on being american

Dear China,
I'm really sorry but I just don't like basketball. Never mind why. I just don't. Don't like mushrooms, don't like basketball, don't like The Eagles (which is another thing we need to talk about). That's how it is.

Yes. Yes I know that you learned English so that you could discuss Yao Ming with an American. No I don't know what that other guy's name is. Yeah I know he's not as good as Yao.

Yes, I know you'd expect this sort of thing from a European.

Right. Basketball is America. You are right.

Look, China it's been two years since living in Sacramento made me memorize enough facts about the Kings to engage in low level sports bonding. Does Mike Bibby still play there? I don't know. But I bet you do China.

No China, I don't play basketball. And that means that no, I don't play a position. I don't even know what positions there are. Most sports have forward. Is forward a position?

China, if we're going to get along better, we're going to find something to talk about other than Yao Ming and Bu Shi (yes, yes he likes war . . . is that in a phrase book or something?)

What about movies? Y'all do movies right around here. I can start memorizing Hong Kong actor's names, if you want.

Okay China.
talk to you later,
okay
yours
~o