What's going on? East-West New Year #Môt

Before you read what I write please take a time-out to watch my All-time R&B favorite Marvin Gaye. As an aside, Lem Barney and Mel Farr "Superstar" sung backup on the original of" What's going on. Brother?" Both were rookies of the year in '67(Lions! Yes, you've done it and can do it again.) The only sportperson's autograph I ever got was Lem's.



So my brother Larry Larry bo barry banana fana fo fary mee mi mo marry. Gary!... is getting married today to a wonderful Vietnamese woman, spent the last two Christmases with them so I should know what a lucky guy the off-broadway New York cabbie's last fare is. I'm feeling a bit outta sort. Had a minor fall (stitches) no sympathy needed save it for Ryan O'Neil. Farrah? May I call you Farrah? You're girl-next-door mystic image that deflowered many a virgin man created many stains and I hope that you live for eternity.Bless you R.I.P.

So as I was saying I staggered to Ton Son Nhat Airport to catch the New Year's flight to Danang. Get to the booth, booked online with Jetstar (in-country it's either Jetstar, VN air or two others for people that have money, and was greeted with "Hi,Mark. Going to Danang?" Not really into conspiracy theories but I go with it. I wait in the lounge and since I was in VN for too long,I started smoking, a habit that continues to plague my existence. Wait. Board the plane seated in-between incessant Vn men acting like nervous Nelly on a bad day.

As soon as we hit Danang the plane hit a full-force gale. I smiled. Landed. Most people head to Hoi an but no the motorbike driver was waiting and with his poncho we headed to Tran Phu street. Went to my old apartment building and the hotel in front said they were full and placed a call to to the massage hotel a few door s down. Signed up to the one-eyed man (every hotel is $10-15 or more on that street as per it all depends on the ?"

So my father (80) crashes his 1920's kit car the other day after blacking out. I'm like thinking this is part of the of Adder series until he starts pissing blood and have to rally the troops. Frickin' frickin' frickin'.

So download my things unto the concrete encasement of a 50's block falling fainting bleak deary room and saunter over to the outback patio. I'm thinking in the cold rain and unyielding wind that if I have daughter her name will be Caledonia because it's been twenty years and and I think about her everyday. Madness.

I see Trung. We embrace as old friends do and sit. Simultaneously. mama and papa get into a bit of a rift about some lost receipts according to my pidgin Vn and then clarified by my friend. At first I thought the former VC was on my ass about a $ of returnables. Like many couples in Danang t hey fought or rather forced to fight on opposing sides and came back into life. Don't get me wrong when I lived in the hood she was very very kind to me. Trung asks me if a need a girl? I say I don't know I'm headed to Yim's place. The phone ring's and it's Larry, drunk off his ass , and he says "Are you gay? No, really it's okay." I look at the rain, then at Trung, and start mumbling something about a girl in the Philippines. We head to lunch before the bottles start flying.

Whos's the poet in the sidebar---Oh yeah Maddox----" she covers the city like a ..."

Brother. The biggest luck ever. You two deserve it. Blood. Mark "a coupla days" Simic.

"I go out walking after midnight Out in the moonlight just like we used to do I'm always walking after midnight searching for you..." Patsy Cline

Pali Incantation

So as part of my layover (temporary or permanent) I've affixed myself with a new tattoo, quite scabby now. Hopefully, this will encourage young people all over America to do the same. God knows we need a bit of energy flowing through the stymied system that keeps people out of jobs and into the cold darkened streets of destitution.

Unpacking!

I've been busy traveling a bit and have finally started my New Year with a new job in Northern Thailand.

I came across this photo yesterday when it dropped out of one of the few remaining books I still carry around. It was taken when I had to do a visa run into Laos about six years ago and crossed over into the capital Vientiane.

I told the driver of a beater taxi with the noxious carbon monoxide cloud, both outside and inside the vehicle, to take me to the center of town. And that he did. Above is the roundabout that is the center of town.