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07/08/2004: "Get your dinner and a wish"

July 7th was "Tanabata" or Star Festival in Japan, when Shokujo, or Weaver Princess Star, is supposed to meet Kengyu, or Herdboy Star, on the bank of the Amanogawa (River of Heaven), or Milky Way, for their annual tryst. The Chinese legend behind the festival goes like this: "The celestial princess, daughter of the celestial king, a most skillful weaver and the embodiment of industry, while engaged in weaving cloth for the king's garments, fell in love with a handsome lad, a cowherder, and as a reward for her diligent industry the king allowed them to marry. But so much in love were they that the princess gradually neglected her weaving and the herder allowed his cows to stray, which so experated the king that he finally separated the couple forcing them to remain on opposite side of the Milky Way, and permitting them to approach each other only one a year. But there is no bridge over the Milky Way and the princess, on her first visit, wept so bitterly at the impossibility of meeting her husband that she roused the sympathy of a Kasasagi (magpie) who assured her that a bridge would be contrived for her. This was done, the magpies with wings spread forming a bridge on which the princess crossed." In Japan we celebrate this day by decorating bamboo branches with our wishes written on pieces of paper.
So yesterday I asked my customers to make a wish and post them on our wall of fame. My favorite wishes: "Bush out!" "Don't fuck it up" " ". Guida stormed in and made about 10 wishes. Ikko san wished for Osekihan (or red bean rice) for his birthday next week. I think his wish will be granted. I'm supposed to burn these wishes so they would go up to the heaven, to be read by the king of Heaven.