I'm in Utsunomiya-shi with my friend and co-conspirator, Matthew Hall, to give a speech to the newcomers on the JET (Japan Exchange & Teaching) Programme in Tochigi-ken (Tochigi Prefecture). We're in a hotel, it's Tuesday, August 6, 1991.
I'm up at 6AM - but only to close the friggin' window in the room. It's noisy outside! I go back to sleep as my body is not enjoying the drinking activities of the night before. Up at 7AM, I try to phone Rory... a guy who lives in Tokyo (and an ex-boyfriend of Kristine South, a woman I really like, but who lives too far away—some 500 kilometers—from my place in Ohtawara-shi (Ohtawara City).
That's the thing about Japan... as long as you know someone mutually, there's a gaijin (foreigner) network that will essentially allow one to spend a night wherever needed.
I need a place to stay tonight, as I'm heading out to the Tokyo airport tomorrow morning to fly to Thailand to meet my mom for a short vacation before we both head back to Ohtawara for a few weeks before she goes back to Toronto. Me? I've signed up for my second year on the JET Programme to teach junior high school kids English. Matthew, originally from Binghampton, NY, is in the same boat.
Rory's not in - or he's normal and won't answer a phone so early in the morning!
Matthew and I go to a French bakery with a English girl named Cathy... a first year newcomer on the Programme, who seems a bit lonely, but very friendly towards me. Cripes. Back in Toronto I couldn't get a woman to look at me... but here in Japan, I have to swat them away like flies.
Matthew and I give our speech to an enthralled/captive audience on 'Surviving Japan'. It's funny and very interesting, chock full of great stories and advice that should be utilized or not utilized—depending on one's situation. Whatever... everything worked out for us, and we're both pretty well-adjusted to living well in Japan. However... I heard that our speech raised the eyebrows of the bosses of the JET Programme for Tochigi—Arikawa-san and Kamioka-san.
Hmmm... I probably should have kept my mouth shut.
I have lunch with two gorgeous newcomers—Laurie Tiefenbach (who I thought I was going to hook up with during a party a few day's earlier... but she was sideswiped by Karen Irwin, with whom I did hook-up with) and Letiticia Todd, who is drop dead gorgeous with a great butt and awesome, dark-brown curly hair. I'm spending a bit more time describing my initial reaction towards Lettiicia for a reason, as she will be the focus of a serious blog in the future. I just want you to know that I thought she was perhaps the most beautiful, sexy woman I had yet to see on the JET Programme, excluding Kristine, of course.
After lunch, I provide a demonstration on how to do a self-introduction class... something I wish I had seen last year... or if they did demonstrate it then, I wish I had paid attention rather than concentrating on Ashley (former girlfriend and current friend with benefits). Who's kidding whom? With all of these gorgeous woman around me, this was how, and how I am going to continue to survive Japan!
Again, my self introduction speech raises quite a few eyebrows amongst the Japanese and the newcomers. I have no idea if that's good or bad... but everyone now knows prety much all there is to know about me (that I want them to know, of course).
After it's all over, I walk back to my hotel (in the rain (of course, because I'm traveling... I am the Ame Otoko - Rain Man, and it only rains when I travel).
I then take a slow JR (Japan Rail) train to Tokyo. I arrive by 6PM and try calling Rory again... who's still not in.
Still carrying my luggage, I ride to Nippori and try to get a room for the night at the Hotel d'Love. It's a love hotel. Unfortunatly, they, and the other three love hotels I visit, say I am not allowed into their rooms. At first I thought it was because i was a foreigner/gaijin... but it was quickly explained that I am not allowed into a room by myself. I can only go in with a woman or a hooker/prostitute.
For a guy who was beating women away from him several hours earlier, I don't have one handy, and consider purchasing a hooker just so I can get into the hotel for the night. But, after the success I've been having with the women here in Japan since I arrived just over a year ago, there's no way I'm paying for a woman. I'm sure if I just stand around looking sexy in the rain for a few minutes one will pick me up.
An hour later and tired of standing in the rain, I call Rory. He's in and tells me how to get to his place. It's difficult, but I make it without getting lost (two times is not lost... it's just not knowing where I am for a few minutes). Rory lives 40 minutes outside of downtown Tokyo! I'm not going to save much time in getting to the airport, but at least I get to talk to the guy.
He mets me at the train station, and because it's pouring, we grab a taxi (he paid!) and head to his place. He's a very nice guy and seems very similar in personality, and demeanor to myself. No wonder we get along! No wonder Kristin liked him and likes me!
His place is small and cramped—I think it's smaller than my living room... but he is in Tokyo, and places are all expensive and small.
We talk until midnight—about woman of all things! Okay, that was me being sarcastic. Of course we talked about women. We talked a lot about Kristine (that was me asking him stuff that I could use in a phone 'sex' conversation with her later) and then he shows me a photo album that has some photos of my special K.
No offense Kristine, but boy you were skinny in those old photos. But relax. You were too skinny. I much prefer the way you look now.
I'm physically and mentally exhausted and pass out asleep, hoping I don't snore too much to exclude me from ever staying at Rory's place again. He's so cool.
Somewhere wondering why Rory and Kristine broke up,
Andrew Joseph
Today's blog title is brought to you by Poison: TALK
PS: Later in another blog you can see how my writings on Kristine and Letiticia are related.
