No Title Yet Part 4 - Transit
This is a snapshot of a fictional story written daily on my Facebook status, 160 characters at a time - two or three status updates a day. Each paragraph constitutes one Facebook status update. It is still ongoing and it is written without edit. Part 1, part 2 and part 3. It's also published on twitter at http://twitter.com/republicoffear.
The bland interior of Narita Airport violated Pedro sense. It was a crime to have such a lifeless place as a first entry point for a visitor from abroad, as it betrayed none of the vibrancy of the Japan and its culture. This is what happened when an airport is run with a committee of anonymous old men in symmetric stripe suits. He looked around toward the exit, looking for signs with his name. He was to be picked up.
He crossed the threshold of the airport and read through the throngs of hand written signs held by pickers until he found "Pedro, Quito". He introduced himself and the man responded, "Ushiro Tanaka. Nice to meet you". They walked together to a black latest model Lexus and drove away to the Embassy of Ecuador in Minato-ku, a ward near the bay. Pedro allowed himself to enjoy the eclectic view Tokyo in comfort.
Midway, Pedro politely requested Tanaka-san to take a detour to Akihabara for a quick shopping. He needed to get a new phone. "So you have been to Tokyo before, sir?". "Only once, five years ago". "Oh wonderful, did you enjoy it?". "I did. Unfortunately I was at work most of the time.". "Are you intending to stay a bit longer this time?". "That is the plan. I am going to Sapporo in two or three days.". "It is lovely"
One cannot miss the vibrancy of Akihabara, the mecca of all things electronic in Tokyo. Ocean of electronic signs in Kanji and English greeted visitor in over the top way. "What phone should I get?". "I recommend Sharp Aquos", Tanaka replied. The car stopped on Chuo Dori and Pedro hopped out to a Sofmap shop. Tanaka-san drove the car around the block, parking was hard to come by. He picked up Pedro ten minutes later.
They ended their journey in an unassuming Ecuadorian embassy and the current Attaché Marcelo Samaniego greeted them at the entrance. "We have been expecting you, Sir". They shook hands. Pedro was given a rather small but posh guest room on the west wing of the building. The embassy itself was rather spartan, only adorned with maps, flags and photographs of Ecuador. The view though was fabulous, the Tokyo bay.
He logged to to his system on the fastest phone data connection in the world. Pedro sigh, "Why can't we all be like Japan". His private newswire collects pertinent information that interest him, a service he expensively paid without any complaint. The highlight news item was about a new flu strain reported in Mexico and the second about a gruesome murder that rocked the capital of Ecuador. Pedro tensed
The wire stated that a prominent businessman Picanto Linares had been found murdered in his car yesterday. His dark BMW had been shot to pieces in the outskirt of Quito. The police was working on a link between this case and a car bomb explosion a couple of days ago. Pedro immediately recognized the name, Picanto is Rómulo's bitter rival.
"Hmm, it look like he refused them too.", he thought. He wondered about the kind of requests that would have the notorious gun runners of Quito to shy away. He kept this thought and decided to take an early sleep to wash off the jet lag.
Pedro received the rendezvous confirmation one day early so he found himself in the afternoon inside a cozy sleeper in Hokutosei Express to Saporro. He looked out the window to the hectic Ueno station. Spring sun bathed the station cheering every busy body up. The train would only leave sharp at 15.30, in ten minutes. The journey would take 16 hours, some of it through the longest undersea tunnel in the world.
He took a book he had been dying to find time to read, a Barry's tea bag wrapped up in sellophane/cling film, a pen, blank page and a comfy jumper and settled in for the ride. And then he got a surprise. Someone came into the sleeper. He would not be sharing the journey alone...
His eyes warily tracked her every movement as she struggled to put an oversized red luggage to the overhead compartment. She was about to lose her balance when the train jerked as it started its journey. Pedro swiftly rose up and pushed the bag over and she grabbed the door rail to break her fall. "goddamit", she cursed in surprise and found herself looking at a man staring at her with full curiosity.
Embarrassed to begin with, she quickly became distracted by his gaze. Such intense hazel eyes staring back at her. Instinct told both of them this was a 16 hour train journey that they wouldn't forget in a hurry.
"Arigatou gozaimasu", she bowed and then extended her hand "Hajimemashite, watashino namae wa Anna". "Bokuno namae wa Pedro, ainiku nihongo wo hanasemasen.", he replied, introducing himself and explaining that he did not speak any Japanese". "English?". "That I can do".
6.30 in the morning, the air was cold out in the platform. Passengers streamed out of the train hurriedly. They flowed around a man and a woman kissing passionate goodbye. The man then tore himself apart and walked away, then giving a quick look back and a smile. Nothing that had happened registered to him yet but he had things to accomplish. Outside Sapporo station, a blue wagon was waiting for him.
A red hair man came out and gave Pedro a bear hug, "good to see you again". "Asimov, you lose weight". "There is nothing to eat but misery in Grozny". Pedro grinned at the familiar sarcasm. "What's the agenda for today". "Let's talk in the car".
