The Evils of Commerce

In Sohunglo, Chugoku Prefecture, (just down the road from Hiroshima) the geisha house of Okiya Yumyum made the best of a bad situation by introducing the art of contortion to their young shikomi trainees. No longer would wealthy men have to wait while their geisha tiptoed their way to the gig in their ridiculously restrictive clothing. Now they could be carried.

In time, the art of the geisha was corrupted, and many of the women no longer performed the traditional role of geisha — a cultured presence to smooth out the rough edge of scotch-swilling businessmen with classical music and dance — and instead became prostitutes.

It was about this time the Mama Tao Consortium took over the Okiya Yumyum house, and introduced The Portable Geisha Delivery Service — when it absolutely, positively has to "be" there overnight.

Sign up for The MonkeySphere, which delivers up a monthly mailing of absurdist humor. You'll also get a chance to win a Kindle ($139 Amazon gift card, if you already got the ereader). More chances to win if you buy one of my books. Full contest details here.

Alltop is always "there" overnight. Thanks to Foxtongue for finding this disturbing and sad photo. Originally published March 2009.