The Woods' house,
The dining room,
Sunday noon:
"It's a pity Paris is not here," Elie Woods observed. "We hope he comes
another day."
Elie Woods resembled extremely to Kay & Ky: or maybe Kay & Ky
resembled Elie extremely, who people occasionally mistook her (despise 45
winters, still appearing no more than 35 winters) as an older sister.
"Yes," echoed Georgie Woods, as he filled the glasses with fresh water.
"Another day soon?"
Kay bit his lip. "True, it's a pity Paris is not here... he says he has
classwork to finish."
West filled their bowls with hot shrimp & vermicelli soup (Xup mien
ga voi tom).
"So Paris works," appraised Elie. "Good... Or does he prefer to
work, more willingly than agreeing to come?"
Kay dropped his spoon. "He... he has work... to finish... he does not
...choose to work... he has work. He always stays with me so... he
has work."
"...Okay..."
"Still, we hope he comes another day...," repeated Georgie as he
seasoned his shrimp & vermicelli. "...so we may speak with him."
"Paris is a sweetheart," eased Kay.
"It's true," whispered Ky.
"Please West, may you pass me the seasoning?" asked Kay.
West reached for the spices. "Here. Black pepper and red hot chili
pepper."
Elie's dark grey gaze shifted from Kay to Ky: "Still single, are you,
Sweetie?"
"As always," Ky breathed.
"Good," praised Georgie.
West stayed mute, thinking: "Still, he always dates."
"Has West got a sweetheart?"
"No sweetheart...," he breathed.
Things went smoothly from there.
When they were finished with the shrimp & vermicelli, Ky took their
bowls into the kitchen, and West served fried porc with French beans (Heo
xao dau dua).
An interest, from Elie, to Ky's health triggered another conversation,
tensing the atmosphere:
"I hear from Doctor Ash Stone the blood analysis are okay?" asked Elie.
"Yes," responded Ky.
"It's good."
"May I get an ear piercing?"
"Please not, Sweetie," disapproved Georgie.
"It's legally possible for me to get an ear piercing!"
"What reason is there to agree to leave you get an ear piercing,
Sweetie?" asked Elie.
Ky breathed before speaking: "Piercings are to adorn. Before, people
pierced & tattooed themselves, as to adorn themselves--or
reveal their belonging to a tribe or belief or something. As
do some American or African tribes, still today." He paused. "Piercing
& tattoos still are to adorn, today. They are not viewed
as they used to be, still, piercings & tattoos are to adorn. It's
normal."
"Okay, so what? You still have a health problem," Georgie protested.
"And piercings & tattoos are inappropriate."
"Not always," disagreed Elie. Then she asked: "Does it mean because you
want to get an ear piercing today, someday then you may not feel sorry?"
"...Maybe...," responded Ky. "Still, assuming an ear piercing is not
hard. It's not as if you may get ...bored... or something. You may
easily change earring, or choose not to wear an earring..."
Elie's lips drew a grin. "Then ask Doctor Stone."
"Elie, please don't agree to his ear piercing idea," protested Georgie.
"What reasons not to?"
"His health problem. Then, he has no need to adorn his ears with a
piercing."
Elie eluded his remark: "Ask Doctor Ash Stone to see if it's harmless,
Sweetie."
Ky beamed.
'*'~'*'~'*'~'*'~'*'~'*'~'*'~'*'~'*'~'*'
Ky observed Kay's old room with nostalgia.
Two close walls were colored light blue, covered with images from
bright coral reefs, deeps seas, oceans, their strange creatures... In the
formed corner, fitting the oceanic scene, laid a waterbed with dark blue
quilted bedspread (and a few stuffed animals). At its end, a 2¼ feet wooden table.
The rest fit a more natural scene, with forest & tree images
between a few African "sous-verres"
covering a white wall, above a whatnot. Books filled the shelves.
The eastern wall was not a wall: instead, wooden closet doors.
Ky walked to the whatnot to lit a candle beneath the incense burner. An
apricot scent filled the room.
Kay lay on his water bed, with his legs hanging down, arms folded above
his head. His closed eyes opened when he breathed into the apricot scent.
"Choose a 'sous-verre', please, Ky."
He blew the flame and put the burnt match on an ashtray. "What
'sous-verre'?" he asked, walking to the waterbed where he seated himself.
"Choose an aesthetic 'sous-verre'."
Ky observed Kay resting on his bed. "Nothing's leaving these walls."
"Please Ky! Paris will be pleased if I bring him a 'sous-verre'."
"Mmm mmm," he shook his head. "Nothing's leaving these walls."
"These are not yours," protested Kay.
"Still, it's as if: the room is decorated the way I chose to."
"It's not fair..." Still, Kay held no bitterness.
Ky ran his fingers through his hair and lay gently on the waterbed,
beside Kay.
They stayed mute, with their eyes closed, breathing into the apricot
scent, happy.
"Yes, Mom?" Kay asked.
Ky's eyes opened, startled as he had not heard the gentle knock on the
door.
Elie entered Kay's room, closing the door. "Resting?"
"Aye...," responded Ky.
Nostalgia filled Elie as she observed the images on the walls. "You
miss your old room?" she asked Kay.
"Yes," responded Kay.
"Aye," echoed Ky.
"Yours or his?"
"Both."
Kay giggled.
They stayed mute. Elie walked to the northern wall, observing marine
images. Kay closed his eyes, hearing the breathings, cheeping &
tweeting from the window.
"Give Paris something you created--a poem, a sculpture, or some
'pate-a-sel': something from you."
Elie's eyes changed their centering to Kay. "Is there a special reason
to give Paris something?"
"No reason," responded Kay.
"It's cute."
"Maybe a 'sous-verre' 'd be good: Paris is an artist."
Ky shook his head.
"Give Paris something you created, as Ky offered to," disagreed Elie.
"Yes," echoed Ky.
Someone roughly knocked, then opened the door. Ky gave West a mean
look.
"Yes, West?" asked Kay, tilting his head towards him.
"Nothing." He closed the door. "So Ky...," he slightly paused as he
caught Ky's eyes. "You really want to get an ear piercing?"
"Maybe," he responded.
"And you agree, Mom?"
"Ky's not a baby," observed Elie. "If he chooses to pierce his ear,
then he chooses to do so."
"Still, he has health problems," argued West, as if Ky was not here.
"It's not a 'health promblem'," protested Ky.
"It's true," agreed Elie. "Ky does not have a real 'health
problem'. Georgie's using a alleged reason not for Ky to get an ear
piercing."
"Besides, he's is going to ask Doctor Stone to see if it's harmless,"
Kay added.
West nodded, staying mute.