SKIN DEEP

Anna went to freshen up first before going out,whilst BD slumped down on the couch mentally taxed.
What had taken place was not entirely unexpected, except for her bringing up Miki.But at least he now
knew for sure, that she knew.
BD was smiling to himself as he realized that he had experienced such a heated exchange of words and
yet his blood wasn't piercing through his veins as normal.There'd would have beeen no way when he was a gaijin, that they
could have ended their argument peacefully and then go out and eat,which they were planning to do.
Then BD thought he knew what it was.Since being a Japanese,he had been feeling that he was able,to a degree,
to compartmentalize some of his feelings,regardless of how he felt.It hadn't been easy and he knew he was a
country mile from mastering it.But he really believed that it was an inherent trait in Japanese for sure and maybe
in all Asians as part of the psyche.
His daydream got broken up by Anna calling out to let him know she'd finished putting on her face.He got up and they
crossed paths with BD giving Anna a nice smile,which threw Anna.
She had sort of wanted to have more of a go at him.She'd been keeping BD's on the side dealings to herself unwillingly.
But his actions and calmness had disarmed her,that despite having played out how it was supposed to take place
numerous times,the climax was different.
BD's last statement was a first.He ended the chat before she did.But Anna still couldn't really tell how Japanese he was.
They sat on the train for five stops in relative quietness.Anna was able to feel the mood as not so jovial and she refrained
from much chit-chat with BD.
When they were walking in Umeda,BD became frustrated from the dilly-dallying walk by the masses.When he had tried to cut
into the gaps,he had been unkindly blocked as if on purpose.BD had always hated the way that people would walk in the city,
seemingly oblivious to anything else.The attitude of people was liking they were walking in their own world,unashamedly going
at a speed that would not warrant caring about others faster pace,
though,leaving Anna and BD,among others in fits.BD was sure that this wasn't the belligerence of way back concerning people.Then zooom.
Someone on their bicycle blazed past BD,on their cellphone typing unawarely,almost hitting him,
causing him to do a Japanese style flash of anger in the rider's direction.Everyone had to ride their bicycle nowadays sending
someone some unnecessary message on their cell.BD half wished people would get a wake up call hit.Even a couple of minutes later,BD
had an uneasy feel he couldn't shake.
"Anna,I need to go to the bookstore." BD said.
'Fine," Anna frustratingly said."I'll go with you."
They walked in silence into the bookstore and as they went to the foreign material reading section.Among a group of foreigners,
a black guy suddenly turned and began walking in the direction of the two.
On closer inspection,the respective jaws of BD and Anna signified a problem.
It was Malcolm.

