So, it was a very long day in the office… actually, not ‘my’ office, but thats not important

I finally finished up and went in search of food

I found what looked to be a trendy lounge bar with young hip kids sipping cocktails from giant brandy glasses as smooth cool jazz flowed out the door.

I stepped inside and found a table for one.

I hate having a table for 1 normally, and here was even worse. A trendy club of couples + 1.

I start to flick through the menu as the jazz song comes to an end…

somethings not right. I’m not sure what yet, but I just know something isn’t.

The next jazz melody never comes, it’s a disturbing silence

And then I notice, theres no alcohol on the menu. No beer, no cocktails in large brandy glasses

Milkshakes!

And then the music starts, but it’s not cool soft Jazz, it’s like an open mike night

and it’s all in chineese

I’m trapped, I’ve picked a table miles from the door – theres no going back

They all notice me… a skinny white boy sitting at a lonely table for one

mid sentance the guy on stage stops

[i]

“um, excuse me, but do you know Cantonese?”[/i]

He’s looking at me… actually they all are…

I shake my head, theres a murmor…

He continues in fluent english – repeating, nay translating, what hes just said

and from there on 1/2 the night is english for just my benefit

they force me to request a song

orange and straberry milkshake in a giant brandy glass

theres no leaving now

so I just sit back and enjoy

and every 2nd song is in english, just for me.

and by the end of the night it was now longer a ‘crowd + 1’

more like ‘1 plus a crowd’

(plus a milkshake in a brandy bulb).