"So this is Chinatown?"
We stood alongside the Dragon Gate, covering Grant Avenue in downtown San
Francisco. Chinese music played from speakers set against the buildings, while
a short distance away the sounds of the cable cars were dimly heard.
Shelly grinned. "The times have changed but this part of town holds on to
traditions." She smiled a bit, and I couldn't help but smile as well.
"Chinatown's been a part of the city since before the Gold Rush in the 1840's,
and remains a part of the heritage of the city." She started walking along
Grant Street, with everyone following behind.
"Of course, the first immigrants arrived before the Gold Rush, but during and
after their numbers increased a bit," she continue. And while Chinatown
suffered along with the rest of the city from the Quake in 1906, the area was
just as quickly rebuilt. Since then, the region has had its ups and downs, but
considering it is the largest Chinese community in the US, it's quite the
destination."
"I can believe it," Sven said. "I still can't quite wrap my head around the
culture this country has available. Norway and Sweden has their charm, but the
US... it's like a giant pot of lapskaus."
"The US has always been a diverse culture," I said, "especially in the food
arena." I walked alongside Shelly, grinning a bit. "Take, for example, meat.
You could have beef, bison, elk, moose, reindeer, venison or a few others.
Depending on where you were raised, well, any one of those meats could make your
main staple."
Gayle nodded her head. "Oh, absolutely. Amd the one thing I love is meat."
Tim swatted her lightly. "Down, you."
Gayle grinned. "How far?" she asked as everyone else chuckled and giggled.
---
Time became rather slippery as we made our way through Chinatown. If someone
saw something they wanted to purchase, we'd all stop to shop. Even through we
started wandering around 10am, the places were always open and starting to sell
items. We went between shops on Grant Avenue, picking up items of interest.
Gayle and Angela went through the shops like Canton Bazaar and Old Shanghai,
buying whatever struck their fancy, and Shelly ended up doing the same after a
while.
The same was true for eating. When we got hungry enough we'd stop and enjoy
lunch in one of the smaller places that served Chinese cuisine. Most of us
wanted some dim sum, and a visit to Hang Ah's was in order. This was a place
off of the beaten track, but they served some of the best Chinese food, and we
peoceedeed to enjoy their work.
The afternoon hours worked towards evening, catching all of us by surprise.
"Whoa, it's just about sunset," Angela noted. I agreed with her, and Shelly
grinned.
"Time does tend to be a little slippery here," she said. "There have been days
when I've started out at the Dragon Gate around 9am, and before I know it the
time's after 8pm at night. Fortunately, I'll park where there's all-day
parking, and take the bus or streetcar where I need to go."
Everyone was impressed, with Tim giving a low whistle. "Damn, and I thought
Durango was ok with their transit."
Shelly laughed. "Oh, Durango would be a small neighborhood compared to San
Francisco. But my father works here, and this is where I grew up to end up
being a warped stylist."
There was something about the way she said that, a kind of tone that was meant
just for me. Everyone else laughed and started talkling about their first
times, but in that statement was a signal aimed toward me.
"Well, what about you?" The question came from Gayle, and was directed towwards
me. "How did you end up at Stevenson?"
I sighed. "It's a bit of a story, enough to say that I ended up there by
chance." With that, I told them about my first incident, about my discovering
what I was and the first few days at the academy. About the only things I
didn't mention was how my parents died, and the shock I had discovering I was a
chameleon. But Shelly knew since we talked about life in general all though
weeks ago.
"And I thought I had it bad," Sven quietly said. Gayle and Angela both game me
a hug, followed by a kiss from Shelly. Tim shook his head in understanding.
"You have had a rough time," he commented as Shelly flagged down a taxi. I
shook my head.
"It wasn't exactly a normal life. But I made it this far," I added. Before I
cound say anything more, a large van pulled up alongside us. We piled into the
van and drove off back to the house.
---
Once we got back to the house, we all tended to split up. As usual, Shelly
ended up in her room, while I ended up in the spare room. Meanwhile, Sven, Tim,
Gayle and Angela were in their own areas, leaving me by myself.
I flopped onto the bed and stared up at the ceiling for a while. Mentally, I
ended up reviewing the trip so far, surprised at a lot of the changes that were
taking place. My life was vastly different than what I had experienced at Storm
Lake High, a difference that was quite physical and mental in nature. Never in
my imagination would I have expected so much. a situation that was vastly
unusual. But then again, I would never have expected all the changes my life
tossed at me since that day all those years ago.
Privately, I hoped that my parents approved of the discoveries I had made over
the last few months. At least, I hoped that they liked the fellow students that
I had made close friends with.
There was a gentle knock on my door. Turning my head, I called out, "Who's
there?"
"Kyle? It's Shelly. Can I come in?"
I let out a gentle sigh. "Of course you can, it's your place."
The door opened and Shelly slipped into the room. Before I could do anything,
she was hugging me tightly and sniffling a bit. I hugged her gently in return
and we just lay there in the bed as she held back her feelings. After a short
wait, she sighed deeply and pressed herself against me.
"Hush," I finally said in a soft voice. "Whatever it is, we'll deal with it.
Just like we've been dealing with my problems, we'll deal with yours."
She sniffed and relaxed. "I know, it's just so hard. Dealing with my problems,
much less yours." She snugged against me, and suddenly planted a long,
lingering kiss on my lips. "I'm just so glad that there's someone who
understands how rough my life's been, if only because yours has been so much
rougher."
I let out a matching sigh. "Shelly, love, we both have suffered problems in the
past." My next words surprised me as it wasn't what I would have normally said.
"But it's the past and we have to learn to live with what's happened. Only that
way we can face tomorrow with ourselves, much less with the others we've chosen
to be friends and confidants with."
She nodded slowly, then lay her head on my chest. "I do love you," she
admiitted. "Despite the scars you've suffered, you've been a close friend, a
lover and someone I would like to share my life with."
"I know, and I love you as well." That one statement came from deep within me,
both astonishing and surprising in their phrasing. "I don't know what tomorrow
will bring us, but we'll face it together as one."
"I know we will." Her words reassured me, then she once again kissed me deeply.
"But right now, I feel a need for you in other ways. She let out a sly smile,
the sort that demanded my full attention. But...
"Shelly, dear, much as I would love to enjoy your body, I'm growing very tired."
I kissed her gently, a kiss that carried more than just desire. "Let's... hold
off until we're both in the mood."
She let out a soft growling sound. "All right. For now." She grinned widely
with a suddden sense of desire. "But you'd better be able the next time I ask,
I'm not taking no for an answer."
I let out a soft laugh. "Next time, I promise." I pulled her warmly against
me, and we lay there relaxing until sleep called collect for both of us.
---
Touch of Ages - Reflections (part 8)
by Tal Greywolf
copyright (c) 2018