Dear Hapworth2, Why are people so reluctant to identify themselves on Bananafish ? It carries the danger of unjustifiable assumptions. I wonder, for example, how you became convinced Xerxes was female ? Xerxes himself was, after all, a Persian king. Why would a woman choose to hide behind such a mask ? I hope you're not assuming she's a transvestite. I also wonder how you can be so sure of my ignorance of Japanese culture ? You haven't, after all, examined my vast assemblage of Utamaro prints nor perused my collection of personal haiku, have you ? Scottie B.