The Japan Chronicles: Part 4

**note: if I talk about photos I'll add them in later.

Oh, Osaka!

You’re Chicago’s Sister City, therefore I automatically love you by default. Here’s one of my favorite quotes from Theodore Dreiser’s Sister Carrie:

“To the child, the genius with imagination, or the wholly untraveled, the approach to a great city for the first time is a wonderful thing. Particularly if it be evening - the mystic period between the glare and gloom of the world when life is changing from one sphere or condition to another. Ah, the promise of the night. What it does not hold for the weary! What old illusion of hope is not here forever repeated! Says the soul of the toiler to itself, 'I shall soon be free in the ways and hosts of the merry. The streets, the lamps, the lighted chamber set for dining, are for me. The theatre, the halls, the parties, the ways of rest and the paths of song - these are mine in the night.' Though all humanity be still enclosed in the shops, the thrill runs abroad. It is in the air. The dullest feel something which they may not always express or describe. It is the lifting of the burden of toil.”

We got lost in the bright lights. Wandered back and forth across the streets looking for our capsule hotel. Found it. Relaxed like astronauts or folks on Starship Enterprise. 1984 references, I still can’t believe I haven’t read that book. Sapporo in hand, sitting on the side of a bridge; I enjoyed the late night scene of Osaka with Jennie and G, all clean and fresh. Got picked up by some maybe surfers in a sparkly white mini van-like vehicle:

            “Are you from?” after they slowly passes and backed up to us, and rolled down their window. Passenger leaned over and did the talking. We said America. I said, “Chicago! Sister City!” and the speaker said, “Oh mama!”

Me: I’m sorry?

Him: Ohmama! [raised fist]

Me: Oh! Obama! Yeah.

Him: Yes we can!

Me: Yes we can!

All the while we see some figure moving around in the back, maybe giving speaking advice to talkie in the front, and Gloria kept saying “We’re gonna get taken away.” We laughed and waved and they drove away. I wish I would’ve snapped a picture, but at the same time I can envision it perfectly. White van in the black night. Two dudes, red-headed with shadows of a third, looking for babes then packing up the back to catch some waves… in Okinawa?

Japan note: although I love the Styx song “Domo Arigato [Mr. Roboto]” it gave me false impressions that saying “domo arigato” was the correct way to say “thank you.” It is not. “Arigato gozaimas” is, and I kept saying “arigato go-my-zou” – I blame it on my alma mater, the University of Missouri. And I did not see, nor share a beer with Haruki Murakami and talk about his novels and musical inspiration and running, and life in general. I can’t say that I wasn’t disappointed by that, as far of a stretch as that dream was, Annie was hoping for it, too.