It's July 31, 1991... a Wednesday. I'm in Tokyo, Japan with my friend from Toronto, John, and Matthew, my friend originally from Binghamton, NY. Matthew lives in Ohtawara-shi (Ohtawara City), Tochigi-ken (Tochigi Prefecture) and, like myself, is a junior high school English teacher on the JET (Japan Exchange n& Teaching) Programme.
Man... I have to make that introduction smaller!
The three of us check out of our crappy hotel across the street from the supremely clean and pretty Keio Plaza Hotel where a lot of the newcomers to Japan on the Programme were staying. Matthew & I went down to meet and greet the newbies coming to live in our Prefecture.
After we have lunch in the crappy hotel's cafeteria, my friend Chris Rathbone comes over. He's such a nice guy, but he told me in a drunken blubber last night that his dad is dying. Anyhow, Chris comes over to help us carry our stuff to the local Shinkansen (Bullet train) line that will take us home. I have no idea why Chris is doing that for me, except I think the big lug misses me. That's okay... In 2011, I miss him, too and hope he's well and happy. Oh, and rich, too.
It's freaking hot today... just like it was when we first arrived in this country a year ago. Matthew is the only one of us not sweating which may have been due to him being dehydrated from all of the booze we had last night. I know that Chris and I are just soaked with sweat.
We go up together to the train line and get on our train and make a few stops.. Departing, Chris is waving frantically as we leave him at Utsunomiya-shi (Utsunomiya City). He says he'll write to me. Dammit. Big lug. You can call if you want to. But I don't say that. I'm already spread pretty thin in the phone conversations for mental health thing, as I play doctor Psych to a lot of people. Just not to myself.
The three of us go to Nasushiobara-eki (Nasushiobara train station) and then transfer to a local JR (Japan Rail) train and go south a few stops to Nishinasuno-eki (Nishinasuno train station) where we grab a taxi.
I hope John is impressed by my place. I am.
We do a quick load of laundry for John.. and then Matthew joins us and takes us to the Ohtawara Shrine & Temple so John can get some photos. Actually, I have no idea where anything is located in Japan, let alone this City, so it's always good to have Matthew around, as I get lost a lot less now.
Back at my place, I make him a chili dinner, and complains that it's not hot enough.
Ashley (my ex-American girlfriend and now just my girl friend with benefits) said that to me after our first meal about 11-1/2 months ago... so I made the next few chili meals progressively hotter... unfortunately she wasn't there for those... I was, and so I built up my own tolerance. When she finally had a meal with me next, I nearly killed her. Ahhhhh... fond memories. John is next.
Somewhere the chili isn't as hot as the weather,
Andrew Joseph
Today's blog title is brought to you by: ex-lead singer of the Lovin' Spoonful, John B. Sebastian: BROOKLYN
Man... I have to make that introduction smaller!
The three of us check out of our crappy hotel across the street from the supremely clean and pretty Keio Plaza Hotel where a lot of the newcomers to Japan on the Programme were staying. Matthew & I went down to meet and greet the newbies coming to live in our Prefecture.
After we have lunch in the crappy hotel's cafeteria, my friend Chris Rathbone comes over. He's such a nice guy, but he told me in a drunken blubber last night that his dad is dying. Anyhow, Chris comes over to help us carry our stuff to the local Shinkansen (Bullet train) line that will take us home. I have no idea why Chris is doing that for me, except I think the big lug misses me. That's okay... In 2011, I miss him, too and hope he's well and happy. Oh, and rich, too.
It's freaking hot today... just like it was when we first arrived in this country a year ago. Matthew is the only one of us not sweating which may have been due to him being dehydrated from all of the booze we had last night. I know that Chris and I are just soaked with sweat.
We go up together to the train line and get on our train and make a few stops.. Departing, Chris is waving frantically as we leave him at Utsunomiya-shi (Utsunomiya City). He says he'll write to me. Dammit. Big lug. You can call if you want to. But I don't say that. I'm already spread pretty thin in the phone conversations for mental health thing, as I play doctor Psych to a lot of people. Just not to myself.
The three of us go to Nasushiobara-eki (Nasushiobara train station) and then transfer to a local JR (Japan Rail) train and go south a few stops to Nishinasuno-eki (Nishinasuno train station) where we grab a taxi.
I hope John is impressed by my place. I am.
We do a quick load of laundry for John.. and then Matthew joins us and takes us to the Ohtawara Shrine & Temple so John can get some photos. Actually, I have no idea where anything is located in Japan, let alone this City, so it's always good to have Matthew around, as I get lost a lot less now.
Back at my place, I make him a chili dinner, and complains that it's not hot enough.
Ashley (my ex-American girlfriend and now just my girl friend with benefits) said that to me after our first meal about 11-1/2 months ago... so I made the next few chili meals progressively hotter... unfortunately she wasn't there for those... I was, and so I built up my own tolerance. When she finally had a meal with me next, I nearly killed her. Ahhhhh... fond memories. John is next.
Somewhere the chili isn't as hot as the weather,
Andrew Joseph
Today's blog title is brought to you by: ex-lead singer of the Lovin' Spoonful, John B. Sebastian: BROOKLYN
