“Everything passes. In a wave of people, I am the lone stack, jutting just over the sea. Quietly they pass, but I remain. Caught in the crash, I await my end with quiet pride, a day when I will be subsided in the tide…”

“More over-written crap! ” mumbled the old man as the train rattled its way on. It had been an hour since the train had left Shinjuku station, on its 2 hour long trip. As his eyes pointed up, the curious face of a young stranger met his. Their gaze met for one embarrassing moment. In the odd open-eyed childlike glance, he remembered.

These moments came rarer now. He remembered the day he left on the ship, the days he spent staring at the monitor, and the unshakable feelings of horror that came with his absolute safety. He remembered the pleasures of many lazy days at the beach, and then the sudden wedding. As his mind slipped, memories of his mind numbing employment and the single-mindedness of his “clients” brushed with expression in his thoughts. The booze-fueled parties to relieve the boredom, the jail time that resulted from his drunken foolishness, the isolation that resulted from his jail time, and the… what was it..? Something that was lost?

He looked at his withered, unadorned hands and found that he had dropped his book. The young stranger picked up the faded, hand-written tome, brushed off some dirt on its cover and put it back in its owner’s possession.

“Here you go” said the polite boy, with a nervous smile.

The old man frowned. He had lost his place.

Two pictures that I took today.

I hope you guys have been enjoying these short stories I’m writing about the kinds of people I met in Tokyo. I can’t really write one every day, but hopefully they will keep coming along (God knows, there is no lack of inspiration).

I got this Joker cell phone strap with a bottle of Pepsi Nex. Love it!

Hi Momma,

I wanted to write, but I really have nothing to write about. I don’t know anyone or anything. I don’t know my students, who only talk to me when they want to ask about something they saw in a movie. I don’t know my collegues, who leave me out of their little committees. I don’t know the principal; I get the feeling he doesn’t like me because he turns the other way when I see him.

I met a nice girl and am dating her now. I met her at an International Party. It’s funny, I went there to make some guy friends but they all were drunk morons who were ignoring me. I guess I was kinda drunk too. (I’m ashamed to admit it, but drinking is pretty much what I do in my spare time.) Somehow I started talking to this girl. I don’t really understand her very well, but sometimes she buys me things. She always carries a dictionary with her, but I think she needs some more practice. The other day she told me that our relationship was “productive”.

I do go to the gym. It’s a grind, because I don’t have a workout partner to motivate me. The Japanese people there are a bit scared of me, and there is only one other foreigner. I don’t think she likes me either, she always looks upset when she sees me. I stopped smiling when I see her now.

I guess I should learn the language, but I’m really busy at work and the gym. Maybe if I just let it sink in it will come to me automatically.

Take care momma,
Your boy,
Tyrone

It’s going to be another long day, but I’m not complaining. I’m going to start off with the train trip to Shinagawa from my apartment in Saitama. Well… I can’t, in conscience, call it an apartment; it is about 15 square meters and in a shared house, but I can’t complain; I could be living on the street.

Oh, drat, an accident – I might end up a little late to work. I’ll have to call my agent. I hope he can keep my boss on ice, or my other friends at the agency might be getting my job.

“Mr. Kobayashi? This is Hashimoto, thank you so much for your wonderful efforts on my behalf. I am most dreadfully sorry sir, but there was an accident on the train line, and it seems that the train will be delayed by approximately 7 minutes. I am terribly sorry for any inconvenience I am causing – I understand… Oh, thank you, please accept my most sincere appreciation. Why yes, it was my birthday yesterday – thank you very very much for thinking about me. I hope you are as kind to me in my 31st year as you were in my 30th! Thank you so much sir, please be nice to me.”

I am so grateful, every day, for my work. It is true that I don’t make much, and that I can only live here, but well – not much I can do about that. At least they pay for the train ticket, and that’s more than I deserve. I mean, I could be out on the street; Instead, I have my nice room, and every Christmas I can go home to my family. It’s tough, but I’m a hungry boy – someday it will lead to something.

Who knows? Maybe one day I’ll even get married! heh, who am I kidding, don’t have time for that nonsense right now. Maybe in 5 years.