Scribbler's Cafe

Dollar Stores and Naked Boys

Kiomye is orbiting my desk, begging for juice and a princess movie. I have two classes tomorrow that I haven’t prepared for. The clothes I hung on the balcony have been dry for hours now and need to come in before the night air dampens them once more. I’m trying my best to block all these distractions out of my mind and spend some quality time with my keyboard.

Matt ventured out to Osaka after his class today. He laid his intentions on Osaka Castle and America-Mura, but I have no idea how much he got to see. Kiomye and I kissed him good-bye at Kitaguchi station. It’s late. Almost 9pm. He still isn’t back yet. I hope he comes home soon.

Kiomye and I had a wonderful day together. Thursday is my “research” day. I do not have any classes to teach and am not expected to come to school. Basically, it’s a day off. Matt and I made a deal that Thursdays would be his day to go off on his own in exchange for spending the rest of his week with Kiomye, the exhausting little joy that she is. Kiomye and I had a shopping spree at the hyaku yen store (dollar store) and lunch together. After a long nap in my air conditioned bedroom we invited Asami and her two little ones over for some running and screaming. After they left, Kiomye and I strolled up to the college to use the cash machine and buy some juice. The sun went down during our walk and the air cooled to a comfortable temperature. At the college, the football team, soccer team and baseball team were all having skirmishes on the same field. Kiomye and I sat at the edge and watched the boys run around under the bright lights. Kiomye thinks that all team sports are called baseball and refuses any explanations of the oh so subtle differences.

I guess that not many women come to watch the practices. There is a line of team storage sheds near where we were sitting. The boys use these shelters to change in. Occasionally, one would pop out of the doors buck naked to yell at his teammates, then would spot Kiomye and me sitting on the edge of the field, squeal, and retreat. This happened so many times that I started to think they were just pretending that they didn’t know we were there. Some of those naked boys started to look familiar.

Kiomye and I took our time walking home, enjoying the reprieve from the brutal sun. We spent the rest of the evening dancing around our living room to the American CDs brought with me. We dined on cold noodles and sugary orange drink. I just took a break from my writing to put her to bed and now I am alone with my laptop, my music and the twinkling lights of Nishinomiya. Matt still hasn’t come home, but now I am enjoying my rare solitude.

I am contemplating my next big writing project. Before we left the states, I had imagined myself staring my novel the second we arrived in Japan. Now I find myself having difficulty committing to such a large undertaking. Familiar problem.

posted by Scribbler @ Friday, September 17, 2004