The Brooklyn Birds

Wheeee!!! The pigeons soared parallel with the on-ramp to the Williamsburg bridge, flapping around in circle after monotonous circle, burning what they've ingested to keep themselves light enough for flight. Actually, that's my interpretation of what's happening, but maybe it's got a kernel of truth in there, no?

I mused at the disappearance of Little Italy under the weight of waves of continuous Chinese immigration, the days of Italian regulation of the Chinaman are a distant memory that are recounted by my relatives. We walked into a packed Big Wong's, tables bustling with foreigners of all sorts, a sight that I don't find much in this haunt of old Chinatown blood. The dirty streets of the original NY Chinatown may be dingy and downtrodden to the casual glance, but there are stories brewing in the filth and dank sewers, stories and tales that are guarded closely. We're seated next to a group of 6 foreigners, who proceed to put on a comedy for us.

Wife: Do NOT order anything strange... You know I don't eat seafood... (Stares at our plates)
Husband: Yeah, yeah, I know... (Struggles with a corkscrew and their bottle of Merlot) Umph... (Pulls at the cork)
Uncle: 呢個人唔識用嘎...
Me：係囉...
Uncle: Would you like some help with that?
Husband: Yeah, sure, thanks!
(Uncle unscrews the portable corkscrew a little, positions the groove, and pulls out the corkscrew with ease.)
Uncle: Here you go. :-)
Husband: Thank you! Do you guys want some?
Uncle, Me： No thank you. (We dip our 油炸鬼 into the 粥 and eat our 油菜同埋叉燒.)
Husband: (Orders with the waitress) We'll take some wonton soups, and what is this thing? (Points at 蝦米炸腸)
Waitress: It's umm...It's like what they have. (Points at our plate of 蝦米炸腸)
Husband: Hmm...
Wife: Honey, I TOLD you, nothing too strange, just get us some soup...

I don't understand venturing into restaurants with different types of cuisine and then not wanting something not too strange. Why didn't you just go to Johnny Rockets then? Anyhow, at least they ordered the dish in the end, and unlike the other table next to us, they didn't order Kung Pao Chicken in the Cantonese barbecue restaurant. I had a quiet a few quiet glances and laughs with my uncle about the strangeness of these foreigners. Foreigners into this piece of land that is America, foreigners to a different neck of the woods.

Comic relief was abundant today with the whirling pigeons and gastronomically challenged foreigners. Afterwards, I headed to the pool hall where I was again much too early. I sat, ordered the drinks for everyone that would be showing up, and swigged away at my Corona as I relaxed to some 張愛玲.