They found themselves in Bikkuri Donkey, having breakfast burger. a delicate and delicious bun-less category that was distinctly Japanese. "So we are going through Sakhalin to Russia". "Yes. It is an easier way of entry instead of going directly to Vladivostok. Too many navies in this area. We will cross to the narrowest of Tatar Strait so we don't spend too much time at sea. We leave at three hundred hour."
"What happens between now and then? There is a whole day". "Have you spent any time in Sapporo?". "This is my first". "I'll take you to the bedrock bathhouse. Better than Sauna and goes well with Vodka. There is nothing else in Sapporo other than great beer and ramen". "I can live with that". "I still remember your distaste of Vodka". Pedro replied, "Nothing good happens with Vodka in daylight". Asimov laughed.
The bland interior of Narita Airport violated Pedro sense. It was a crime to have such a lifeless place as a first entry point for a visitor from abroad, as it betrayed none of the vibrancy of the Japan and its culture. This is what happened when an airport is run with a committee of anonymous old men in symmetric stripe suits. He looked around toward the exit, looking for signs with his name. He was to be picked up.
He crossed the threshold of the airport and read through the throngs of hand written signs held by pickers until he found "Pedro, Quito". He introduced himself and the man responded, "Ushiro Tanaka. Nice to meet you". They walked together to a black latest model Lexus and drove away to the Embassy of Ecuador in Minato-ku, a ward near the bay. Pedro allowed himself to enjoy the eclectic view Tokyo in comfort.
Midway, Pedro politely requested Tanaka-san to take a detour to Akihabara for a quick shopping. He needed to get a new phone. "So you have been to Tokyo before, sir?". "Only once, five years ago". "Oh wonderful, did you enjoy it?". "I did. Unfortunately I was at work most of the time.". "Are you intending to stay a bit longer this time?". "That is the plan. I am going to Sapporo in two or three days.". "It is lovely"
One cannot miss the vibrancy of Akihabara, the mecca of all things electronic in Tokyo. Ocean of electronic signs in Kanji and English greeted visitor in over the top way. "What phone should I get?". "I recommend Sharp Aquos", Tanaka replied. The car stopped on Chuo Dori and Pedro hopped out to a Sofmap shop. Tanaka-san drove the car around the block, parking was hard to come by. He picked up Pedro ten minutes later.
They ended their journey in an unassuming Ecuadorian embassy and the current Attaché Marcelo Samaniego greeted them at the entrance. "We have been expecting you, Sir". They shook hands. Pedro was given a rather small but posh guest room on the west wing of the building. The embassy itself was rather spartan, only adorned with maps, flags and photographs of Ecuador. The view though was fabulous, the Tokyo bay.
He logged to to his system on the fastest phone data connection in the world. Pedro sigh, "Why can't we all be like Japan". His private newswire collects pertinent information that interest him, a service he expensively paid without any complaint. The highlight news item was about a new flu strain reported in Mexico and the second about a gruesome murder that rocked the capital of Ecuador. Pedro tensed
The wire stated that a prominent businessman Picanto Linares had been found murdered in his car yesterday. His dark BMW had been shot to pieces in the outskirt of Quito. The police was working on a link between this case and a car bomb explosion a couple of days ago. Pedro immediately recognized the name, Picanto is Rómulo's bitter rival.
"Hmm, it look like he refused them too.", he thought. He wondered about the kind of requests that would have the notorious gun runners of Quito to shy away. He kept this thought and decided to take an early sleep to wash off the jet lag.
Pedro received the rendezvous confirmation one day early so he found himself in the afternoon inside a cozy sleeper in Hokutosei Express to Saporro. He looked out the window to the hectic Ueno station. Spring sun bathed the station cheering every busy body up. The train would only leave sharp at 15.30, in ten minutes. The journey would take 16 hours, some of it through the longest undersea tunnel in the world.
He took a book he had been dying to find time to read, a Barry's tea bag wrapped up in sellophane/cling film, a pen, blank page and a comfy jumper and settled in for the ride. And then he got a surprise. Someone came into the sleeper. He would not be sharing the journey alone...
His eyes warily tracked her every movement as she struggled to put an oversized red luggage to the overhead compartment. She was about to lose her balance when the train jerked as it started its journey. Pedro swiftly rose up and pushed the bag over and she grabbed the door rail to break her fall. "goddamit", she cursed in surprise and found herself looking at a man staring at her with full curiosity.
Embarrassed to begin with, she quickly became distracted by his gaze. Such intense hazel eyes staring back at her. Instinct told both of them this was a 16 hour train journey that they wouldn't forget in a hurry.
"Arigatou gozaimasu", she bowed and then extended her hand "Hajimemashite, watashino namae wa Anna". "Bokuno namae wa Pedro, ainiku nihongo wo hanasemasen.", he replied, introducing himself and explaining that he did not speak any Japanese". "English?". "That I can do".
6.30 in the morning, the air was cold out in the platform. