(Em)Braces

My mouth filled with metal to gain a medal.
I ask please, please treat me right.
Straight teeth seem to be right.
Straighten me out.
Straighten me out.
No one wants to be crooked, a thief, a crook.

Mirror looking at me, I don't want to look.

...

Because image is everything? 

I'm disappointed I'm not in Berkeley right now for Shadow Nite. I had to come back to San Jose on Friday for an Orthodontist appointment today, Saturday, to tighten my braces. I am in pain right now. Ow!

Driving down Tully Road to get to "other side" of town, though it's such a short distance (approximately 4 miles), it takes a quite awhile.  There's always traffic on Tully, especially at the overpass to get on/off the freeway before the first and largest Chuck-E-Cheese in the US (yes, that is one of the things San Jose is known for).  When I first learned how to drive, I believed the stereotype: Asians could not drive, especially those darn Vietnamese people, except me of course. My explanation for why that area specifically was so trafficky, which increase the chances of accidents (yeah, there are a lot of accidents there), was that Vietnamese are bad drivers.  

Now, I understand that yeah some Vietnamese people might be bad drivers (applicable for everyone, not just limited to race and ethnicity), but you must take in consideration that that area has a dense population--it's overcrowded (you can look at the public policy aspect).  Plus, that area is considered the "heart of the Vietnamese community" (Lion Plaza) in San Jose.  No wonder it's so crowded all the time.  Many Vietnamese rely on the services and businesses there. My orthodontis is there, right across from Eastridge.  For many Vietnamese people, "everything to them" is there: the market, restaurants, coffee shops, doctor's, dentists', orthodontis'.. the list continues...

While driving down Tully, I could not help but to observe the elderly Vietnamese ladies, who remind me much of my own grandmothers, with their conical hats waiting at the bus stop, walking along street, crossing the street.  I would glance at their teeth, crooked, sometimes not all there, but still smiling.  Still smiling.  

I could've sworn I left my smile somewhere.  When back then it felt so right.