Prague, 2006
It is the calm before the storm and she can almost get drunk of the anticipation. in a couple hours she is going to be in the thick of it, part of a crew putting together a score with just the right amount of chance that everything will go wrong, Her cohurts say it is foolproof but they are foolish men and Karina does not want foolish anyways. She wants adventure and danger. She wants the world outside her head to be as crazy as the world inside, even if only for a few moments.
The tea house is an odd fit for the night ahead, but Bodie loves tea. She has arrived far to early, because fuck time. She doesn't mind, because the stillness allows her to focus on her upcomming adventure. She sits at a tall wood table in the corner, all around her artist and acceltics sip expertly crafted tea. The whole scene is so delicate that Karina feels almost like the bull in the china shop. That is until she walks up to her table.
She is old but in all the ways that are splendid. She has long silver hair pulled back and a rugged face that shows she has been through some things. Her pants are elegant and simple. Her top is a startling contrast, a combination of bright jewel tones, torn up and refashioned in a punk style not far off from what Karina has on. Her eyes are clear, they see everything and they are looking right at Karina. For a brief moment, she forgets the score and her plans. Everything is quiet and all there is, is her.
Old woman: Do you mind if we share a cup of tea.
Karina should mind. She doesn't like strangers. She reads people too well and every new person in her life brings all sorts of baggage and extra emotions. Human interaction is messy and she tries to limit the real connections she makes. Also old people tend to creep her out because what if they just die right there while you are talking with them.
Karina: Da, sure.
She had no idea why she was doing this but the woman sat down with surprising grace. It than occurs to Karina that this woman moves like a fighter. Despite her age, this woman moves like someone who could jump up and kick you in the face before you knew what was happening. This would be a thought that would unsettle some but Karina found it oddly comforting.
Karina: Umm...so I am Karina.
Old Woman: My friends call me Jaa.
Karina: I don't what to call you...we just met.
The woman, Jaa, chuckles as if she is sharing a joke with a lover. Then she waves a waitress down and orders two cups of gunpowder green tea. The waitress quickly warms to Jaa despite the place being full of needy customers. She heads off to get the tea right away and Jaa turns her attention back on Karina.
Jaa: They say to really know another person you must have three cups of tea. The first one is as strangers, the next one is as friends and by the final cup you are family.
Karina: That seems a reckless way to make family...
Jaa: Perhaps....but a lot can happen over three cups of tea.
As the tea was being brought to the table this whole situation seemed quite surreal. Despite this woman obviously being from Japan she spoke to Karina as if she was a grandmother or aunt. Yet Karina was sure she had never met he before. Who just goes up to a stanger and start talking about tea and philosophy? Karina knew crazy people did such things, but Karina knew crazy and this woman was not so. A profound feeling of dejuvu settled in and made Karina feel light headed, she fumbled with her words.
Karina: I don't really, you know have the time to have three cups with you...so I guess we will stay strangers...
Jaa: Time is a relatively flexible thing....or as an old friend would say "fuck time."
Old women should not say fuck that was a universal rule....and the more Jaa spoke the more surreal things felt. Like she had been here before, even though she had only rolled into Prague a week ago. She had no idea what to say to that so she just drank her tea slowly. It was strong for green tea, but the stoutness helped ground her. They drank tea in silence and than Jaa got up, bowing slightly to Karina before walking off.
Three cups of tea. I didn’t know what she was talking about then, I was just some punk kid who knew little about the world. I didn’t even remember that day with her while we were dating. It wasn’t until she was gone that it all came back to me. My first cup of tea with the love of my life and I didn’t even know it. Her last cup of tea with me and I didn’t even thank her.
I know now that this whole thing is going backwards. Her first cup of tea with me has already happened for her but is in my future. Something about who I am in the future was enough for her to fall in love with me at first sight, or so she says. I think about the person I am now and I figure I have a long way to go. I keep making sure not to walk into any place that has tea, I am not the hero she thinks I am. I am not ready for that fateful cup.
The second cup of tea was the best tea I have ever had on one of the worse days in my life and that is saying a lot. That was the day it all ended. Three years after we escaped the present to really journey space and time. Three years before I got my head together enough to come back to my own timeline. It was the madness, time of my life but for everyone but her it was the blink of the eye. Everything is so damn complicated and its about to get so much worse. I have seen the future, I have been there. I know what is coming next.
In the slums of Abidjan there is a hidden place, beyond a break in one of the high concrete walls. It's a place untouched by the cramped in tin shacks and tarp tents, a place where there is a little less trash. It is hard to notice but locals know it well. It's where the travelers gather....
No campers or vardos because no roads are big enough in the slums. Hardly any Romani either, too far from home. But it's traveler camp all the same. Fuma nomads mix with gutter punks, drug runners share quarters with Egpytian dancers. Soccer hooligans, revolutionaries and fools all gather around the fire. After five days here this has already become Karina's camp. Most of the Horde is stateside, and her brothers are in Europe but Karina makes family quick.
She currently sits by the fire were a hooka is being shared between a woman in the criss cross tribal wear of the Fuma and a burned out German poet named Fitz. Karina is maybe the only person in the gathering on a phone, but she is finishing up an important phone call.
Karina: Yeah, I know what I am saying but I need family with me. I know most won’t come but some will. I need all the help I can get.
Karina closes the phone up and puts it away. Fitz tries to pass the hooka but Karina declines, instead she stares forward. She is restless as she sits by the fire.
Karina: This Sunday I go back in the ring after loosing my chance at the Roulette title. Now I want to take a moment to let that sink in. I lost the chance at the title I helped make famous and on top of that I was eliminated by one of those little mean girls. I know I should sit here and talk about how angry I am….I should tell you the revenge I have in store for those bitches...but honestly none of that matters.
She stands up looking at the fire, her right arm starts to twitch and her eyes go wide looking into the flames. It is as if she is seeing more than just flames, both arms starting to shake as she does so. She takes a deep breath and her arms calm down.
Karina: I will destroy each and every little girl in that Mean gang, not because they deserve it, but because they are part of a terrible future that I must stop….something is coming and I am the only person that can stop it. The Mean Girls are petty, and foolish, but they play their part. I have to save the future and that includes them. See if each and every one of the Mean Girls has their mind, spirit and body broken….well than they won’t be around to play their part. I must save them from themselves….but of course I will have a little fun doing it.
The Romani mad woman now smiles and starts to pace as she speaks. Those that are gathered around the fire watch her as she keeps talking.
Karina: But hey, Ragdoll you are not even a part of this. How great is that? You know sometimes you get to go into the ring and just have yourself a match. No war games, no great rivalry. Lets just have ourselves a match, you and me. I know your a damn good fighter so lets show all those little girls, what women can do in that six sided ring.
Karina smiles and nods. She grabs her tea and sits back down at the fire as the scene fades out.
