Lee nodded, "A perennial. Alcohol, like the poor, is with
us always. I think a single session with the needles
should solve the immediate problem."
"Is this going to cost much?" Sarah asked.
Lee gave a satisfied smile. "The great pleasure of being
retired is that I can choose my own interests. I
rarely work now and accept no payment. The
results are their own reward . "
Lying on the therapy table in her underwear Sarah wished
she'd worn more substantial pants, or even told
someone where she was going. Lee had shown a
proper professional disinterest and seemed
immersed in counting the needles in Chinese as he
perforated her from scalp to ankle.
"I've never had acupuncture before. It doesn't hurt at all.
Doesn't even tingle."
"Traditional acupuncture, done correctly, is often a little
painful; it is how one defines the correct depth of
the needle. In contra-acupuncture it is rarely the
insertion of the needles that causes pain. It’s a
method almost unknown to Western practitioners.
That said, you may feel a sharp scratch."
Fifty minutes later she was dressed again, relaxed to a
depth that surprised her, and ready to leave.
35