No Respect

Yesterday, riding my bike home after work, I saw a neighbor I had never met before. She was out watering her potted flowers. The hill I had to bike up is quite steep so I don't make it up very far before I have to stop and walk the rest of the way. This time, though, there was something in front of my stopped bike. It was a gorgeous neon yellow caterpillar creeping it's merry little way across the road! Very beautiful. I'll explain why I have no picture to prove this in a minute. . .

The woman was a little startled at the fact that my bike was stopped so she actually turned around and looked at me. "Konnichiwa!," she said gently. I responded and turned my attention back to the scuttling creature. At this point, my backpack was off my back and I was searching for my camera to take a snapshot of this beauty. She must have thought she had put something in my way and turned my way to apologize with a very heartfelt "Gomenne", when she saw why I had actually stopped.

I tried to tell her it was ok, "daijoubu", and not to worry about anything, but she was already on her way over. The woman saw the lovely caterpillar and, giggling a little, kept apologizing while she began KICKING the poor thing over to the side of the road. Obviously, this was not going to end well for the little bugger. At one point, a stream of green slimy blood flew out of him, like a little caterpillar horror movie and I saw his lifeless body land right next to my tire. She kept giggling and came over with her hand full of dead flowers, leaned down, and picked up the carcass inside the flowers. She then, feeling quite accomplished, walked to the side of the road and tossed the handful of death into the weeds of a little field.

I felt so crushed by this. . . I was the reason that little guy was dead! And he was gorgeous and really just trying to cross the road. Why did the beautiful, neon yellow caterpillar cross the road? To get squashed by the crazy, giggly, flower-watering, neighbor-ignoring Japanese lady. . . tut tut

Just the Right Tune

The other day I needed to get a few groceries from the supermarket down the road in Tano town. I had always driven before, since it was only a 7-minute drive to the store, but I find this really wasteful and lazy, considering it is such a short drive. It could be just the people I have been around, but I noticed this mindset quite a bit. I will think,

well, it's only a short distance, I'll just walk. . .

while many of the Japanese peeps around here will think

well, it's only a short distance, so why not drive? I don't like this weather anyway!

It makes me a little sad. . .

Anywho, so I decided to take my bike instead. It was a rather nice ride, calm and easy, only fifteen minutes each way. I don't normally take my music with me, but this time, I decided to. My trip there was quick, but on the trip back, I decided to take my sweet time. I had no place to be and it was much cooler outside than in my house, so why not just take it easy?

As I came closer to my little Yasuda town, a song I enjoy by AIR came on: "Alone in Kyoto".

Now, I am definitely one of those people who are deeply affected by music at times, but this was such an incredible experience that I was glowing about it all night. . . It must have been the combination of a nice temperature, lovely breeze, peace of riding my bike through these old little roads, listening to very serene music, or whatever else. There was a tingle that shot throughout my whole body and lingered for a few minutes while I was riding with this song playing. I felt love and happiness and calm that I have not felt in a very long time. I felt my whole self smile as I pedaled to the music. I kept taking deep breaths and letting my body relax as these wonderfully positive vibes flowed.

The experience was heightened when the end of the song played: I was approaching Yasuda, which meant I could start to see the ocean on my left. Simultaneously, the music ended and the calm sound of ocean waves breaking on the shore (the end of the song) played in my ears. I know, I know. . . if I was near the ocean, I should have heard it for real anyway, but the ocean was quite far away and this was a little different. I love when things happen like that, random coincidences, and it was right in my ear, this calm ocean crashing. I hope this happens more often. What a lovely ride that was. . .