Girl power in a grain of Rice

The last night I spent at a Happy Tours house, close to the station. I arrived after dark and walked into a long bare kitchen-corridor with blank doors to rooms and wash areas leading off it. A group of Asian girls were sitting at the table surrounded by the jumble of pots, pans, bowls, plates and laughter that goes with communal cooking and eating. They jumped up to introduce themselves straight away and were horrified to see I only had biscuits and cheese for my supper. Before I knew it they had thrust a big mug of ramen into my hand with the last remaining fish-ball bouncing at the bottom. Then they told me what they were doing in Cairns. These girls were in for the long haul and were determined to get and keep in work. Even PJ from Japan, who rather smugly said she was on holiday was not planning a huge tour, but rather a good time networking with friends. We all commiserated with Lin from Malaya who was a tremendously talented linguist but as yet had found no job. She effortlessly spoke Japanese, Mandarin, Malay, Thai and English, switching at will as she talked to us and the many others who were passing through. It surely would not be long before some firm hit the bonanza, hiring her talent and bubbling personality. Su, from Taiwan was employed every day in a fast food chain and was now setting to making dinner for her boyfriend who did evening shifts.

But it was Japanese Mika who had landed herself the most unusual job I had ever heard of. She painted charms on grains of rice. This is a lucrative business as it caters for the person who has everything, it can be given to either male or female, it can be personalised, it weighs nearly nothing, and can be given on multiple occasions as of course, no-one can have too much good luck.  It is not an easy job as she told us that she has no magnifying lens, just her eyes and a very fine paintbrush and a blob of blootac to hold the grain still. Each one takes some time to do, so they are well worth the $30 - $50.

What I didn’t ask her was whether it was considered the rice, the writing itself, or her creative skill and thought that gave the charm its efficacity?

Also, how  would you not lose it?…..