Not Your Erotic Not Your Exotic: Suheir Hammad

I like this:

Vegas, babee

The Scream, Lucky Cheng's

I'm in a danger zone.

I've always enjoyed breaking rules, not so much testing the boundaries. There is a difference which we can discuss if you like.

I'm susceptible to my own fantasies, ridiculouly unafraid of bad judgement, see little value in postponing gratification but do it regularly.

I'm fed up with my own maturity.

So I decided to go to Las Vegas.

Me. Lucky Cheng's.

My brother and his partner flew in from New Mexico, and I drove up from Los Angeles to see Bette Midler at Caesar's. This blog is not about her. There are time jumps in this narrative, kind of like my best night in Vegas. There is also ChiChi.

Before the lights of the city came the drive.

Some of the weather on the road to Vegas: light spatters in L.A. Dense fog on the I-15. Love entering those patches, especially when there is no highway line as touchstone. Heavy winds battered the car and turned into a thick sandstorm, followed by heavy rains which washed us clean. A rainbow arced from snow capped mountains to dry plain, and I slowed under it, hoping for a tingle. Volcanic memories poked up through ashy sand, dappled through clouds by the sun.

Just me and my vehicle and music and weather. Getting out of L.A. No one to please but myself.

Ever been the third wheel with a couple who is bickering?

This was my first go. Didn't notice the tension between them for a long time because I was . . . well, let’s just say I was high on life and enjoying some quality me-with-me time. When I did notice, they were each walking off in opposite directions --- the high drama huff.

I was alone, trapped in Caesar's Palace which seemed to cover half of Vegas. Couldn't find my way out. Did some booze-ridden shopping. Got a taxi to go downtown, and then changed my mind, and met another friend who was gambling at Wynn's.

We had a late night snack at a Japanese restaurant, Okada. I invented a new drink here --- Jasmine Gin, which prepared me for our next adventure at Lucky Cheng's, where I was outrageous, but the place called for it.

ChiChi