SKIN DEEP

"So how many times did you both fuck ?" A direct and to the point BD asked.
He was tired of the back and forth that had been going on.He was only interested
in numbers.
Anna was taken aback herself by BD's straightforward manner.She felt a somewhat
hostility in his gaze and then her eyes became watery and teary eyed,as the reality
of having to give him a figure hit home.BD maintained his eyes on Anna waiting.
"Two,I mean twice,"Anna whispered quietly,correcting herself.
BD remained passive in his demeanor,making Anna more uneasier.She was wondering
what was going through his head and would he believe her.She didn't know for sure,how
he would react,because he was now Japanese,or at least looked like one.His varying thought
patterns had made it just about impossible for her to get a clear read on BD.Anna wished that
she hadn't flung the beer at BD,because a gulp would have come in handy just about now.She
didn't feel bold enough to ask if there was another one.
At the same time,BD was passing through Anna's reply in his head.He had his doubts if it was
only twice,but he felt he had his hands tied in his questions.He was right.
"So twice,eh ?"
"Yes," Anna all too quickly replied.
"So how did it happen ?"
"I told you before.I was feel...."
"I know that." BD interrupted, "I heard you before too.But how did it happen ? Or who made the first move,you or him ?"
Anna looked straight in his eyes and said,
"It just happened."
BD flashed Anna a stare in bewilderment of such an answer.
"It just happened ? What's that ? Something had to have happened to make it happen." BD blurted out.
"You mean like you and Miki ?" Anna angrily said.
"Oh,I see,you gotta bring that back up again.I told you too,if you remember, that I was being a dog.What's your excuse ?"BD replied matching Anna's manner of expression.
"Well,"Anna began slowly,as if trying to ease the mood down to a less combative posture."I felt unattractive."
BD looked back at Anna in shock,before replying,
"Uh ?"
"Often you don't want to meet your days off.You have other girls," with Anna putting some clarity in others for BD to read.He read it but said nothing about it.
"I wanted to know if I could still attract men."
BD was about to go off at that last statement,when a calming inner voice told him to just think about it to himself first.
He wasn't happy though about her choice of finding out how attractive she was,through a gaijin bartender.Would that really have answered any questions ?
"What's this twice thing ? You're feeling rejected,uh...unloved.Get drunk and hook up with a gaijin.Fair enough.But why the second time ? Was it that
good or you're in love ?"
"What do you think ?" Anna calmly said.
BD didn't want to think.He felt his Japanese mode taking over and he shut down emotionally and said nothing.
"I think we've cleared the air," he spoke a minute later."Are you hungry ? I'll take you to that izakaya in Umeda we like.My shout."
"My shout ? What does that mean ?" Anna said frowning."Are you going to make noise at the place ?"
"It's Australian English for my treat." BD said laughing.
"You're an Aussie ?"
"I never said that."
Anna looked up at the clock to see it was approaching a little after five.She wondered where had all the time gone.
"That's a good idea.But are we cool though ?" She wondered.
"Are we what ? What eikaiwa are you going to ? BD inquired."There aren't any textbooks speaking that way."
"The BD school of World Citizenship,just like your nationality."
BD looked at Anna thinking he couldn't help but be impressed by her.But on being in Umeda,that feeling would be tested.

SKIN DEEP

Anna looked helplessly at BD, realizing that her stall and delay tactics
had come to an end.Something inside of her thought about begging BD
to not force her to reveal what she'd done.She wasn't proud of it and was
still coming to terms, with her deceit.
But another look in his eyes,told her he was waiting to hear.Plus,he had
spilled the beans on his tomfoolery,for the most part.She knew about some other
stuff,but thought better to save it,for a rainy day.She looked down to the floor and
then slowly as if she were going to perform some operatic song,proudly gestured her
head upwards,in an almost last act of forced defiance towards BD.He looked back,with
a neither here nor there expression.He just wanted to hear what she had to say.
"So BD,what do you want to know ?" Anna asked slowly.
BD stopped a cynical laugh at the like-minded question.The gaijin in him was screaming,
you know damn well,what I want to know.Did you get busy with him ? His Japanese side
calmly wondered would she tell the truth ?
BD's non reply to Anna's question,told her to move things along.
"Eee...eto,ne, couple of weeks... ago,er..um," Anna began.
BD could feel his two parts fighting to decide his next action.the Japanese side won out.
"Take your time Anna,I know it's not easy," he encouraged.
"Thanks BD," Anna half sniffed."The bartender."
"Malcolm," BD cut in.
Anna looked sharply at BD,but said nothing.
"Ok,Malcolm then,is a friend," then she stopped.
BD wondered why she had.Was that it ?
"And ?" BD prodded.
"He helped me when I was feeling down."
"Well,he helped me too, when I'd gotten my arse kicked. So ?"
"Hey,do you want me to finish or not ?"
"Anna,I'm sorry.Just pick up the pace please."
"Malcolm helped me when I was feeling down a couple of weeks ago."
"Why were you down ?" BD asked.
"You don't know ?" Anna replied.
BD gave her an incredulous look and answered,
"I'm not a mind reader,how would I know ?"
"Yeah,you were pretty self-absorbed back then in your own happiness."
BD bit his lip,almost enough to draw blood.He wondered if to say "mo ii," because he was wondering
if Anna's lip was worth the aggravation she was currently giving him.
"But I've been trying to be better,desho,?" BD said through gritted teeth.
"Yes you are,that why I'm still with you,ne ?"
BD pleaded for someone to shoot him.A robber,Malcolm, anyone to put him out of his misery.All he
wanted was to not see the gun pointed his way.
He sighed, thinking that she wasn't going to say, then,
"I found out that you were banging Miki, so I went out and got drunk at Robins.We chatted,had some laugh
and after he finished work, we hooked up and went to his place.Now you know."
BD instantly began wondering maybe he shouldn't have known.On top of that, Anna's coarse language and
way of telling him,threw him for six.Yet he still wondered which question to ask though,how did she find out
about Miki or how many times she'd slept with him ?

