Paramendra Bhagat
July 29, 2002
Over A Weekend
Paramendra Bhagat
July 29, 2002
Another shot. Amy, my friend here likes you. The bookstore was on M Street, alright. "I found you," Kenji tells me upon bumping into me in the restroom at the bookstore. Kit Rogers, you are not vain, you are funny. "Are you going to some internet cafe? Don't put this online." No, I'm just going to the restroom, silly. Amy, don't forward my next article. Pina Colada. Scotch Whiskey. Bombay Saphire. Pepsi. Water? Water. Georgetown. Excuse me, is there a bookstore around here? "But it's a mile away." Lara, what website do you go to for directions? Did someone say Chicago? The street is actually paved with stones, and the sidewalk with bricks. Georgietown. "And we went downstairs to flirt with some men." "That one's on me." "She is just being a waitress." Bacardi 151.
But no, it is another street. The bus, the bus. I was worried about you. Did you get the bus alright? I got the last metro. I walked all the way to DuPont Circle. Was not that bad really. Is not far.
Where is Lara? Hey, can I call Lara on your phone? Can I call again and leave your number? "But you don't have a phone." Bishop does. "Bishop gave me your message." Is your girlfriend coming tomorrow? What do we do from now until two? The exhibit on Egypt. An hour and a half plus half. "We are with them." Nice try. What is that? I like you. "She comes prepared." "Eight bucks for salad." I could throw you all a feast on that kind of money: rice and chicken curry. Are you telling me you can actually read this? Hieroglyphics. "I learned it in a book." "Was he pretending?" They show free movies on Sundays. The gallery of art. That tunnel. Sophia. "But you can walk." McDonalds? Hot dogs? Subway? Subway. "But Americans are fat." Would you like to split a footlong? "Anyone wants the rest of this salad?" "I will take the other piece of the chicken."
No tickets. All gone for the day. But that is not the Holocaust Museum. "You've been in there before?" Yeah, in 1998. It is a powerful experience. We should've come here when we came. 9:30 tomorrow? "Yes." "That will be hard."
Let's meet in front of the castle. "I had to go back to the house to get Amy's phone number." It's raining. "If I see a flash of lightning, I'm taking shelter." "I am hungry." Okay, what next? "Hey, guys, let me show you some. Paramendra's mom was named after this goddess here: Parvati. And his father's name is Muni. Money and poverty!" A Brazilian performance at the Kennedy Center. Are you going? Did you call your girlfriend? "Foggy Bottom-GWU. Kennedy Center Shuttle."
We'll see you guys tomorrow.
You look African. "I am African. Of course, I look African." I mean, as opposed to African-American. You sound African. Which way to Connecticut Avenue? The Nepalese restaurant is on the 18th Street, right? First off to the bank? 80? 100? You pay for the meal. I am so glad we did this. Me too. "No, she asked the guy if the place was open?" Can you tell the difference, Nepali and Indian food? "Yes." He gave all the money back. "I was too busy talking to someone else." "Any Nepalese in Indiana?" Plenty of Indians.
"You speak good English." You too.
They are going out of business. All this jelly beans for 55 cents. Planes take off. Planes land. Just a fancy bus stop. Haircut? Haircut. Indian sweets, let's make 'em. Let's. Haircut? Shave? Yes. Yes? Yeah. Blue line? Yeah. "I've never taken the blue line, this end."
"Does he know you are with this guy?" It's just Joanna, Amy, you and me.
Six hours at the Holocaust Museum. Early 30s, the two main Jewish groups in the US were debating. One suggested no public protests should be mounted, lest Hitler treat the Jews worse. Germany introduced the signs that had been around in the US for the longest time. "No Jews allowed." No blacks. The park bench. After the world war ended, an anti-Jewish riot in an East European country. Jews draw away Christian children's blood for sacrifice. Suggested. Jesus Christ. Crucifixion. The Jew. Martin Luther, and his anti-semitic venom upon learning the Jews will not covert, but why will they? Convert to what, they already have a rich faith and tradition.
In the 1990s, the Hutu-Tutsi. Cambodia. Milosevic.
Call Sumore. Call Kamal. Did. Floats? Floats. A dozen postcards.
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