the typhoon on Saturday! I had to work. Meet the parents. Not fun."

"Are you doing those song and dance routines at assemblies this year?"

"No! I have to write my first test though. They want it like this and like that. Eep!

"You'll figure it out."

"Did I tell you that I think the dwarf that beat up PJ is working at my school?"

"A dwarf beat up PJ?"

"Laid a good crackin' on him I guess."

"Yes, yes I remember D-Wayne was talking about it. He works with you?

"Yeah, he's just a little guy."

"Gotta go. Class in 5 minutes."

"Right. I got a 3 hour lunch. Well only 2 more now."

"Good seeing ya. Come for lunch some day."

"Oh, I wanted to tell you. I bought a TV recorder for my computer."

"Oh?"

"It will record the TV. I plug it into my computer and I can record show to my hard drive. Only 994 dollars! So now maybe I'll get to watch TV! I got a 19 inch screen so it shouldn't be too shabby!"

"And then burn?"

"I guess if you wanted to then you could. I just got it last night! I bought it to record Dora. (the Explorer- kids' show) It's just this little box that prongs right into the back of the computer..."

"Gotta run."

"See you. I gotta smoke some more and hi to Sandy!

"Come back and eat Thai food!"