Firefly in Japan

I want to continue writing my story about how I got started in Japan and what happened to me, but as I write I'm remembering a lot of other stories and happenings that I want to share. So I will prefix the Firefly saga with "Saga:", and intersperse this blog with stories that happened to me as I recall them. This particular story holds a special place in my heart. For a brief moment, I transcended culture and social programming with a Japanesesalaryman on a crowded commuter train.

It was 8:40am, and I was late for work. My heavy bag weighed down and dug into my shoulders as I ran through the crowd. My stomach grumbled, a rude reminder that I hadn't eaten any breakfast. I paused, as I very briefly considered my two options. Go to work starving, be extremely unproductive and in pain until lunch time - or run into one of my local favourite shops and pick up a sandwich and a coffee.

Food.

I altered course, and crossed the road. I jogged into the crowd, and for a moment caught a glimpse of a hundred tired, sagging Japanese faces, marching across the road in unison, heading to their workplaces to power the Japanese corporate machine. I absentmindedly wondered if I fit into that crowd. I arrived to the sandwich shop called Cafe de Crie, and ordered the egg sandwich and cappuccino set. 8:43am. Time slowed down as the staff casually constructed the sandwich.

"Excuse me, I'm in a rush," I said, as the clock ticked 8:44am.

"I understand! We'll make it faster!" The young Japanese girl enthusiastically chirped. She calls another Cafe de Crie girl to come over to help out. The other girl immediately begins making the cappuccino.

As a side note, one of the many things I love about Japanese culture is taking pride in work. In Japan, you can be a garbage cleaner, but godammnit, you're going to do everything your job responsibilities require and more - and you're going to do it with HEART. These ideals apply to people at every level of the workforce. I really love this attitude, and it really pisses me off when I go overseas and I see people at work just slacking off, and not caring about the work and the customer.

8:44 and 50 seconds. The girls work together as one team, efficiently assembling my set breakfast. They perfectly pack my breakfast into a small bag, and include serviettes and sugar. "We're very sorry to have kept you waiting!" They both chime together at the same tone.

"Thanks!" I grab the Cafe de Crie bag, and I'm off again, running through the street crowds. I arrive at the train station, and after fumbling with my metropass, I push my way through the gates and bound down the stairs, careful not to spill my cappuccino.

I turned the corner, to see a train. Judging by the droning noise, and the train official waving to another official, the doors were about to close. 8:46am. If I made this train, I would arrive to work at about 9:04am, which was pretty forgivable. If I missed this this, I would arrive at 9:08am, which would definitely get me a reprimand. I cursed under my breath, and took off at a run.

The Japanese people that were paying attention and looking ahead suddenly froze as they saw a gaijin flying towards them at top speed, with a large backpack and a Cafe de Crie bag. They wisely moved and allowed me to sail straight through the narrow, crowded station. The doors were beginning to close. Shit!! Faster!! I jumped, and landed inside the carriage, just as the doors closed. I breathed a sigh of relief. I will get to work pretty much on time, I get my egg sandwich and a coffee (coffeeeee), and I probably will manage to avoid a reprimand. I smiled a relieved, happy smile. Great start to the day. But....

My foot feels oddly warm. I look down. My mouth opens in shock. I made it onto the train, my backpack made it into the train, but my Cafe de Crie egg sandwich and coffee bag wasn't quite as lucky. The doors had closed forcefully on the bag, crushing my sandwich, and exploding my coffee. The bag had lasted for about 3 seconds before it had a mini explosion in turn, and was dripping down my pants into my shoe. I then directed my vision to the left, to see a Japanese man reading a newspaper. He was standing next to the door, on the left hand side. And his pants and shoes had taken most of the fury of the exploding cappuccino. I gulped, as I waited for the coffee to seep into his shoes.

The coffee seeped into his shoes. With a start, he put the newspaper down as he looked down at his cappuccino coated pants and shoes.

