Feb 23 2007
Saga, Part 7 : Alone in my apartment at 10:45am
10:45 am. I sat on the floor in the middle of my apartment in Tokyo, listening to the crickets chirping. I shifted uncomfortably. The neighborhood seemed strangely quiet. I dimly realised this was because almost everyone was at work, being productive, contributing to society, helping clients, getting paid….. A fly buzzed around the room. I frowned at it, and at myself. I needed some external input.
I walked out of my little guest house. There was a public phone outside a shopping center that I occasionally used to call overseas. The first time I made an overseas call, it took me 10 minutes to figure it out. It’s surprisingly difficult. First you have to put in money, then dial. I was fine up to this point. Next was the number to access an overseas call. I went through every permutation of 00, 0011, 001, 01, 0001, 00011. None worked. It just kept spitting back out my 100 yen coin, as if it was mocking me. "I don’t want your stinkin money, gaijin." I kept going until a kindly old man noticed my frustration, and walked over.
"Phone ok?" They asked.
"Phone no ok!! Phone no ring. FUCK." I said.
"Ah. This phone no ring to oversea. It only Japan phone." He said kindly. He pointed at a small sticker, where I could only understand the word "Japan" in kanji, and nothing else.
He gestured me over and showed me a different phone. "This phone ok. Have good day!" He said warmly. I thanked him many times, and spent another 3 minutes messing about with the international dialing codes. Finally made that call, by the way.
I entered the small, odd smelling booth, and picked up the handset. By Australian standards, the handset was impeccably clean. By Japanese standards it was pretty dirty. I spared a second to wonder how I would fit again into Australian society. It’s only been a few weeks over here, but I’m already taking many of Japan’s comforts for granted. I dialed home.
"Hello?" came a voice.
"Hi Dad." I said.
"Oh hello there. How are you going? Is everything alright? Did you get the job? Do you have enough money to eat?" He asked in succession.
I cleared my throat. "Actually, well, I’m fine. I got a job offer, but it was pretty low. Lower than I would need to survive and do what I’m here for."
"Your kung fu stuff?" Dad asked.
"Kung fu is Chinese, Dad. So I’m feeling a bit drained right now. I feel like I’ve run a marathon, I’m absolutely exhausted, I’m running on zero, but the finish line is two steps away. I also feel like theres a guy waiting to kick me in the balls once I finally cross the line. Actually he’d kick me in the balls every month on pay-day." I lamented.
I imagined my Dad nodding his head, and reflecting on my problem.
"Well… theres no reason why you couldn’t get another job offer," My Dad began.
"Thats impossible," I complained, missing the point entirely. "Don’t you remember I told you about all of the interviews I went to?"
"Yes, but theres no reason that one of those companies can’t call you out of the blue and offer you a generous package. It sounds like these guys are taking the piss anyway with this low offer." Dad said.
I paused for a second while his words sunk in.
"You’re telling me to lie to them? And possibly mess up my only chance of getting a job?" I shot.
"I didn’t tell you to do anything. It’s just a possible thing you might decide to say." He returned.
My eyebrows furrowed with stress. That would be a risky proposition. At any point, these guys could withdraw their offer, and I’d be completely out in the cold. And on the fast track back to Australia. Argh. What to do.
"I don’t know Dad… I’m not sure I could do that." I said, depressed.
"Well best of luck either way mate. Let me know if you need a lift from the airport." He offered.
"Thanks… but I’m hoping I won’t need a lift from the airport for a while. Talk to you soon. Bye, Dad." I hung up the phone, deep in thought.
Frankly, I’m a pretty bad liar. I’m by nature an honest person, and it’s hard for me to look someone in the eye, and tell them something I know is false.
"But, they did try to mess me around with this low offer…. " the little devil Firefly sitting on my left shoulder said.
"Thats not an excuse to lie. Besides, what if you piss them off and they withdraw their offer? Then we could be really screwed." The little Firefly clad in white sagely whispered in my ear.
As often happens, the little devil Firefly hopped over to my other shoulder, wound up, and unceremoniously drop kicked angel Firefly.
"Time to make the call." The devil Firefly instructed.
I sighed and picked up the phone. I put in my card, and dialed the office number from memory. I asked to speak to Shane.
"uuhhh, hello?" Shanes voice.
"Hi, this is Firefly."
"Oh, yes, hello. Have you thought about the offer?" Shane asked, somewhat nervously. ("See? He knows its a low-ball offer. He’s nervous. Stick it to them." The devil Firefly whispered venomously.)
"Yes, I have, I’m very grateful and I’d like to accept it…."
"Oh, thats great," Shane said excitedly.
