Dressed in an olive tank top and some military jeans, I wander up to the booth at the front. I have passed this place before, thought it was closed, but seems to just get by enough to stay open. It's a one in a million shot to see if they have it. I wander up to the booth looking a bit intimidated by the fellow,"I know it's an odd question, but do you have a rectifier for a 93 Kawasaki EX 250, mine is shot. I brought it to compare if you had some that might work, I can't seem to get this one working and I gave it my best shot." I laugh hesitantly. I hold out the small electric part in my hand, offering it to the attendant.

Al sighs gruffly, looking over the part briefly before turning it back over.

'We dont get many crotch rockets in here...'

He flips through a few dog eared, coffee stained pages on his desk.

'You might wanna ask Barry.' Al points, towards the rusting crane in the center of the scrapyard.

'That blind ole bastard seems to know where everything is around here.'

 "Thanks," I reply and start heading toward the area he directed me.

I walk through a labyrinth of steel and iron, rusting in the southern heat and humidity. Within are the remnants of culture, signs of progress cast off, a Plymouth roadrunner to old VW vans all in various states of decay. It is a strange sort of graveyard of progress.

I turn a corner and see a rusting iron dragon looming in the air before me. It's headache ball swaying slightly, like a pendulum,  from it's last load.

I glance around slightly unsure of where the gentleman I am seeking is to be located."Excuse me, Barry" I call out to no one in particular."Al said you might be able to help me find a rectifier for my bike."

From behind one of the piles is Barry, wearing a dirty white shirt, some blue jean overalls, and a bandana on his head.  Over his eyes are a strange form of eye glasses that allow poor blind Barry a limited ability to see certain things and different kinds of light.  On hearing Toshi, he limps twoards the general direction of the voice.

"I'm afwaid, sah, we  don't carry any of them fancy pahts.  If yah give me the piece, we may build one."

 "I am sorry to bother you sir, I have tried to rebuild this rectifier for my 93 Kawasaki and I know its shot. I was hoping you might have something that might work. Building one sounds pretty expensive, I don't think I have that sorta dough. I barely get by as is. Man, those are some cool glasses, kinda like the ones on Akira. Are those some sorta welding goggles? Oh, here is the rectifier, or at least whats left of it," handing him the part."I thought I would give it a shot fixing it, guess being Japanese did not help, huh" I laugh."I guess I'll have to order one online, from some warehouse in Oklahoma."

"Expensive?"

Barry lets out a fairly jovial and loud laugh at the even mentioning of the word.

"Look around you son, everything here is worthless.  Ain't gona get cheaper then that."

Barry takes the part from Toshi, doing what seems to be examining it thoroghly with his hands.  making sure to feel every curve and divit of the piece, he tries to determine what would be needed to replecate the part.

"Now, this the whole part?  or a piece?"

 "Well, there are some screws and washers in my pocket" looking confused."My name is Nakazawi, by the way" offering his hand while digging in his pocket with the other." I run a martial arts place over on Jefferson st., though I guess everyone calls it the slums." I finally find the screws and without glancing at it I say "Four screws, five washers, one had a double."

Grasping around the air (he's blind after all) looking for Toshi's hand to take the screws, but failing miserably.

"Is that what theys been callin it now? Hell, I remember way back when it was the rich street."

Finally employing a walking stick, Barry finds Toshi's foot, and thus his hand.  He takes the screws from Toshi's hand and started examining them in his hands.

"Well Mr. Nakazawi, I recon I could find that part with in a week or two.  I suppose I could let it go for, $75?"

 "That sounds great, I can use my other bike in the meantime. I apologize about the goggles comment, I did not realize" not knowing what to say exactly."So, when did everything fall apart over in the Jefferson street area, it seems whatever was feeding it just dried up?" trying to steer the conversation from his misunderstanding.

"What you say, son? I'm hard of hearing."

Barry starts feeling around with his cane again, trying to find his position.

"Anyways, I betta get to work on this here part.  I recon it won't take that long."

Slowly shuffling away behind a pile of busted cars, Barry quickly disappears to work on the said part requested.

"Sorry for disturbing you, oh and thanks," he replies loudly. Obviously alone now, he heads back toward the front and stops in front of Al's booth."He said he will be done in a week, do I need to pay now or when I come back?". I shrug and hand over a fifty,"I'll cover the rest in a week."Thanks," as he turns and leaves.

Working as vigorusly as he can, Barry does his best to replicate the requested part from the heaps of junked cars and old motorcycles.  It takes a couple of days, but it is completed.

It looks worse then the original part, much rustier, but it functions perfectly and wil last a few years.  Setting it asside from the rest of the junk, he eagerly awaits Nakazawi Toshi's return.

 After what seems like a week, he returns to the scrapyard and nods at big Al saying,"Barry said it would be about a week, I was going to see if it was ready". It seems he is busy with some other client and simply waves his hand to proceed. He is still feeling bad about his comment concerning his goggles, but brushes it aside. Barry seemed to have ignored it easily enough. He reaches the metal behemoth of a crane and raises his voice a bit," Uhh, Barry it's Nakazawi.. It's been about a week and was wondering if you got a chance to fix that part yet..." He tries to listen for any response. Hope he is alright, I mean someone could really get hurt back here if they bumped into the wrong part or at least need a tetanus booster.

Slowly waddling behind Toshi ((it is so much easier to type)) with the part in hand, Barry appears just as mysteriously as before.

"I recon you'er here for the part?"

Barry holds out the part in a completely different direction from where Toshi is standing.  It looks like the old part, but is more rusted and seems to be flimsy.  On a closer inspection, it is indeed rusty, but the design allows for better strength, letting it last much longer.

"I wouldn't count on this for everyday use.  Probably replace it in a few years."

Barry waits for Toshi to take the part...

" Thanks, alot, you really saved me a whole buncha hunting around,' he says taking the part and inspecting it."Wow, who woulda thought anyone could fix this, you are a wiz with stuff like this. I don't know if you like Asian food but I brought you some pepper steak, I cook for myself and damned if I always make too much, I do have to warn you I like mine a bit spicier than normal" reaching out and placing the bag in his hand."Oh, and here is the rest of your money," handing him a fifty dollar bill."I gave Big Al a fifty before I left last time, or should I just pay him?"

Barry grins a little with the pride of a job well done.  Using his cane to feel about while he turns around, he slowly shuffles twoards a pile of junk.

"Sorry, can't eat that stuff, bad for my heart.  Just leave the cash with Al, he's got the register."

As he moves away he stumbles on a peice of trash, but with his cane he resumes his balance and continues walking.

" Are you alright?" he asks shyly."Well thanks again I appreciate the help" He turns and strolls back to the front. He waits and hands Big Al a fifty and says" The rest is for Barry, he did a fine job, definitely recommend this place to some of my friends."

(Just have to comment on the ads you guys are generating up top... -Sex Bolts and Binding Posts!-... Jesus. Way to keep it sexy in the scrapyard guys.   )

{Nice. Maybe we can install one of those gear-head bot-chicks into the scrapyard as "furniture" you know, like the chick from Metropolis.}