today i went to the red light district and waited in the alleys with the girls and their tap-tap-tapping, watching the tourists pass, watching for the real customers. i saw a kid about 24 years old come out of a room and greet his two friends who had been smoking cigarettes outside, waiting for him. the blonde he'd just been with waved insistently at his friend from her doorway, her thong replaced in such a careless rush that it was twisted in a way where you could see the top of her slit. he was talking to his friends excitedly and rapidly, but it was in a language i didn't understand. when he walked by, i inhaled deeply, trying to pick up his scent, not quite sure what to expect. i smelled mostly ozone and a faint whiff of baby wipes. it just seemed important to me at the time that i do this, because i just want to make sure i get it right.