"However," I continued, "I’d like to discuss some things in a bit more detail."
"Oh. Really?" Shane deflated. "What kind of things?"
"The package, the job, the responsibilities, those kind of things. Can I arrange for a meeting with you and Bill?" I asked.
"Hang on a minute." Shane put me on hold.
I waited for 3 or 4 minutes. Irritation bubbled up again. I relaxed as best as possible. Just as I was wondering how long I’d be waiting this time, Shane returned.
"Tell you what, we’re excited that you’re joining, so we want to take you out to dinner to celebrate." Shane said.
"Thats great, but I do want to discuss things before signing a contract. If we can have a discussion at dinner, it would be great to join you." I said.
"Uhhhh, sure I guess thats no problem. Uhhh, sure." Shane coughed nervously. "So, lets meet at Shibuya at 7. We’ll take you to a nice Italian restaurant."
"Great. I look forward to seeing you there." I hung up.
My suspicions were confirmed - it was a lowball offer, and now they’re going to try to butter me up at a nice restaurant. We’ll see about that.
I arrived at Shibuya at 7pm to be met by Shane and Bill at the station. They warmly greeted me and shook my hand, and then slapped me on the back in a friendly way as we took off towards the restaurant. They were laughing, smiling, joking and happy. I joked along, but I wasn’t buying it.
We got to the restaurant and sat down at a nice table. They ordered a meal for me. I glimpsed the price : it was a 3,800 yen set meal. Recently, to save money, I’d been eating 5 riceballs a day, costing about 150 yen each. I was eating through 750 yen in one day, and they just ordered me one meal worth 5 days of food. I pushed the menu away from me.
After eating, and laughing some more, Bill stopped, and stared right at me. There was a very noticable shift from friendly and warm, to all business. "So." Bill began somewhat coldly. "I believe you had a question about the package."
Shane and Bill both became silent, and stared at me. I think I would have been very intimidated if I didn’t know what was going on. There was silence, during which time I was supposed to feel uncomfortable. I didn’t.
"Right. I want
ed to let you know that I have received another offer from a different company." I said, slowly.
A look of surprise flashed across Shane and Bill’s face. It was gone quickly from Bill’s face. It lingered a moment longer on Shane’s. (Yeah, thats right, bitches, the devil Firefly helpfully added.)
"They’ve offered me 400,000 yen. Actually."
Bill chewed his teeth. His mouth turned into a scowl.
"Alright. And?" Bill said, coldly and aggressively.
Time to get this pointing in the direction I want, I thought.
"Well actually, I’ve had a chance to work with you, and see your office and the kind of people you have working there." (And there is a hot secretary, devil Firefly pointed out.) "And I really like what I see. I like the people there, and you seem to be doing interesting work, at interesting clients. I could really get into that kind of work."
Shane and Bill looked at me suspiciously. Fuck. I began lightly sweating.
"This other company is a much larger and more established company." I coughed, nervously. "Um, the other company offering me the job, I mean. They’re bigger. And, probably um, they’re also, um," I started to trail off. Uhoh. Bring it together.
I mentally slapped myself. My life in Japan from this point forward depends on the next thing to come out of my mouth.
"Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh…." I said.
They both stared flatly at me. Very flatly.
"So I would be very keen to find some kind of arrangement where I could feel comfortable at your company. I came to Japan to do martial arts, and it would be very difficult for me to live in Japan, which has a much higher cost of living, and participate in my classes on the package on offer. So for that reason alone, I would really be forced to accept the offer from the other company."
Bill continued to stare at me. He knows I’m lying. I held back a gulp.
"I really like small companies." I said, suddenly inspired. "The variety of work and having various interesting responsibilities is very exciting for me. If we could work out some kind of deal that would allow me to do what I came for in Japan, I would much prefer to make a big difference in a small company, than be a cog in the wheel of a larger company."
Shane looked at Bill, and then suddenly raised his hands in a "surrender" motion. "Your call." Shane withdrew.
Bill raised an eyebrow. I stole a look at my meal - the equivalent to 5 days of food, and I smiled nervously.
It felt like an eternity, as Bill eyes burned into mine, searching out any hint of a fallacy. I returned his gaze as best as I could, but I could feel myself losing it. I had a sudden impulse to leave, before I was found out. The muscles in my legs tensed up, ready to walk right out the door, and out of Japan.
"400,000 yen?" Bill said. "Thats a bit much."
"Yes, I was surprised as well," I lied.
Bill opened his mouth, and said…..
Nice. Fortunately, Bill didn’t ask more about the bigger company and he would have seen through you. LOL
Well done. I’m waiting for the next installment!
Son of a fucking..
