Whew. I made it to the airport after having a tough time getting to sleep. The only thing that kept me up last night was the anticipation of getting to the airport…for some people watching. It’s like crack for the G-rated voyeur. The day started off well. I’m on vacation.

My cab driver had a bit of an accent which led me to assume he was from Africa. We started talking and since he loaded my 2 pieces of luggage in his cab, the natural question came about. I told him I was going to Japan. His response: “Ah, you are going back home.” Imagine Arsenio Hall’s accent in Back to America. I told him I wasn’t from there but I was just visiting my brother and had actually never been there. It’s funny how he understood every sentence except that one. He kept asking how the government was - was it corrupt? How is the weather there? Do my parents still live in that country? I eventually figured it was easier to play along and eventually turned it around on him so I didn’t have to answer so many questions. Making shit up this early in the morning is hard work. And I’m on vacation.

I asked him from what country he came and he said the little one in Africa and started laughing. “Ethiopia”. That must be a funny as Hell joke there because he laughed his ass off. How long have you lived in America? “Forty-five years” (his accent was so heavy I thought it was only a few years). Why Denver? “I went to L.A. first and just got tired of how expensive it is. A friend lived here and I came out to work at Blackhawk [the casinos].” From Ethiopia to Denver, USA.

I think that’s cool. But what do I know? I’m just a Japanese National. OK - back to people watching. Talk to you from L.A.

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