I was at Amnesia with MB last night. While we were drinking I noticed this man walk in, an Asian man with unfashionable glasses, slightly stooped, walking timidly, dressed in khakis and a white shirt, like an oppressed office worker. Except, he also had a guitar case and he headed straight for the stage.

The stagelights come on, he brings out his guitar and, in heavily broken English, tells the audience how much he adores the country singer Jimmie Rodgers. So, he breaks out into song, twanging his guitar and even doing country yodels. His name is Toshio Hirano, a native of Japan. He learned to sing country blues before he learned to speak English.

The people in the bar were slightly stunned but that didnt stop them from breaking out into wild applause.