Mis(s)match

彼一語
Kare ichigo,
我一語
ware ichigo,
秋深みかも 高濱虚子
aki fukami kamo.

(He says a word, and I say a word – autumn is deepening.)

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Thursday, 29 November 2012
11:27 AM

“Aya-chan, fancy some lunch? Sangendou. Quarter past 12.”

I quickly tapped a text reply in the affirmative. I was starving, to say the least. I have a bad (they say) habit of skipping breakfast. And today had to be the day to wake up a tad too late to prepare my usual bento. Riku’s invite for a bite couldn’t have come at a better time. Besides, I’ve been dying for soba for a while and it’s great to go to an old haunt from our days at college.

Promptly at 12, I quickly grabbed my coat and scarf and stopped by the boss’ office.

“Matsui-san, I am meeting a friend near her college in Akasaka for lunch today, if that is fine with you.”

“Of course. It’s kinda quiet today. I’m sure I will be fine holding the fort. Itterasshai.”

“Ittekimasu.”

With the chilly squalls that we’ve been having, it was great to actually see some sun. Weaving through the throng of sarariman along the street towards the train station, I quickly looked at my watch. I’d be there on time, I thought.

I had not seen Riku since she started her postgraduate stint at Sophia. I had fond memories of the place but no way was I ever going back if I was doing research but Riku’s like that, she craves familiarity. I, on the other hand, would rather go somewhere else if I had the inclination to follow in Riku’s footsteps. Like America. Never mind studying, my going to America as a mere tourist would seem like a pipe dream at the moment.

“I will be 15 minutes late, Aya-chan. Gomen ne?”

Not a problem, I replied. Besides, Matsui-san said he’d be fine. I guess I was inferring that he would not mind me going a little over with my lunch break. He’s the nicest boss I had the pleasure of working with, though, so I shouldn’t take advantage. Really. But then, perhaps fifteen minutes over. Tops.

The platform was somewhat busy but that’s the time of the day, I guess. My daily bento at the shop’s staff room in the back meant me avoiding this mad rush at noon.

“Mamonaku, hachi ban sen ni kakuekiteisha ga mairimasu. Abunai desu kara ki iroi sen made osagari kudasai.”

I looked at my watch again. Daijoubu. You won’t be late.

As the train door slid open, I held back a little giggle. That warning sticker with the mother and child raccoon pointing to a hand trapped at the door gets me every time. The train was full of the typical office crowd out for lunch but it wasn’t as packed as I thought it would be. I headed on straight to stand by the door on the other side. I like standing next to doors on the train. It reminded me of sitting on dad’s luggage as a little girl on the underground train to the airport when we had our family holiday in London those years ago. It also meant being able to get out of the train pronto, especially at times like this.

The man standing in front of me looked a bit dazed. He was staring emptily at the glass window. Must be a lot of stuff on his mind. I tried not to stare, with it being impolite and all, as reminded to me by my obaa-chan. Must be a tourist, I observed, especially after noticing the digital Ricoh slung around his neck. Doing my usual nationality guessing game in my head, I’d say… Guatemala? Naah. Perhaps Uttar Pradesh. Ooh. That reminded me of that fantastic kare Riku and I would have called a murgh massalam in Ginza.

The man then looked at me. Trying not to look too flustered after mentally playing ‘Guess the Nationality’, I just smiled.

What did you just do? I thought. Daijoubu desu yo. It’ll be all right. This man looks harmless, I reassured myself.

He smiled back.

O-kayyyy.

“So, what time do workers in Japan have their lunch?”

Be nice.

“About this time. From tuwerubu o’clock to… ano, ichi ji… wan o’clock.” I smiled again. Gosh, you know what one o’clock is in English, right? I can imagine myself rolling my eyes.

The man didn’t say anything back. I hope he understood what I said. He started to stare at the window with that dazed look again. Why so serious? A penny for your thoughts? I wondered momentarily but quickly told myself to mind my own business. I had a feeling that the man was trying to look at the window quietly out of politeness but every time our eyes met when he shifted his view away from the nothingness, we exchanged smiles. It’s the nice thing to do, I suppose.

While I was not expecting a chat, I hate uncomfortable silences. Uncomfortable? You and him are strangers, I thought. Then again, the man looked tired. He had probably been up all night in his hotel room marking all the sites to cover on his Lonely Planet map. Also, it should be obvious that he had been on his feet all morning, the man was wearing a pair of Asics. Why should he say anything else? Also, people don’t tend to strike up a conversation with strangers in trains anyway.

I could only afford to smile again. I guess those lectures my obaa-chan gave us as kids were indeed working.

“Mamonaku, Akasaka-mitsuke. Akasaka-mitsuke.”

I should make good time with Riku being late. The man then spoke to me again. “Your stop here?”

“Yes.” I can only smile again.

The doors slid open and I got off the train onto the platform, and to my own surprise, I turned around to look at my fellow, albeit a transient one, passenger and smilingly said “Goodbye”.

Riku will be late, but with it being lunch time, I thought I should just leg it to Sangendou if we were to get a table. First things first, though. What was that all about? But then, I thought, you’re simply being nice. And that’s fine. Nothing wrong with being friendly in this big city. That was probably his first meaningful conversation he’s had on this trip.

As I rapidly walked out through the station’s exit trying to get to the izakaya before it gets too busy, I had a brief glimpse of someone walking in my direction from behind. Was that the man from the train? Nah. Couldn’t be. Sangendou’s been described as one of the cheap eats in the area but Riku and I just love the place. On a cold winter’s night, nothing beats the Kyoto-styled oden they have on the menu.

Is the man still there? I thought again. I took a furtive a glance to be sure.

It was the man from the train. Yabai! Perhaps I dropped something on the train? Don’t think so. Not taking any chances, I quickly tapped a message to Riku suggesting an alternative rendezvous like the faculty’s cafe and legged it in the direction of Sophia. Fast. Whilst clutching on to my purple scarf.

Aren’t you over-reacting a little bit here? Don’t be silly, I thought.

Yabai!

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For context, read the train man’s (Densha otoko! Geddit? Geddit? Oh, well.) point of view here.