"What the," he started, as he looked up to see me. I was standing there with an embarrassed, sheepish look on my face. He looked over at the train doors, to see the Cafe de Crie bag suspended halfway between the floor and ceiling. The coffee continued to drip onto his shoe. Then he looked at me, with a shocked, angry look on his face.

I frowned, raised my eyebrows into a sympathetic expression, and shrugged my shoulders in the international "whoopsie, I don't quite know how that happened!" gesture. I braced for a punch to the head.

I knew from experience these salarymen can be dangerous. 40 years of working in the same company doing the same things, going home to a family they don't know, and drinking night after night to relieve the stress and pressures of their job.... they're like tickingtimebombs of frustration and anger. Anything can set them off. A rude comment. A loud noise. CERTAINLY a sheepish gaijin with an explosive cappuccino bag.

I recoiled slightly to give myself time to react if he attacks me, and I looked closely at his face to try and gauge his expression.

He was still in disbelief. He looked from his soaked pants, to the bag, to me repeatedly, until the reality of his ruined pants and the clumsy gaijin finally set in. He looked me right in the eyes. I looked back with an expression as innocent as I could muster, given the fact I was preparing for a punch to the head.

He guffawed. He guffawed?? "Heh."

My expression of innocence suddenly shifted to match his previous expression of disbelief.

"Hehhe. Heheh. Hahaha." He started laughing. "HAHAH".

I looked at the whole situation again. And suddenly I found it very funny as well. My pants were also soaked and pleasantly smelling of coffee. We had coffee squishing in our shoes. My sandwich was ruined. And this Japanese guy, who I just sprayed with cappuccino was standing there, laughing like a crazy person. Despite myself, I joined in. "Haha. Hahahah."

For a few seconds, we shared in a laugh at the ridiculousness of the whole situation. The rest of the train people looked at us like we were nuts. After a while, our laughter died down. The coffee started to feel a bit colder in my shoes.

I started to apologise, "Um... sorry, uh,"

Still with a smile on his face, he just shook his head and waved dismissively in a good natured way.

The doors opened, and I was able to retrieve my coffee soaked sandwich bag, as I waved goodbye to him and ran off to work.

Oddly and inexplicably, I feel like I connected with him on some level. For a brief moment, we transcended culture and social parameters, and just laughed. I also ate the coffee/egg sandwich, and it wasn't as bad as I thought.

If you're new to this series, please click here. Start from the bottom.

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The scene : Tokyo, Japan. I'm living on borrowed money, cup noodles, rice balls and a pure sense of fierce determination to survive, and pay back my friends. After being fired from a job teaching English, I had completely run out of prospects. I became depressed with my dismal situation. Then I kicked my own ass, and went to an internet cafe and applied at 115 companies. I got one interview with an odd old Japanese guy, which I failed in short order. I got countless rejection notices from companies, but finally I had a request for an interview at an IT company. Now begins part 3.

I felt like Japan was testing me. Seeing if I had what it takes. One guy at martial arts often talked about the “martial arts god”, who looks after people who come to Japan with the serious intent to learn martial arts. “If you just commit yourself to martial arts, things will happen,” he told me, as we sat on a train speeding through the Japanese countryside. “You’ll find a way to stay. After a while, the martial arts god will say ‘this guys got enough mettle to handle budo, and Japan. I better sort him out with a place to stay, a job, and a woman.’, and then you’ll be fine”.

His words echoed in my head, as I was doing internal somersaults of joy. An interview! For IT! I was happy beyond words. An IT job would surely pay more than an English teaching job. And I’m really good at IT. The interview will be easy. I can’t believe how lucky I am! I went around to all my friends at Sakura House, and told them of my good fortune with my job search. I called my friends and family at home, and told them a shortened version of the story you’ve been reading. At first they were shocked with what happened to me, but eventually were surprised and happy that I managed to get an interview. “Good luck, we’re on your side!” they encouraged me. Their warm words from hundreds of kilometers away warmed my heart and calmed my nerves.

