Tuesday

I had a nice triumph yesterday, after a show at Sunshine's boss' house. Coco York flew in from Bangkok to play at the event. Coco is the performer we accompanied to Huế during the cultural festival there last June. Last night, I met Sunshine after work, and we accompanied Coco out to District Two, where the party was being held. Initially, it was to be an outdoor party, but the forecast called for Typhoon Noul's landfall that afternoon, so the concert was moved indoors as a precaution. I was nervous about my shoes. The parties I've attended recently have all stipulated "smart casual" dress, and I'm uncertain what that means. To the US election day party I'd worn a tie and short-sleeved button-up, no jacket. To this thing, I wore a jacket and button-down, no tie. Which costume was "smart"? To each event, I wore my really nice shoes--the ones I keep in plastic bags, in a shoebox, in the bottom of my closet. I spent the evening worried about knee-deep flooding and the death of those shoes, but the storm never came. Heading home, our car had to ford several intersections standing in water, though, proving riverside marshes flood as easily with tides as rain. Later, safely returned to high ground, Coco and I walked down the street from her hotel to see what was doing at the downtown jazz club. I was approached by the ubiquitous shoeshine kid near the corner of Saigon Center. The sidewalk was littered with the Center's upcoming Christmas decorations. When the kid asked if I wanted a shoeshine, I just showed him the "smart" shoes, all shiny as hell, and damn if he didn't immediately shut up and go away. It's a first, a victory. I'm wearing these shoes everywhere. [Cavin]