Taiwan Came to Chicago

Taiwan visited Chicago today, bringing with it a luggage full of wet suits, damp towels, soggy biscuits and also blasts of sauna sunshine.

I waited for the bus with my visitor. It traveled at 45 mph trying to seduce me. Luckily, the bus driver dashingly guarded off its moves and opened its doors in an air-con-filled embrace.

My visitor traveled with me in the most glamorous way; hollering out, pointing, and more often than not--spitting. Everyone acknowledged my visitor, some were happy; others not.

My visitor was powerful, for it made people start sharing and prompted strangers to pass knowing smiles of disbelief. It made women squeal like giddy children, and today these women could be sexy without trying--revealing (appropriately) the rainbows of their expensive underwear. While, men (except for the few) were not as lucky and did not have an array of colorful joys to share with the world.

I strolled around owning my visitor, not yet familiar with its presence in my current environment, yet very familiar with it. I held my umbrella to ward off its passion, but it would not let me be, for it had traveled thousands of miles and wanted to wrap itself around me in a loving soppy embrace.