I just ran across this tonight.........and a thousand years later........a hundred years from now.........

I realize.......why.........I am at this place in the dark world of Mega City West........

I walked back then........with a beautiful woman....in a white go-go dress........the stairs of the Tiger Balm Gardens.....

I will sit, in the future........in the bar atop the Mandarin Inn..... looking down on the sheet city's of those for whom only hope is left...

drinking a martini.........in a carafe........... one part Tito's, one part HogHead....and a half....Lilith......with a very long twist of lemon........

And the captain comes in......drunk on gin......as usual..........and stops and stares at me..........

"WHAT THE FU#$ are you doing HERE woodsmoke??!!! ONLY YOU.....would be HERE and not down with the whores.........".... and staggered on....with the Exec holding him upright.....

Only tonight........was I able to place drinking that martini.......into context with the rest of my life....

A woman in the "Go-Go" outfits of a century in the future.....a small lock of blond hair peeking about from beneath her white turban....

appears...........the expanse of yet unfillfilled Hong Kong behind her......the glass expanse framing her..........the wild expanse of the blue water.........the hills.......the Junks with their thousands of specks of lights.....

The Captain and Exec are sitting on the other side of the room........

And..........in that short skirt......with the frills........the turban......that was to appear so far in the past....and......glancing at the carafe of the martini......she looks up...

with a small smile on her lips....

"Hello James......."