Nekkid Fireworks

Yesterday was an interesting day, but started out as normal as ever. Ayumi went to Gifu to spend some time with her little sister who is home for the week. I would have gone too but, was there two weeks ago. Not that I don't like going to Gifu or anything but, while there it was super-dooper hot, I was super-dooper bored and on top of that didn't want to put our cat through the trauma of going to and being there.

Ayumi's folks have a big dog. Neither the dog nor Hershey have any interest in becoming friend with each other so while they are in the same room it is just a staring contest between the two of them. During the cooler months Hershey is content staying upstairs and being by herself however, summer gets too hot so we need to put her in the air conditioned room with us- which happens to be the dogs favorite space. Well, when we do this, the dog cowers in the corner while Hershey stays in the other and hisses across the room. I am sure stressful to both.

Anyways, so Ayumi took off to Gifu yesterday morning and I went to school as usual. Around ten-ish I get a telephone call from a lady whose house we went to the other night for a party with our Vice Principal. She kind of cornered me into coming over and hanging out over there after school which kind of ruined my plans. When speaking Japanese I panic and can't say no. Anyways, originally I was planning on biking to the beach and seeing how long it would take on bike not dilly-dalling along the way.

With the afternoon now decided for me, four-fifteen came around and I found myself walking to the store to get cat food and then home. Being hot and humid I am usually soaked to the bone by the time I get inside any building after being outside. Well, after feeding the cat I decided to change my clothes before heading out and went into our room which faces the front of the apartment, which is where we keep our wardrobe. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see someone outside messing with our front window.

Now over the front windows on all the apartments is a metal railing which prevents anyone from getting in and out. Well, I don't know what this lady was trying to do but, she was pulling back the screen through the bars and reaching in. After watching for about ten seconds I call out to her asking if she needed help with anything. She immediately apologizes and makes a bee-line straight for the stairs. Very quickly I throw on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt and start to pursue her.

At this point I would like to note that we live on the fourth of six floors. By the time I got to her, she was just rounding the last flight and headed to the exit of the building. "Excuse me!" I yelled, she turned around and I asked "Why were you looking into my apartment?" She looked a little panicked and told me that she wanted to move into this complex and was wondering what the inside of the rooms looked like. I then told her where the managers apartment was and together we went over there and knocked on the door. While waiting, I asked her why she was up on the fourth floor and she told me that she had started on the top floor and was seeing if any rooms were open to look at. I wanted to believe her but, her clothes were really dirty and she looked more like a homeless person than someone searching for an apartment. I then asked her if she lived around here to which she replied she was living with a friend. I then asked her if her friend lived around here and she told me her friend was living near the mountains... which there aren't too many of around here.

I was pretty surprised and as you can guess had a little bit of adrenaline running through my blood- I kept my cool though and used the politest Japanese I could. I then told her in my country if a stranger starts opening your windows and reaching into your house that, that is pretty scary and normally you call the police. She told me not to call the police. I then asked her if she didn't think this situation wasn't a little funny which she shook her head yes. The whole time thought I thought she was acting funny and really felt like she was fibbing to me. After nobody came to the managers door she was like well, I am going to leave. I asked her for her name which she wouldn't give then asked me for mine. I refused as well (don't know if that was rude or not). Walking away she said something along the lines of "Well, I will see you if I can move here in September." To which I replied, "Please come and visit me..." where then if this is legit, I will apologize and give her a cookie.

Immediately after this happened I called Ayumi and told her what had happened. In fear that I had handled the situation wrong. Not only did she agree with me, after my phone call she called up the apartment managing company, relayed the story and they also thought it sounded a little weird. This week is a national holiday in Japan with a lot of people leaving home so, maybe if this lady was indeed a thief, she was checking out the place to see who was home.

So, the question I ask myself, "Should I have called the police?" the answer I have for myself is, this: If I wasn't a foreigner, probably. The whole story still stinks and maybe she was sincere in wanting to move in but, the situation was a bit weird.

That part ends there but, my day just kept going on!

Well, this whole epilogue took about ten minutes and looking at the clock I realized that I needed to go. I went back inside and (only after consulting Ayumi did I think to) closed and locked the windows. I hopped on my bike and suprisingly riding through the streets, I passed my burglar. She gave me the eye from under her black umbrella but, I just kept-on-a-riding. I arrived at my host's house and was welcomed into the living room where I met her kids. After sitting for a few minutes I was invited to stay for dinner which having nothing better to do- nor any way to decline accepted and was served a feast of fish, deer jerky and vegetables.

After we had eaten and talked for about an hour I was invited to go to the public bath with the older brother who had eaten with us. I tried to decline but, again they wouldn't take no for an answer. I tried to use the fact that "I have stitches in my finger and can't get it wet" as my excuse, only to have the old grandma pull out from a drawer a new surgical glove. It was only six-thirty so I couldn't use time as an excuse. Well, long story short me and this guy went to the public bath, which was actually quite nice. If the fact that I was white didn't make me stand out, it was the white surgical glove I wore on my left hand clinched shut with a rubber band around my wrist.

During the summer, each night at five to eight the amusement park does a short firework show. The outside bath apparently has a spectacular view being that this public bath is at a hotel ajacent to the park. Well, the fireworks start, and before you know it, I am standing naked in a mid-thigh deep bath tub silently watching these fireworks with about five other naked men. Kind of creepy, but the fireworks were nice.