French Cup: A Neighborhood Story

Chapter 52: -Gyeong-Wan- Drag Queens in the Country

"This is my squirrel now. He's my new husband. His name is Mr. Sebastian Nuts. Do you like him?" 

Ayane-san was gesturing a taxidermy squirrel toward me, and I was trying not to recoil. The squirrel was wearing a cowboy hat tied under its chin, a fringed vest, and holding a cigarette and little shotgun. It had been the prize offered by Salem's Sister tonight. I'd seen her rolling up her sleeves when it was announced, holding her pen at the ready. 

"He's very um, nice." I tried to smile for her, the squirrel's beady, empty eyes staring into my soul. My own prize, a very nice pen set that was an undesirable bright orange from a local stationery shop, paled in comparison. I'd traded with the prize I'd actually won, which was a giant plush shaped like a squid from the Mario games. The person had been very happy with it, claiming they'd give it to their child, who'd be delighted. It had been a happy exchange. I was also going home with two boxes of half chocolate dipped cookies, twelve cookies in total. I was very happy, too. It was amazing how comfortable I felt in this environment. My first drag bingo had only been weeks ago. It made me reflect on how far I'd come in such a short time. 

I bid Ayane-san good-bye, and she waved to me merrily, going off into the late December cold holding tin-foiled servings of pork dumplings and her new husband, Mr. Nuts. Did that make her Mrs. Nuts? I turned to the task at hand, watching Kazuya and Prin across the room. Kazuya was holding the baby goat in his arms, discussing with Prin. Hanako and Nikki were next to him, listening intently.

In the end, no one had won the baby goat. It had been decided that it would be attempted to be brought back to Prin's brother's farm in Chiba. It had been a good idea for it to be returned to its mother, at least until it was ready to be weened. However, convincing the brother would be no small task. "I won't be a part of it, sorry," Prin had explained, chuckling. "When a man gives you a goat, he gives you a goat." So, it would be up to Kazuya to try to give it back. If that couldn't be done, there were animal shelters who might take it until something could be. The best outcome would be to find a nice farm for it somewhere, through the animal shelter networks. That was the final plan. Nikki had called Kazuya a "bleeding heart", and they'd told me it meant someone who was much too kind and sensitive. I thought it was a very nice description, but Kazuya had rolled his eyes at Nikki while holding the poor goat to his body. He'd been holding the goat the whole of drag bingo, and I'd savored the image.

As I walked over, Nikki was bidding Prin good-bye. He was holding a wrapped serving of food. "Oh, hello," he greeted me. "Are you joining the home going party?"

"Home going party?" I asked, confused. 

He chuckled at me and pointed. "They're taking the goat home tonight. Nothing else they can do with it, really."

Kazuya nodded, squeezing the goat to himself. It bleated adorably like a squeak. I was taken aback by how pretty he was with it. Like a Demeter, maybe. It made me blush. "We can't keep it in French Cup, and I can't take it home. So, we have to go tonight."

"I feel bad, because it's so late," Prin said, adjusting his stance. They'd been standing together for a long time. "But, Chiba is only an hour away. You'll be there in no time if you go right now."

"We should get back with plenty of time," Nikki agreed. "We won't get a lot of sleep, and Kazuya definitely won't get enough sleep, but you agreed, didn't you?" He patted Kazuya on the head like he was a child. Kazuya's lip went out, and he hugged the goat to himself again, the baby goat letting out another pathetic noise. Hanako petted it between the ears, giving a sympathetic face himself. His wife, Chidori came over holding their prize of a new cake called a savarin. It had been a special prize, the preview of a special new cake that French Cup would be selling soon. I'd wanted to taste it.