Asiamericana: An All-American Roadtrip: Prologue: Farewell Bostonia

I've made an important decision that will likely affect the rest of my life. It is one that will influence my lifestyle, potentially my income, and definitely people's perception of my professionalism. It is a choice that not too many people make these days, but is inevitable in the minds of anyone capable of making such a decision.

Especially if he's Asian. On Friday evening at Logan Airport, I decided to halt shaving for the duration of this roadtrip. It will grow unevenly. It will grow with sweat and dirt. It will grow at the risk of looking like Garrett. Hardly. Dude.

On Friday evening, Lukman and his girlfriend Ai picked me up curbside and took me to a memorable restaurant that reminded me of a famous movie. We were worried it would be too late to eat, but fortunately, this establishment was open til 12am. Wading through the gangs and thick Bostonian accents in the foyer, we made our way to our seats in my very first Applebee's.

It was exactly like Ricky Bobby loved it. Too bad I ain't Ricky.

Fast forward. Because I don't ever want to eat at Applebee's ever again. Unless I am consumed by invisible flames and enjoy running around in underwear. Well, the latter happens pretty frequently so maybe I will eat there again.

On Saturday, as Lukman put in overtime with his Thai Temptress, Big Hsu spent the day gathering wood and food for a house party in the ghettos of Roxbury (the East Atlanta of Boston). Sausages, sausages, sausages, and chicken were on the menu this evening, and as expected, the toilet was backed up by morning.

We all said our farewells, our see ya laters, our pats on the back as some went to start up their own practices, others went on to periodontic school, and others, well others pretended to be dentists that evening. How does one do so? Easy. Look at someone's teeth and just casually but critically shake your head. Tsk tsk tsk.

The night blew by as quick as my mass updates. And even though Marion (our third pioneer on the Asiamericana Roadtrip) was delayed in DC and couldn't join us til the next day, Lukman and Big Hsu handled business like the Celtics on the Lakers. Ooohhhhhhh....

(I write this from a Four Points Sheraton outside DC, watching Game 2 while my Honda Civicmates yell at the TV)

This morning, we embarked on our roadtrip, hung over and teary-eyed from all the adioses. Lukman loaded up the trunk, poured in the coolant, and took one last fart in Boston before putting the '97 Civic in 1st gear and clunking off into the sunset. Meanwhile, I sat shotty thinking to myself, this was a stupid ass idea.

Before we knew it though, we were already in New York, sayin holla to one of our college buddies and grubbin on some Chinese buns. The food kind. I already got the other kind. Afterward, Marion, always the positive player, pointed to the car and said, "Look! Our car's gettin' towed!"