Sharing a moment with a Salaryman after giving him a coffee shower.
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.
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.
He was probably like... ha ha ha... didn't like these pants anyway...
http://www.improveverywhere.com/mission_view.php?mission_id=67
Posted by iiyatsujyan — 03 Feb 2007, 20:27
Great story, you are a natural storyteller :)
Keep writing, I'm eager for the next chapter!
Jo«Șo (from Portugal)
Posted by Jo«Șo Cruz Morais — 03 Feb 2007, 20:30
Keep your head up man. You have the nuts so run with it. Cant wait for the next chapter.
Posted by Jay(from the U.S.) — 03 Feb 2007, 22:51
You're a very good writer, I love this story and I can't wait for the next part
Posted by Henry — 04 Feb 2007, 00:45
That was truly a beautiful story. Such a simple story shows us what would solve any and all problems in the world. Yep... I believe laughter is the key.best regards
Posted by david — 04 Feb 2007, 01:10
more.More!MORE!!!
Posted by Ronnie — 04 Feb 2007, 01:51
oh, you're good: great writing and story!
greets from italy.
Posted by George — 04 Feb 2007, 03:02
Don't you think, as you explained in your other story, that he was only giving you his "Omote" expression? I thought you'd already learned this the hard way in that one day of teaching an English class? He was probably fuming with anger until you got off the train.
Posted by Drew — 04 Feb 2007, 03:51
Yes, a great story. I spent six months mostly in Tokyo back in 2000-2001. One of the moments that stil amuses me is this: all my Japanese friends (at least I thought they are such) did not respond to my mails following my return back home. Still I am like wtf? Was something wrog with me? Or is this one of their "national tricks"?
@Drew - "40 years of working in the same company doing the same things, going home to a family they don't know..." For him this was a true moment of relaxation.
Posted by Egidijus (LT) — 04 Feb 2007, 06:05
hi there,
i really enjoy reading all your stories.
you should publish your autobiography in the form of a book, you can use your popularity and stats from reddit etc. to entice prospective publishers, and even perhaps set up a bidding war of some sort between publishers...just a thought...
cant wait to read the next chapter on here!
ankush
Posted by Ankush — 04 Feb 2007, 06:31
...Heh.AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
Posted by Harry Chong — 04 Feb 2007, 08:03
Maybe hahaha is some kind of Japaneese word ;) .
Posted by Ajantis — 04 Feb 2007, 08:52
fckin funny! great read!!
Posted by ronin — 04 Feb 2007, 08:58
ok....i think you should have given him like 2000 yen for "cleaning fee" and apologized A LOT (the Japanese way). What you did (laugh and just leave when the door opened) wasn't too cool.
I bet that man thought "what a rude gaijin" after you left.
Nevertheless, I like your stories.
Posted by kay — 04 Feb 2007, 10:34
If you decide to publish a book, don't bother with a publisher.
Keep the profits for yourself with a printer/distributor like lulu.com.
Posted by Jonathan — 05 Feb 2007, 04:43
Doesn't this story kind of ruin the suspense of your other story, giving away the ending? Now we know you made it in Japan. =)
Posted by Ernie Oporto — 05 Feb 2007, 11:16
yeah, your page here keeps me entertained for a bit at work every day that you update it. Keep them coming! (please.... i'm bored)
Posted by thomas — 05 Feb 2007, 22:31
iiyatsu-jan - Well, since they were part of a matching suit, it's hard to say. I hope it didn't cause him too many problems. That no pants 2k7 is a hardcore link. Did you partake?
Joao - Thanks very much, I'll keep writing if you keep reading.
Jay - Whats up man. Thanks very much. Check out the new chapter!
Henry - Thanks a lot, very nice to hear that.
david - Laughter is the best medecine. However, if someone spilled their breakfast all over my pants, I'm not sure I would be quite as jovial.
Ronnie - I'm working on it.
George - I'm very glad you enjoyed it. Thanks very much !
Drew - I think you mean tatemae. It's hard to fake a belly laugh like that, but I can't say it's impossible. Maybe he won the lottery that day or something, we'll never know.
Egidijus - Thats really odd, I couldn't think why. I hope you made some proper Japanese friends.
Ankush - Thanks very much for your kind words. Recently I started writing something of an autobiography, but I've been very busy with many things, and also with my blog here at YourJapan it's been hard for me to follow through. It's pretty hard to gauge interest as well. Maybe if I build up some more readers I could think about something like that. Thanks for your comment though, I'll definitely think about it.
Harry - Glad you found it funny. :)
Ajantis - ah. Perhaps "hahaha" means "fuck you, gaijin" in some dialect I'm not familiar with. Hah.
Ronin - Thanks dude.
kay - Perhaps, but I was in a rush to get to work, and it didn't seem like he'd chase after me, so I took off. One point - I never said I wasn't a rude gaijin :). I'm glad you like the stories.
Jonathan - thanks very much for the tip. I'll be sure to check that out.
Ernie - anyone who reads any other stories in my blog already know that I somehow ended up staying. Don't worry, there are plenty of stories and happenings to keep a decent amount of suspense. "Made it" is also a vague description. In any case, keep reading and let me know if you agree or not.
thomas - working on it. Thanks man.
Posted by firefly — 06 Feb 2007, 20:27