SKIN DEEP

BD came back into the living room looking pensive.He had a deliberate manner
as he sat down across from Anna,on his computer chair.She responded in kind,
with an ungainly fidgeting motion,though keeping her eyes on BD,frowning as to
what was next.He began to tell her.
"Anna,I've been thinking about what you said concerning my actions with other
girls.And I want to say..."
Anna had already lapsed into a silent panic mode.She waited for BD to call her
out on what she had been doing.Yes,he knew about the bartender,but being forced
to explain what had happened was shaking her to her very core.She inwardly begged
for him not to go there.And through luck or whatever outside forces,that she was
unaware of,had her prayers answered.
" is I have to be upfront and tell you that I have been taking advantage of being a foreigner
in Japan,to juggle girls in not so good ways.I mean,back home I ain't so special or desirable,
but being in Japan made me become big-headed,like I was all that.I don't want to justify
that as an excuse,even though it may sound like one,but that's the pure and simple fact.
I got caught up in the game of easy prey..."
Anna quickly blurted out,"What's prey ?"
"Means getting something easily,or in my case, Japanese girls."
BD shot her a look as if to say,are you interrupting me and carried on.
"This whole nightm....,"then BD broke off quickly."This sudden change has woken me up to
how I've been.
I was hanging out with Miki..."
"Word was it was pretty heavy,"Anna interjected.
"Who've you been talking to ?"An agitated BD asked."Come clean."
"I can't say,just rumors."
"That's easy to say when you don't have to back it up." BD said dismissively.
Anna kept quiet.She was more interested in the direction of his confession.
"Well,we weren't all that as you've heard.Better check your sources better next time."
Anna again resisted.She could sense, though not entirely sure,BD was looking to get something
out of her."Nani ga iitai no ?" She said to herself.
"Since I changed to a Japanese complexion anyway,I've realised that how I was carrying on was not cool.
I hurt you..."BD began.
"How do you know that ?" Anna questioned sharply.
"Two can play that game," BD replied and left it at that.
Anna began carousing her brain to work out the meaning.When she hit upon it,not too long after,she just
smiled at BD,to let him know she understood.
"What I now know is that I want to do the right thing by you.You're a good woman.I can see myself spending
the rest of my life with you,whether I stay like this or if I change back to how I looked before."
"Isn't that easy to say,since you can't change back now ?" Anna queried,taking a similar line to BD's just before.
BD didn't flinch or react to Anna's comment.Instead saying,
"Sure,I can start again.That goes without saying.I'll find a way,despite my situation.But what has happened to me
has let me know I have found a good person."
"But I can't cook and you don't like that in a partner.You said before."
"There were a lot of things I was against before.People change,though not in this extreme way.I told you before,
if people could go through what and how I've felt,this past week,no-one would be prejudice.You'd be scared of your
ignorant thoughts punishing you in some way."
"You sound sincere,"Anna began."I always thought that you had messed up quality,that I like."
BD gave Anna a frustrated look. He'd poured out some of his deepest,innermost thoughts and to have them joked about so casually hurt him.
He began wishing that he was acting more liking he was not too long ago.Keeping things inside.
"What a backhanded compliment that was," BD said."So I'm messed up eh ?"
"Yeah,"Anna smiled, "With a quality.I like that expression."
BD decided to let it be.Maybe it was so, but in the meantime...
"Ok,I've told you about my shit.Can I get the down low about you and the bartender ?"