Actually, let me re-phrase that. I have received a better offer from a similar competing website which doesnt leave their stories so frustratingly open that you feel like walking in front of a bus. Unless you can counter this I will be forced to stop reading your website and start reading theirs.
I expect an update within the next few days, or I am going to have to take them up on the offer. I look forward to your post!
sorry!! haha.
i’ll update again soon, I promise.
FUCK YOU!!!
I read this with the Google Reader and when I came to the end I thought “No fucking way this guy is doing this again, no no no!!!!”, then I thought maybe the Google Reader cut the article and came here with a hope of finding the whole thing. Damn you!!!
Anyway, you are good at writing, keep it up!
Awww hell. That’s great. You’re saga posts are like the weekly episodes of “Lost” here in the states. (If you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend grabbing the torrents) Just about every one leaves hanging by your balls, makes you histerically pissed, but makes you wish it was next wednesday already so you could watch the next.
Damn your cliffhangers firefly!
Yo stinker! I hope they took the bait. Or maybe the saga would be interesting if they didn’t — “Firefly singing for food”, “Firefly fighting off fellow scavengers with kung fu”, “Firefly meets the immigration office”, “Firefly’s daring escape using a rope made of his own hair(s)!”, “Firefly’s stay at Geisha Garden’s secret hideaway under the floor” instead of “Firefly sits at the computer part 452″. No, just kidding, don’t make us wait for too long pretty please with sugar on top?
You know, you didn’t have to lie about the other offer at all.
Had you done everything the same (i.e. called Shane, accepted but wanted to talk about the offer, met them for dinner), and just said “I’d like to work for you, but I simply need more money to make it here in Tokyo”.
They obviously liked you and wanted you to join them; they also must know how little their original offer meant in a high cost of living city like Tokyo, so why not just say that?
Since you’ve been in Japan a while, it looks like the gamble worked, but it was a completely unnecessary risk to take.
Hi,
well told episode - as usual. I’ve become a regular reader of your blog since episode 1 of your saga was first linked on reddit.
I adore your courage of trying to live in a foreign without money or even just knowing the language everybody speaks.
And you are a great writer. The episodes are very interesting to read and I’m totally looking forward to each and every episode.
Philip
What the fuck, Shit, You are right, you don’t lie very good, Dude don’t keep us hanging for too long like the last one. I normally don’t keep up with blogs, but I like your shit. Keep going
rock on gaijin
I love your blog, but I am starting to wonder if your saga is really true. Why do you let so much time pass before you post another entry? Are you extremely busy or do you need time to “tweak” the new part of your story? Even if it’s a bit made up, keep writing. You have my attention.
dude are you kidding me
Hahahahah. LOL!!!
I knew this was gonna happen. I’m enjoying your adventures immensely.
I hope things get heated with the hot secretary ;D
You, sir, are a jerk. I hate cliffhangers!!!!! I want to read your story, and you never finish it!!! I love the way you write, but these cliffhangers are killing me!!!
You want to attract more attention or something? ;P
Thanks for the entertainment, Firefly! I’m really enjoying this ongoing saga.
Gah cliffhanger… not again…
I wonder how many of us are eagerly wanting for the next chapter? Numbers?
stop it with the cliffhangers please, you are annoying your readers.
Hey man. I’ve been reading the series since the first one came out. Amazing.
But this ending makes me want to explode. If you don’t write another article SOON, my death is in your hands. Seriously. Get writing!
Thanks.
I hate this hanging shit. I can sue you for the stress you’re causing me. write more!
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!
Like everyone else I am chagrined to find yet another cliffhanger. This is the most compelling blog I’ve ever found. Need. Update. Soon. Please.
i have to admit i’ve started studying japanese inspired by your blog. on the other hand, my chia pet widget is now dead because the stress caused by your cliffhangers resulted in me (clicking) watering it.
cheers from Croatia - this is the only blog ever i found to be really interesting and very well written
Ha ha, just enough to keep us wanting more.
You sir are the Lost of bloggers, the Prison Break of the online space. A cliffhanger every time.
I salute you! Now don’t let us go so long between episodes.
Cheers!
you are a good writer, please update soon
Oh my God! Keep writing you have talent!
Another great entry!
My father owns a large company back home, and I’ve gone out with him to “proposal dinners” several times when he was looking to hire new members. (Daddy always did the hiring himslef- he never left it to his inferiors. He said he wanted to know each and every person that worked for him). The new recruits were usually young men, fresh out of vollege and eager to start making big money fast. My job was to sit next to the applicant and be “flirty”, smiling and laughing at his jokes to build up his self-confidence. Then- once I had his full attention, Daddy would ask him the questions he wanted to know, and I would back him up with questions of my own. The double-whammy of possible-boss-to-be and pretty-daughter-of-the-boss always caught them off guard. Daddy says that young men were almost helplessly honest when staring into the wide eyes of a young girl, and he was right. We always got honest answers, and it really helped Daddy hire the right people.
