Entries this day: Bike My_wallet Walk koko zzz

Bike

8:48am JST Tuesday 29 April 2003

I walked to the train/bus station that I normally used but took the bus instead of the train, as suggested on the sheet to get my bike. Showed the driver the name of the bus stop I wanted to visit and he was all, "����" (yes) and I'm like, "��������" (thanks, chief) and then we go on our merry way.

Fortunately, before we reached my bus stop, I noticed I had showed him the name of the destination for this bus. Not my stop. Double fortunately, by that time I had done enough pattern matching to know what I was looking / listening for to identify my stop. Just in time, I found it.

Got off the bus and was like "?????" cause I had no idea which way to walk, etc to find my bike.

Showed a cat the map I had and he went inside and produced another map with my path highlighted on it. Thank god for the Japanese helpful society.

Walked to the destination and as I think I should be there by now I see it. Hundreds of sad bikes, locked away in the Bike Pound. The pound was only identifiable by me by all the bikes and all the barbed wire on top of a strong fence.

Looked at the gate. Locked. *Now* I know what the "yammeryammer 11 yammeryam 7 yammer yammyam" meant on the piece of paper. 11 to 7 is when they are open.

Excellent. I'll just settle down and practice Japanese for an hour. I knew I'd need a comfortable place to sit, so I began to explore the area a bit, walking up a ramp to the crosswalk over the street and got a higher perspective of the view of bikes.

Make that thousands of bikes filling this 2 acre pen. They are all lined up carefully, but otherwise unprotected from the elements.

And then I noticed something. Not out there but right here on me. Not a bug nor a snake, but something disgustingly missing.

My wallet.

How the holy fuck did I not bring my wallet? Am I an idiot??? Don't I realize that I need *money* to recover my bike?

I cried. I sighed. I called Frank at home. My wallet is not on my desk.

Fortunately I have enough change to take the bus back home. I think I'll look for an ATM and crack into my account for the first time since I've been here. I've not been paid yet, but they gave me (and anyone else who requested it (and who wouldn't??)) an interest free loan that will be taken out of my next three paychecks. I had hoped to leave it and its pretty zeros unblemished in my account. Like a perfect crystal sphere, the wholeness of which *proves* that I can live in Japan on my own. No loans, no coddling. Proof.

Well now I'm about to prove I can change my mind, find an ATM, and shatter some fuckin' crystal.

9:07am

Shit. That was a perfect ending to a cool entry. I'll shatter it:

I have to have my wallet before I can get the bike because my ID *and* my proof that the bike has been loaned to me is in there. Back to the bus I go.

(note: I do not have to have my wallet to get money; I can use my passbook to get cash from the ATMs.)

My wallet

9:35am JST Tuesday 29 April 2003

Magically, I got on the same bus with the same driver that I used to get here. He remembered me when I was all like, "maybe not same bus" to indicate that maybe it wasn't this bus, hoping that explained why my wallet isn't here.

All the explaining was done at the end of the line (we were close to the end of the line (like 2 stops away) at the Bike Pound stop) where I now have the opportunity to wait (study) 45 minutes (I think) before it's time for the bus to go again.

I had a good cry alone on the bus (as the driver got out to stretch and do whatever he does while scared wallet-losing bike-losing gaijin are on his bus crying) wrote this entry and here I am.

Time to study more Japanese. and I don't just mean that in the proverbial kinda way; I'm going to study right

now.

10:25am

Back at home. The bus started again before I had time to fully open my book, but on the way home I learned four verbs:

to eat ������
to sleep ����
to see ����
to get up ������

I've dug through everything in my room. No wallet.

- - - -

Now I'm going back to the police station to tell them what else I've lost. (phone (recovered), bike, wallet)

12:42pm

Went to the cops, told them my sad tale of woe (they had to call a bilingual cat on the phone to get my info) and practiced a tidbit of Japanese with them. Like "come" "go" and "came" and "little bit" though these are not yet committed to my memory.

I told them all the items I could remember that are in the wallet:
70,000 yen
gaijin card
TX drivers license
US bank card
Japanese bank card
proof that I can use the bike
my Japan address written in Japanese

Point is, they'll call me when the wallet is returned.

Part of me wanted to sulk and pout until the wallet was returned - to stop all activity and just curl up until the wallet situation fixed itself. I consciously had to choose not to. All the "success books" of all the "successful" people that I've read talk about their wins and losses. And with the losses, the just have to start over. Just start again. Fine. I can do it. Release the outcome.

I decided to start over with a new wallet so I went to the bank with my bank passbook (checkbook that has a magnetic strip, and the ATM prints in the passbook my balance and such!) but the ATMs were only happy to take cards, not passbooks. They all have passbook slots, but those didn't seem to be activated. ATMs in Japan are not open 24-hours.

So... I cannot yet start over with a new wallet.

I used 110 yen of my remaining change to take a train to pick up a box from the post office. The guy there asked for my ID and I gestured that I didn't have any, but I showed him on my computer my address in Japan which he confirmed was the address for the package and let me have the package. Yay for trust in Japanese culture.

Now instead of my wallet, I have chocolate chip cookies!! I'm going to walk home to save 110 yen and I don't think it will be that far - just 1 or 1.25 train stops away I believe.

The good thing, no matter how far it is to my apartment - I have chocolate chip cookies from Janette!!!!

Walk

3:15pm JST Tuesday 29 April 2003

A coin toss encouraged me to walk to �����[�������� instead of home. I did this in search of a bank. Found a bank but it also wouldn't take my passbook. Information phone beside the thing revealed that I would be able to use the passbook tomorrow.

Walked from �����[�������� to home in 40 minutes.

koko

6:34pm JST Tuesday 29 April 2003

Earlier I called ���� but did not leave a voice mail. She just now called me back and I explained that her mom's bike got towed and I lost my wallet and therefore couldn't pick it up. Fun thing is that somehow I pressed a button on my phone so that the conversation was recorded; I could transcribe it if I wanted. The only reason to transcribe it though would be to capture her reaction when I told her "when I went to get the bike, I lost my wallet."

It was a laugh that simultaneously said "oh jeez what else could go wrong?" and "I feel your pain" and "it will be all good."

She said she will help me get it tomorrow.

I wonder how I can repay the favor.

I really really really hope I can get cash (and a new chain wallet?) before I see her tomorrow.

Time to study.

zzz

1:59am JST Wednesday 30 April 2003

Studied for some hours and then got sidetracked with Nine Inch Nails music in my head, specifically the end of "Perfect Drug."

During my sidetrackedness, I've just created a nin compilation for Jackie, who expressed interest in nin music some weeks ago on LJ. I love nin so I want to encourage her appreciation of the music.

My intentions for tomorrow:

!) That I go to the police box and they'll have my wallet
@) If no wallet, I'll go to the bank and get cash
#) Regardless of walletification, I'll buy a new chain-wallet
$) Meet Koko at international lounge and embark with her:
%) if no old wallet, to get a new gaijin card
^) bicycle recovery mission, no matter how many wallets I've got.

Good night.