Starvation by venitha

At work this past week, for the first time, I ran into people I know from the US, Americans, from Ft Collins and Corvallis. Not friends, but co-workers, acquaintances who address me by name, and whose own names skip lightly off my tongue after I dredge them up through the murky alphabet soup of Chinese and Indian names currently sloshing cacophonously in my mind. Fong Ling, Sze Yii, Yoong Han. Raghu, Sreedevi, Ashwin.

I am shocked at what a treat this is.

Dan's pale complexion and fair hair are a feast for my sore eyes. He makes eye contact when he talks to me.

James' accent that I don't have to fight to understand and our slow, casual conversation are music to my ears. He comes nowhere close to saying izzit.

Steve's friendly face and sunny smile provide refreshment to my spirits. We chat comfortably, enthusiastically, naturally.

I had no idea I was so hungry for this, but I could eat them.

venitha