Plus- I got a free four-star meal!
Thank you for being a loyal reader of my blog! I really appreciate it!
-Pandora
“Bill opened his mouth, and said…..”
…and said?
You can’t just leave us sitting here eating rice balls!
C’mon man, get writing. What the heck did Bill say?
Very nice story, thanks.
Hi Firefly! Been enjoying your blog since part one!
Keep them good stories coming!
Hope you’ll post the followup soon.
Kind greetings and best of luck from Norway.
Is you real name Firefly or is it just a nickname?
Wanted to aks that for a very long time now
Love your stories.
Hi Firefly!
I was happy to rediscover this page, because I really enjoy your writing, and unique perspective. The ending is a letdown however. You don’t screw your readers for reading your work, you reward them. OR face the consequences.
This kind of cheapshot is something you would expect from a computer-generated mexican soap opera where brainless housewives are served empty “plots” between two brilliantly targeted comparative ads for washing powder.
You don’t need to do that to keep our attention, and I’m sure, this “genre” is not where you aspire, so stop acting like you are.
God.
Damn.
It.
You really know how to make me come crawling back for updates.
Keon, thanks very much for always commenting and being such a consistant reader. Correct - details would have fucked me up. Hah.
Simon, you crack me up man. Always appreciate your clever wit. Hope you’re still reading. hehe.
Fernando, yeah I gotta admit that sucked a bit. Heh. Hope you’re enjoying the story.
thomas, yep, I always watch Lost. I need some English TV/Movie injections occasionally. I really like the show, but now I’m enjoying Heroes much more. Lost had such a strong beginning, but it’s starting to falter now. I hope they get back into it and start writing better.
Daniel - sorry dude, hope you enjoyed the continuation!
Walter - Actually I do almost all of those things, except for perhaps the rope made of hair. Stay tuned…!
AnotherGaijin - I never said I did the correct thing. Or even the smartest thing, heh. However now I know these guys, this was the only thing that would have worked effectively. If I appealed to their sense of beind good, understanding people, I would have immediately been trampled on.
Philip, Thanks very much, I really appreciate the comment. Glad to hear you come back regularly. Thats just in my personality, I love going to foreign countries and just exploring and beating my own path. Thats a very nice final comment. I love your blog - full of spot on tech talk.
Pietto, Thanks man, I’ll keep rockin if you keep readin.
Denise, Actually once I get a chance to sit down and bang out an episode, I get it done in about 1.5 hours or so. Honestly, if I was reading my own blog, I would question whether it’s true or not myself. Sometimes when I look back, it’s still pretty unbelievable.
james, PSYCHE
nCn, You saw me coming man. More on the secretary soon…!
Kat, Why, thank you.
The last one was pretty bad though.
Ajantis, yes, I do love the spotlights.
Nancy, My pleasure. Pleased to hear that.
Jo«ªo, I’d be curious to know as well. I don’t know how to count either.
avid fan, sorry it didn’t match your palate avid fan..!
Matt, I hope I updated in time to save your life. Cheers man!
damn you, haha. I’m on it.
david, me too!
lukasz, put away your chagrin. There is a very balanced ending to the latest saga. Glad you’re enjoying it !
Zarko, I’m very happy that I inspired you to learn Japanese! Japan is a fascinating country with a deep and enjoyable culture, and the language is the first step there. Thanks again for dropping by.
Scott, Im kind of strugging between the hardcore cliff hangers and the more relaxed endings. I’ll find some kind of balance that will keep most people happy. Probably.
Phuen, thanks mate, I updated already. Got some new stories coming up soon too.
CarlosPC, very nice of you to say! Thanks.
Hey Pandora, nice to see you dropping by. Right - they didn’t even do me the courtesy of bringing a pretty girl to wink at me. Just two hairy gaijin. I of course am very much enjoying your series, please keep it up!
John, updated! Hope you enjoyed the new saga. Cheers,
janpjens, Thanks very much, I’m glad you’re enjoying the series. I’ll keep writing if you keep reading.
Martin - actually it’s the name I use for this site to protect the innocent(..and the guilty..!). Thanks for the compliment.
Gabor - Shame because I modelled my blog off a computer generated mexican soap opera. There are plenty of brainless housewife stories coming up soon.
Hope you keep reading. Cheers.
Hung - Hope it’s worth it!
Alright, cheers guys. More coming soon.
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