Three Scorpion Bowls
Scorpion Bowl #1: At the table beside us, a young couple sucks down their Scorpion Bowl through long red straws. It’s May, and we’re in a Japanese restaurant where Christmas Muzak pipes through the ceiling. My wife and I sip iced teas and try to keep our kids from impaling each other’s eyes with chopsticks.
Scorpion Bowl #2: The young man moves closer to the young girl and rolls up his sleeve to show her his new tattoo. “It’s symbolic of stuff,” he says. The young girl tosses back her head and sings, The weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful, as my son plunges his hand in the seaweed salad. “Dragon boogers,” he yells. I order another iced tea.
Scorpion Bowl #3: The young girl, her voice rising, says to the young man: “If I’m still able to walk after we finish drinking, I’ll totally fuck you tonight.” The young man lets the straw drop from his lips and reaches for his wallet. As our children are momentarily occupied with the exotic fish in a wall-sized tank, my wife nudges my shin with her foot. “Do you remember when we used to be like them?” she asks. After seven years, two kids and countless near-separations, I nod. “I’ll totally fuck you tonight,” I say and show her my tattoo.
More of Nathan Graziano’s work can be found on www.nathangraziano.com