SKIN DEEP

BD felt as if he'd gotten a left hook to his solar plexus.It was like he had to
fight his knees buckling from the blow,but it was in the form of the
spoken one that had BD on tilt.
His brain began swirling around and his head felt ready to come off
his shoulders.He double-blinked to clear his already failing vision,but
it was fruitless.
The blurish sight saw Anna looking at him in a smug,complacent manner,with no sign
of even caring for his discomfort.
"So BD,you gonna tell me ?" Anna said impatiently.
BD mumbled back,"How do you know ?"
"Miki has been one of the school's usual suspects from time.Did you
think you were the only one she's been hanging out with ?"
BD didn't know where to start in replying to Anna.But he knew he was suddenly
on the backfoot,scrambling to stay in Anna's mental game.Was she grooming him
for "kakudensha" or henpecked days,in their future together ?
He had just been thinking what mode to take.Either to fight fire with fire or to
just take it on the chin to keep the peace ?
Then BD's imaginary hook cleared up as swiftly as it had come.He removed his
spectacles to wipe them and also to rub his eyes for reassurance of better sight.
But he just knew that the brief,shaky moment had passed.Something inside of him,
had woken up the gumption necessary.He felt the change as if a magical flow had passed
through his body,changing his weakening resolve.BD pictured trying to explain what it was,
but no-one would believe him.Just like if he told everyone who he was now,the Doubting
Thomases would not have believed and quite naturally, BD accepted.
He excused himself and went to the toilet to finish collecting his thoughts.
Anna looked at BD with the same eagle-eyed stare that had shaken all things since Monday
gone.She not only wondered what had come over BD,but how ? Anna began to feel the cracks
in her own make-up,splintering.She looked up at the clock to see that it was late afternoon.
Though still bright,the sun's rays were ebbing in strength and it seemed to signal that the same
was happening to her.
She sat there trying to find a way to avoid dealing with BD's probing questions.When things were
fine with them,he had an interesting,stimulating way of conversation,that Anna loved.They could
watch programs or movies together and get hammered drinking and at the same time having
the best chitchats.But for the last couple of months,Anna had been fighting herself against,
launching an all-out, once and for all argument to decide if there was a future together.
She loved BD,despite his lapses into selfishness,because he had a messed up quality,that was getting
harder to find with the ever arriving contingent of foreigners coming to Japan.
But over the last few days,Anna had inadvertently been doing her own taking stock within herself at how
she was.There were things she wasn't proud of,but it wasn't so unusual for any female to have not done.
But in Japan,like in most other countries,the quiet ones were the most dangerous ones.Anna was proud
that she wasn't a phony or tease, as was the norm with a lot of females.But as BD reappeared looking ready to go
forth with battle,she knew she would somehow have to face some consequences of her prior behavior.