I spent the next 5 hours into the night researching everything about the company. Management, services, products, contact details, location, goals. I went through hundreds of sample scenarios and questions in my head. I was ready for absolutely anything that could have happened. Except what happened.

I arrived to the station 2 hours before the interview. I found the office quickly with the map I had drawn onto paper. I walked around, and noted the distance and location of several surrounding train stations. I calculated the fastest and most efficient train route from my station. I looked at my watch. 15 minutes to go. My heart started beating slightly faster, as I remembered my friends and familys words of encouragement. 5 minutes. I stood in front of the office. Here we go. I walked into the building, and took the elevator to the 4th floor. I walked in, and picked up the reception phone with one clammy, nervous hand.

"Hello," my voice cracked. "I’m… I have, an, interview. For a job. At 5pm." I gulped. Get it together, you fucking wuss. Come on.

"Sure, please wait there." A friendly female voice chirped back. I selected a seat, and waited. It was only 5 minutes, but it felt like 10 years.

Finally, a man walked out. He was tall, and looked generally uncomfortable. He looked me up and down, and frowned. My internal organs shrunk slightly. "Uh, I'm Shane. Uh... this way." Shane guided me into a meeting room. I smiled as gracefully as my nerves would allow, and managed to seat myself at the table without knocking over any plants or breaking any equipment. This is my final interview in Japan. Better make it a good one.

He stared at me from across the table. I returned his gaze with a uncertain, nervous smile. My blood pressure continued rising. For one irrational moment, I was worried that Shane could hear me sweating profusely. My throat went dry. My head became weightless, and threatened to depart from my shoulders and float back to Australia.

Suddenly, I was relaxed. I was calm, and controlled. My nervousness was immediately replaced with a cold determination, and intense feeling of confidence. I had only a moment to figure out what was happening to me, before Shane started talking.

"Nice to meet you. Hm. I checked your resume again, and you didn't have quite as much experience as I remembered. I hope this interview won't be a waste of your time," he said in a reserved tone. I could tell he was having second thoughts after meeting me face to face. Previously, this statement and realisation would have frozen me into silence and inaction. However, inexplicably, I knew exactly what to say.

"Shane, if I was in your position, I would probably think exactly the same thing." I said with a hint of a smile, and a calm, relaxed confidence. "What I feel I should tell you though, is the experience and skills that I have. The skills that your clients need." Shane almost imperceptibility raised an eyebrow. In a detached way, my previous nervous persona tried to figure out what was going on.

"I was browsing the jobs available section of company site after your email yesterday. I noticed a disproportionate trend towards requiring technicians with skill in these technologies, " I listed various technologies from the website. "Let me tell you about my experience in these areas." I described some project work I had done.

Shane asked me a few questions. My mind was so focussed, and working so hard that time just slowed to a crawl. I had a leisurely amount of time to consider the best answer among 5 different combinations my mind offered. After some consideration, I repeatedly selected the best of the 5, and replied as such. He asked me a few trick questions, but I could see them almost before he started talking. My previous nervous persona was becoming excited. This new, cool relaxed persona was nonplussed.

I finished talking. He finished questioning. He looked at me curiously. I evenly returned his stare. I could see him thinking. Oddly enough, I already knew what he would say.

"Well, uh, hm. I think, you should probably meet the President of the company." Shane said, finally.

"Right," I said, expecting this turn of events. "When is he around?" I asked.

"Uhh, I think, uh, he is around tomorrow. About the same time. Uhhh." Shane said.

"Alright, I'll come back tomorrow at 5pm. It was a pleasure meeting you. Thanks very much for your time." I said, shook Shane's hand, and left.

I walked outside, to feel the hot summer air on my face. I deeply inhaled, closed my eyes, and smiled. "Thanks, god of martial arts," I said with genuine gratitude, as I began the walk back to the station.

Well that was easy. All I need to do now, is meet the President. I'm sure it will go just as smoothly.

I was very, very wrong.