verything is about recognition. It’s been said that the only reason anyone does anything is for money or respect.

I’ve always wanted some heartfelt sign of respect. Oh, I’ve gotten it from time to time. My friend Greg gave me a great model railroad engine (sound and the works) for saving his life. The bloodbank gives me a $20 each time I drop a pint. Still, I’m always seeking it – a true cowboy tipping his ten-gallon hat and saying “Obliged” (and not after you move your liberal ass out of Texas but because, maybe, you saved him from an Apache war party). Or a Japanese person bowing (not a department store bow but, say, you are climbing into your Kamikaze airplane). We can dream.

At a local restaurant, there is a young Japanese girl who always takes care of us with a smile. She’s got a bit of an accent so I’m guessing she immigrated here years back. Like everyone, she noted that we are always reading books. On a slow night, I got to talking with her about her favorite type of book. She said she’d love to read a book set in a fantasy world involving powerful female protagonists.

This got me to thinking. I looked over my shelves and not much jumped out at me (I read fantasy but most of that is male dominated). Then I remembered a Terry Pratchett novel that would fit the bill.

So a small country in Diskworld is at war with everyone these days. A young girl who works in her father’s tavern, Polly, decides to personally find out what happened to her brother Paul after he enlisted a year prior. Cutting off her hair, she does the Mulan thing, passing for a man in a male army. This is Monstrous Regiment, and about all I remembered was the overall punchline of the story. I remember enjoying it. So I bought her the cheap paperback version and next time we ate there, I explained that I followed her lead for a story about a strong female in a fantasy setting and gave it to her.

And she thanked me profusely.

And then she bowed.

When she came up, she had a bit of a blush, sorta like she’d meant to leave her Japanese customs behind. She took the book back to her locker and then came back and thanked us again.

Well worth it.

So, anyone know any real cowboys out there? I’d like to finish this section of my bucket list.

>>>HELP ME WITH THAT BUCKET LIST! BUY A BOOK. I’LL BOW. OR MAYBE CURTSY<<<