SKIN DEEP

Yet it had been a restless hour for BD, during the time that Anna had
been sleeping.He had paced his small apartment virtually non-stop, thinking
about who this mystery bartender was.So many questions had poured through
his head,with none of the answers having been done so.
But on seeing Anna finally raise from her slumber,BD had to fight himself from
asking her questions straight away.He did wonder as he made his way over to her.
Was he questioning her from the standpoint of a Japanese man ? Or as a Gaijin man ?
Or just as a Man ? The more he thought of his approach,the more confused and
scrambled he felt.
"Ohaiyou"
"Ohaiyou," came Anna's barely audible reply.
"You looked very peaceful as you were sleeping." BD said gently.
"Well,I could forget about my problems, which sleeping does for me." She replied a touch cynically.
"Yeah ? You're lucky. When something's bothering me I can't sleep at all.I just lay there in the dark
freaking out." BD said matter of factly.
"So what happens when you wake up ?"
"You mean like now ?"
BD shuffled uncomfortably from the straightforwardness of Anna's retort.He wondered if the time was
drawing nearer for the gloves to come off.
"Er... kind.. of," he remarked very sheepishly,looking down at the ground in search of support.
"Actually BD,what's the big deal anyway ? He was concerned. I gave him your number.He was nice enough to
check up on you.There you go.End of story."
BD who was now sitting on his computer desk's wheeled chair,shifted backwards from the directional
aim and manner of Anna's verbal barrage.
BD looked at Anna thinking to himself that she hadn't had a sleep.It was more like a power nap to regroup
and strategize her plan of attack.Another Pearl Harbor and he was at a loss at how to combat it.
"Did you have a relationship with him before ?" BD asked quietly.
Anna looked back at BD momentarily thrown off guard.Her face changed ever so thinly,but not enough to
stop her saying,
"BD,I don't ask you about who you've been hanging out with,do I ? So why do you need to know my past ?"
"Is it your past though ?" And barely had he finished the sentence,had to sway out of the way, as the beer can that had still been
on the table, came hurtling his way.
The can smashed against the computer screen,knocking out its power,cracks all over and stained with beer.
BD stood up sharply,glaring with bad intentions at Anna,who returned the looks equally as fierce.He then turned and walked over
to the sink to get cleaning up stuff.
Internally BD was fuming,but had to praise himself for his response.He wasn't gonna give her any chance to change the topic.Or any reason to.
When he'd finished, an unremorseful Anna looked at him blankly.
"So Anna,where were we ?"
"We were talking about past partners,according to you."
"I was just asking if you were still seeing him." BD answered annoyed.
"Are you still seeing anyone ? Anna quickly countered.
"Yes I am."
Anna remained unmoved and when BD said it was her he was seeing,she gave him a look of contempt.
"Oh yeah ? So who is Miki ?" She sneered.

SKIN DEEP: CHAP 6

It took Anna awhile to pick her jaw off the ground,before she
could speak.And even then,there was a sudden,sharp,throbbing pain
that took shape in her stomach,for good measure.She attempted to put
on a brave face,while longing to lie down and sleep away this biting
agony.
" Did... Malcolm,eeto ne,call... here ?" Anna gasped out.
"Oh,so his name is Malcolm then ? Well, can you explain why he has my number ?"
Anna,despite her pain,studied the body language of BD carefully for any emotional cracks
that may have been there.None were beckoning at the moment though.
"Um...BD,look...ee..," Anna said reluctantly,with delaying tactics on her mind.
"Why does he have my number ? What part of the question don't you understand ?" BD said in a slightly,vexed tone.
"I understand your question,you know," Anna replied.
"So answer then,please."
"Why I feel like I'm in a saiban."
BD said nothing.He could feel Anna looking to change the topic or playing some sort of game.But on this issue....
They stood a few feet apart,not glaring,but staring with a meaning.
Both playing out the conversations in their heads with naturally,differing results.
BD was looking for a truthful explanation,whereas Anna under seige,wanted BD to let it go.
Then suddenly the squinting became a bit harder,as their respective thinkings went to another level with BD's saying,
it's time for you to come clean.I am not going to drop this topic until you cough up what it is.
Anna's came back with,why you tough guy today ? Play your position,which is crackable under pressure.
That's right,you have Japanese fighting spirit now.But I'm the true Japanese here.
"So for the third time of asking,are you going to tell me ?" BD asked,bored of what had become a stare down.
"Tell you what?"
"Fuck it then,"BD said,then almost as quickly spoke again,"Sorry for using a swear word.That's not good,particularly if we had kids."
Anna cringed at hearing BD's seemingly heartfelt apology.It felt like what he had just said was to rub in the fact she had to tell him
it was never the case.And the pain in her stomach on that last thought came back with a greater force to remind her that it was
still there.
"BD I'm sorry, but before I tell you, I need a beer to pick me up. I feel a bit queasy."
"You know that word queasy? Pretty good." BD said,noticeably impressed.But not mentioning her desire for a beer.
He went to the fridge,which contained his last can.
Anna took the can and gave a weak smile back to him.
"Are you ok ?" BD asked concerned.
"Thanks for your worry.I'm ok,maybe." She replied gingerly.
"Don't talk for awhile," BD said as Anna laid down on the sofa,after gulping some of her beer."We can chat later."
"Thank you BD,for your consideration.The old BD wouldn't have been like that." She said sensually.
BD smiled,but didn't reply.He just believed that for him to become his old self once more,he'd have to show the same kind of
manners and respect,that he'd been doing.Though Anna hadn't told him as yet what he needed to know,looking in her closing eyes,
as she was about to fall asleep, BD felt sure that he'd get his answers.The expression he'd once read flashed back to him."Build it and it will come."

