My office - The Ohtawara Board of Education (OBOE), has let me have a day off to get my Immigration papers settled for a second year in Ohtawara-shi, Tochigi-ken, Japan. In fact, they actually told me to take the week off - but for some stupid reason, I don't want to.
They know I've been stressed out by my break-up with fellow JET (Japan Exchange & Teaching) Programme assistant English teacher Ashley plus being stalked by the gorgeous Japanese university student who interned for a week at Ohtawara Chu Gakko (Ohtawara Junior High School)—one of the seven schools I teach at... but I think I'd prefer to have the company of my Japanese teachers and students to help present a semblance of normalacy before I begin my summer vacation.
I spent the night at Mona's house—she's the girlfriend of another AET—and she and he are friends of mine.
Mona lives closer to Tokyo so it makes the trip to the immigration office a lot easier for me (It's probably a two hour trip from my place to Tokyo).
Mona's place is about the size of my smallest room of my three-bedroom apartment—but it's comfortable and cozy.
We head over to a subway station in Tokyo during Monday morning rushhour.
I'm not sure what I expected, but I didn't expect to be unable to see the platform owing to a sea of Japanese business men in navy blue suits crowding the station.
The train is packed, and I hold onto Mona's hand as we are pushed in by the surging crowd of blue.
If you ever want to experience what being hit by a tsunami is like, ride the subway trains in Tokyo during rushhour (7:30Am - 9:30AM and 5PM - 7PM).
It's total maddness.
Did you know that about 28 million people travel to Tokyo on an average working day.
Despite there being no room, I feel myself being pushed tightly into the train car—packed in like a sardine.
If I didn't know Mona and she me, we would have become lovers at that moment because every part of our body was touching each other and about 400 Japanese men.
I though the Japanese men would be afraid to get too close to me - the big old gaijin (foreigner)—but nope... in Tokyo they don't care who you are as long as you can hold your breath between train stations.
This was my first experience at being pushed into a train car by professional train car stuffers. Known as ... just what the heck are these guys called? Subway packers? Is there a Japanese term for it?
Anyhow, these men wear dainty white gloves to stuff/push people into the trains. It's awesome and totally rude but no one cares because it's a way of life here. Politeness is trumped by the need to get to work on time.
Check THIS video out.
It's a great way to make new friends.
I do have a crush on Mona - just not the way I expected.
We need to get off in two stops. No way.
The next stop has another 700 people get on. I don't see anyone get off.
The men in the white gloves push everyone in, but I don't see it occur because I'm facing the wrong way... or the right way as I and pressed up tightly against Mona chest. Darn. I'm crushed. But, to be honest, I'm too afraid of being crushed to be turned on by her bosom.
By the way... I though Mona was going to be goosed/pinched by a plethora of horny Japanese business men, but either they too were too afraid of being crushed to be horny, or they couldn't move their hands to get near her bum.
For some reason a wave of riders exits the train at our spot and Mona and I are able to exhale. She does look very fine holding her breath, however.
We travel a short distance to the Immigration office and I get my travel visa in 30 minutes and wait two hours before Mona gets hers. She keeps telling me to leave, but this woman let me stay at her place last night, and she's a friend. Rule number one folks... never ditch a buddy.
Besides... I have no idea how to get back home from here. Or where the subway is from here. Or even where the exit is to the Immigration office. I'm just not very good at traveling.
Horror of horrors, after a lunch at McDonald's, I have to borrow Y2000 ($20) from Mona... after being pressed up against her earlier, I almost feel like I owe her a lot more than that. Fortunately, the subway back isn't so bad. We don't see any white-gloved rabbits pushing us down a rabbit hole.
Because there are no buses available, I take a taxi home. Yes... for some reason I know how to read a bus schedule written in Japanese.
At home, I relax - finally - for a couple of hours.
In the evening, I teach at a night school English class for beginners for the Ohtawara International Friendship Association.
We discuss a test I gave them and then teach them a few simple words - everyone seems quite eager and tries their best - which is all I expect.
After class, my beautiful student Shoko drives the two of us out to a coffee house - we spend an hour doing small talk.
We really like each other - but I think she's a way more prim and proper than I am. I want to have sex with her, Right here in the coffee shop. I think Shoko wants to wait until we get to know each other better.
I do get a kiss on the cheek, however, when she drops me off at my place. The kiss does surprise me. I want to give her my phone number, but for some reason I actually lack the guts to do so. Maybe it's because I didn't have a pen handy. yeah. That's it. Cripes... maybe being stalked by Junko has shaken me more than I thought (which was zero thought at all).
Not knowing what to do with Shoko as a possible girlfriend, I stay up late and clean my apartment.
I think cleaning and doing laundry is my way of coping with stress. Or hiding from it.
Somewhere wishing my whites looked as clean as the train man's gloves,
Andrew Joseph
Today's blog title is by The Moody Blues: JUSTWHATTHETRUTHIS
PS: Here's another great VIDEO of a train being packed.
PPS: The photo? Obviously the Japanese men in white gloves don't look like the photo of the white gloved rabbit above, but it was definitely the best I could do. ;)
