? I?m sure most geisha would call it a bad omen that I?d spilled sake; but to me, that droplet of moisture that had slipped from me like a tear seemed almost to tell the story of my life. It fell through empty space, with no control whatsoever over it?s destiny; rolled along a path of silk; and somehow came to rest there on the teeth of that dragon.? Pg. 420
Preceding, is THE crucial clause of Arthur Golden?s entire novel Memoirs of a Geisha as included in the single passage are Chiyo?s turning points in life which are important stages of her development as a character for the audience.