SKIN DEEP

Anna was feeling,decidely apprehensive as she got closer to BD's apartment.She
had been wondering if BD suspected her non pregnancy.If he knew she thought,he
had been hiding it well.A very ungaijin like thing to do.He used to often moan about
how Japanese were timid about letting things be known,not only as individuals,
but in the wider world at large.BD would go on about other Asian countries who
had shown some fire and passion,particularly if they weren't happy about their
government.But in Japan,the people were like sheep or was it just self serving ?
BD would say.If their interests weren't in harm's way,why care about anyone or anything
else ?It seemed to indicate.
Anna and BD would have some fiery rows about Japan,with Anna often telling him to leave Japan
if he didn't like it here.
His retort would be, how come and not only in Japan,that if you expressed a difference of opinion to the masses,
that person would often hear or via the internet chat pages be told if you didn't like it,you should leave.
What was the point of a discussion,for the betterment of society,if the brainwashed forces could not speak beyond that?

Anna mumbled to herself gently,as her daydreaming came back to reality and the here and now.And it wasn't looking good.
"How am I going to justify lying to BD?" She half-whispered to herself.Anna had known all along that she wasn't pregnant,
but she wanted to test out BD.She didn't know what it was exactly,but she was a gambler and that also came with a
malicious side.Anna for one of the few times,felt some disgust at her behavior.But would that translate into keeping
her relationship with BD.Hey,it should.She had forgiven him for his indiscretions,Anna told herself and he still didn't know she knew.
Or did he ?
When Anna had almost arrived outside BD's door,she gave out a "yosha" to pump herself up and knocked.
It took some time for a response,verbally or otherwise.Anna lifted up her hand to knock again,when the door was opened,by an unsmiling,
aloof BD,who then turned around and walked back to the sofa.Anna momentarily rocked,remained at the doorway speechless and uneasy.
Had BD found out ? Anna had a mind to turnaround and leave.But instead,she quickly decided to make a pre-emptive verbal
strike of a confession.
"BD,I have something to tell you.I should have told you sooner,I'm sorry." Anna said worriedly.
"Don't worry about that,I know." He replied calmly,but without giving anything emotionally away.
"You know ?" Anna tentatively replied.BD's Japaneselike outward manner was perplexing her,but at the same time stimulating her into action.Anna
wondered did he really know.She had cleaned the drain of any leftover residue before she came out of the shower."He's just bluffing,"she
confidently felt and proceeded to start again.
"I'm sorry that I didn't tell you...,"Anna began,before being abruptly cut off.
" Yo Anna, you might be able to still."
Anna's eyes almost popped out of her head,dreading what was next.
"How about telling me why I had a phone call from the bartender checking if I were alright,when you knew I'd been wanting to thank him ?"

SKIN DEEP

"Shit," a perplexed BD said to himself.The ring was on its fourth tone
and he struggled more whether to answer or not."Fuck it" he whispered to himself and pushed the relevant button.
"Hi Anna,what's up ?" BD said, at an attempt in a manly tone.
"Hi," came Anna's meek rely.Instantly he felt remorse and wonderment as to what to say next.
"How did the test go ?" An equally,humble and meek BD replied.His tone of voice showed he didn't really want to know though.
"Actually we need to talk in person about it."
"Can't you tell me now if you're knocked up or not ?"
"If I'm what ?" Anna said.
BD wondered if she understood the meaning or if she didn't like his vocab term.Playing it safe ,he opted for an English style teacher re-phrasing.
"Er... are you pregnant ?"
"I think it's best we talk about that when you get back home."
BD shuddered. The using of getting back home gave him a sense of uneasiness that he wasn't enamored with.It was his home in fact.
"Ok," BD said,giving in."I'll see you at home soon."
On exiting, BD found a convenience store and even though he didn't like the readily available liquor so easily accessible,bought
himself an alcoholic drink to soothe his nerves.
As he walked down the all too familiar arcade,BD didn't think of what he was going to say to Anna.He enjoyed the freedom of walking with an
alcoholic beverage that being in Japan allowed.The world as he felt,was losing its ideal of freedom,covertly taken away in the name of
so-called rights.BD laughed to himself that he would have to leave Japan if he lost that right.He knew there were a lot of aspects he didn't
like about Japan,but walking and drinking was one of the few he did.
BD's mind was in a full thought mode as he drew nearer to home,the little effects of his drink,having started to wear off,seemed to give him
a clarification that oddly, hadn't taken form in his head before.

As he opened the door to his apartment,BD's heart slightly sank at the realization that his "D-Day" was coming.Though he tried to tell himself
that his decision would make Anna happy,fully aware that he wouldn't be.BD then remembered what he had once heard. "If you can't hear,feel."
He started feeling the sting of not having worn a condom.

SKIN DEEP

The game became more heated than usual due to the presence of a few foreigners.
For the most part,it was played in good spirits,just guys playing hoops.But as the pick up games
progressed,BD could feel he was having to restrain himself from the noticeable hostility in the air.
BD was half in a blur,wondering why was it that today of all days,where he was a nobody,
he still had to deal with some mouthy foreigners who seemed intent on taking out whatever
anguish they were carrying on him.
"That was a foul," BD was told.
"No it wasn't...",he began and then something seemed to make him clam up.
He couldn't be showing his natural behavior today.On the next possession, he and the guy made
incidental contact resulting in the foreigner coming up into BD's face,breathing fire and brimstone.
Before BD could put on a front,he was grabbed around the waist and slung to the ground,like a rag doll.
As BD skidded across the floor,scraping his skin,the atmosphere on the court hung in the air seemingly
waiting for BD's reaction.
BD got up unassumingly and offered a "sumimasen." It was almost anti-climatic.The court players were divided
emotionally into two groups.A
One backing the foreigner and the other,comprised of Japanese,tacitly giving moral support to their lookalike.
BD felt the glares of certain foreigners,making a mental note that if he were to change back,he'd remember
who did what.
But after what had happened,it appeared to settle down all concerned.The rest of the games were played in
relative calm.There was the odd niggardly exchange,but what had seemingly needed to take place had done so.

At twelve,the scheduled finishing time,BD made his way to his workout gym nearby.As he walked, he began thinking about what had
taken place on the basketball court.BD gave himself some congratulatory self-praise.He had impressed himself
with his restraint to being thrown down,by not responding in anger or with physicality in anyway.He remembered when
he had done that once, but now he and the Japanese guy were fine.Talking as if nothing had happened.BD knew he didn't
have that quality about him,but he hoped he was on the way.Sitting in the jacuzzi,he realized that he
had had the chance to duke it out with full anonymity and win.But BD wryly smiled knowing that wasn't the way to go.
He thought maybe something positive had rubbed off on him on turning Japanese.
About thirty minutes later,whilst drying himself off in the changing room,BD's mobile phone began ringing.On opening it up,
he saw Anna's name.Standing there stark naked as he was,BD wondered if to take the call or not.