The Pharmacy(TM)

"Miss Direction."

"Who’s she? Friend of yours?" I smiled a bit, taking another sip from my vodka–which was shortly due for a third refill.

"Seriously man. Have you heard of ‘double induction trance’?" My friend chugged down the last of his Strong Ice, at the same time quickly motioning to the waiter for a replacement.

"Can you tell him I’d like another round of vodka too? And, no but, of course, I have a feeling you’re going to tell me anyway, right?"

"What are friends for? First, a little story while we wait for our drinks. Don’t get corny on me ok?"

"Sure." I glanced at my watch briefly. 933pm. It’s going to be a long night.

"It’s called ‘The Jademaster’. It’s an asian story, but I got it from a book I read on financial markets. Anyway, don’t let that distract you, here goes:"

"One cold winter morning a young man walks five miles through the snow. He knocks on the Jademaster’s door. The Jademaster answers with a broom on his hand."

"’Yes?’ The Jademaster asks the young man, eyebrows raised."

"’I want to learn about Jade.’ The young man was wheezing, obviously tired from his long walk."

I nodded and started to look around slowly. Nothing else exciting in the bar for now. There was a cute pair of girls in the booth by the window. Late college or early twenties by the look of them. Seemed like they were waiting for more of their group to join them or something. My friend continued his story.

"The Jademaster smiled at the man and welcomed him in. ‘Very well then, come in out of the cold.’"

"They sit by the fire sipping hot green tea. The Jademaster presses a green stone deeply in the young man’s hand and begins to talk about tree frogs. After a few minutes, the young man interrupts."

"’Excuse me, I am here to learn about Jade, not tree frogs.’"

"’Go home and return in a week. We’ll continue then.’ The Jademaster takes the stone from the man and, face expressionless, opens the door for him to leave."

The waiter returns with my vodka and my friend’s Strong Ice. We both take a sip before my friend continues. I stare outside and notice a slight drizzle. The traffic outside was not abating. It’s really a friday night.

"The following week the young man returns. The Jademaster presses another green stone into the young man’s hand and continues the story. Again, the young man interrupts. Again, the Jademaster sends him home. Weeks pass. The young man interrupts less and less. The young man also learns to brew the hot green tea, clean up the kitchen and sweep the floors."

My friend takes another sip of beer while my gaze goes to the bar’s entrance, where two more delectable females enter to join the earlier two in the booth. Together they form a deadly quartet. I sigh and shake my head for no reason, taking my own sip of vodka. My friend was finishing his story.

"So spring comes. One day, the young man observes, ‘The stone I hold is not genuine Jade.’"

We’re both quiet for a few seconds as my friend allows whatever moral implications his story had to sink in to my already alcohol-laced brain.

"Cool." I say, raising my glass to salute the story.

"What do you mean, cool?" My friend finished his beer, a bit too fast.

"Interesting. So it’s like the Jademaster fooled the man into learning about Jade? Was that it?"

"Figure it out for a moment. I’m taking a pee." My friend stood up awkwardly and ambled towards the restrooms.

I was staring at our tabletop for a few moments, absent-mindedly stirring my vodka, thinking about nothing in particular. A flurry of movement caught my eye and I looked up in time to see three of the deadly quartet stand up and head towards the restrooms, leaving the fourth sitting in the booth, staring out the window. I suddenly just estimated she was around 5′5 or 5′4. She was in an aquamarine tank-top, with dark-brown highlights in her hair. I must have looked at her for a full two seconds before she suddenly took her gaze from the window to meet mine for a moment.

We both took sips from our drinks at the same time, momentarily glancing away for comfort. Then by some coincidence ended up staring at each other again for another moment.

By now, the live band was beginning to set up. I put my glass down and glanced at the stage, catching sight of my friend as he ambled back from the restrooms, a little less awkwardly than moments ago.

<End of Part 1>