Little Johnny Huang

I went to the surgeon today to cut off a little growth on my back and see if he could have done something for the vuscular spot on my right arm. I was really dressed casually today, white t-shirt, jeans, sandals and a sweat jacket. So I wasn't surprised when the nurse gave me attitude. I'm asian, I'm used to being talked down to like I don't understand English. The doctor was nice enough and made a few jokes along the way when he was seeing me, although he asked whether I was born in the states and made a comment that he was surprised that I wasn't because I don't seem to have any accent. The nurse gave me quite a few anesthesia shots on my back, they hurt like hell and she gave me like 9 shots around the spot all together, afterwards I felt the doctor scraped something, pinched something and pull and tuck something, within 5 minutes we were done. I wonder how much pain I would have been in without the anasthesia. For my arm, we went to another room and the doctor gave me a pair or sunglasses and he used his laser gun on my arm. He zapped my arm a few times and he said after a month there will be some progress and asked me to wait and see. The doctor is very sociable, he asked me what I do and what my job was like making a few jokes here and there trying to make me feel comfortable, but I think he's trying a bit too hard at times, but nevertheless I appreciate his effort. I'm due to go back in one week so he can take the stitches out. Meanwhile, he told me that I shouldn't wet it or exercise until the stitches comes off. So I get to be a bum and rest for the next seven days.

I went to a sportwear store to get a bit more gym clothes, because I'm running out of them (shocker!) for the first time of my life. Then, I went to get my haircut. Kelvin has been cutting my hair even since I got to this city, which is like seven years ago. He was like twenty years old back then. He used to cut hair at another studio and after he left that place, I followed him to this new studio. I've been referring colleagues and friends over there for haircuts, the owner loves seeing me. Kelvin and I are like pseudo-friends. I say "pseudo" because we only see each other once or at most, twice a month. The only time that we meet outside of the salon was one time when he asked me to fix his computer. So I went to his "bedroom apartment" and helped him out.

Kelvin got married last year to a buffet restaurant waitress, the girl is from FuQian, same as Kelvin. I guess that's how they met and got along so well, in a buffet restaurant. Who would have thought you can meet your life-long partner that way? Who am I to say? I've done worst for myself. I didn't know he was getting married until after the fact, I gave him $50 tip after my cut as a wedding gift, he felt guilty and took me to lunch although at that time I've already ate, but I let him buy me a smoothie anyway. Today, he showed me pictures of his new born son named "Johnny" on his cellphone. I've seen better looking baby, but I was really happy for him. He's only 25 and he's already a father. That concept never crossed my mind. We were always taught to be financially established before we have kids, my uncle didn't has his first child until he was near 40 and my other ones aren't even married until after that age. Johnny still don't have a Chinese name yet, Kelvin said he don't know what to name him.

Actually I thought Kelvin was gay, most hairdressers are. The one I had in NYC tried to pick me up and calls me on X'mas and New Year's Eve. Plus Kelvin has a very outrageous haircut that he dyed reddish-brown and frosty white on the tip. He's always wearing tight, skinny Kenneth Cole-ish shirt that is a little bit too short and when he raise his arms, his stomach and the edge of his boxers would show. He also has tattoos on his arms and telling me how he would go to clubs and play basketball in the gayborhood basketball court with his friends. Imagine my surprise when he told me he was getting married.

He told me that he will send little Johnny back to China so his parents can take care of him when he and his wife work in the States. Since Johnny was born here, he would be a legal US citizen and he and his wife could probably apply citizenship because of Johnny's status. Personally, I would really be upset of the fact that Johnny's gonna be seperated from his parents. I sorta grew up like that, it's not really a good way to be. But honestly, I was happy for Kelvin. He said he has only slept for 4 hours each night ever since the baby was born. I gave him some money as a baby shower gift. I can tell he was embarassed, but I'm sure he'll need it. There'll be so much more expenses, now that his wife is sitting at home and there's a baby on board.