Though I knew it'd be a solitary venture, I firmly decided that to struggle alone and fail would be worth more to me than dwelling in in the festive company of the multitudes of the "never tried".
To be honest, I can't recall if it was sunny, cloudy or rainy on the day when it all began. The weather brought no portents, which suited me just fine. If I was going to be working alone, it was best that others not receive any clues regarding the immense, impending change in my life. Standing sentinel across the way from the brick-walled location of the coming catalyst, I discretely darted my eyes left and right until I felt certain that no one was following.
Without allowing a moment to reflect, my left foot stepped down from the pavement to the street below. The right followed in kind. No thoughts, no emotions, no regrets. My body would see me accept this challenge whether my mind wanted to or not. I didn't realize exactly what my feet were doing until my hands had pushed open a simple glass door and the sound of bells awoke my cognitive senses. By then, it was too late to turn around.
A middle-aged Chinese man leaning in a chair in the corner looked away from the small television in front of him to see who had arrived. As I drew closer, he swiveled the chair to face me and arose so that he could match my gaze at equal height.
"Welcome, welcome," while his face was displaying a broad smile for all to see, his hands secretly slipped me a piece of paper. I glanced at the paper, then back at him, then at the paper again.
"have you decided?" the friendliness he displayed in his tone masked an impatience only I could read. I looked at his face and paused before answering. His smile did, in fact, seem genuine. Perhaps he really did have no idea what a large role he was playing in my destiny. Perhaps he didn't care.
"Yes, I've decided," I spoke to him plainly all the while attempting to hide great eagerness.
"I'd like a bubble tea, please"
Bubble Tea is a dessert-like Taiwanese drink combining tea, tapioca pearls, a wide range of flavors and milk. The restaurant I frequented in my university days probably had a least 20 different flavours ranging from plain milk tea to kumquat and kiwi. I vowed to try every flavour before graduating, and, having failed in that quest, must now endure a pilgrimage to the island birthplace of my beloved beverage: Taiwan.I'll fill you in on cultural/historical details later. In the meantime, please enjoy this video clip of Taiwan's most treasured historical cultural anthem:
