This Month’s Film: The Way Home
Cuisine: Korean

Several months ago, Rene bought a motorcycle. An 800 cc Suzuki Marauder. A sleek and shiny black beauty with a customized chrome exhaust system that I can hear from several blocks away. This motorcycle is something he’s always wanted, and since buying it he has spent countless hours riding it, maintaining it, reading cycle-related magazines, and watching American Chopper on the Discovery Channel.

Unfortunately, as much as I want him to enjoy the exhilaration of cruising the open road, and would never deny him that free-wheeling pleasure, I can’t say that I was wholeheartedly supportive of his purchase, since I was ejected off the back of a Honda Gold Wing many years ago as a passenger in what could easily have been a fatal accident. I was incredibly fortunate to have walked away from the scene with nothing more than a few scratches on my hands and both the hip pockets ripped right off the butt of my expensive Guess jeans. I was definitely lifted on the wings of angels that afternoon.

Needless to say, I’ve been hesitant to get back in the saddle, but because Rene is so enamored of his newfound passion, how could I refuse his invitation to go for a spin (not to mention that he is probably the most cautious and safety-minded guy I know). But for a thousand different reasons, including stressful schedules, bad timing, inclement weather, and mechanical malfunctions, it has taken nearly a year for us to straddle the beast and go for a ride.

Having just returned from my first ride in nearly twenty years, I gotta say that it was truly worth the wait.

A Call for Chopsticks Click here for details.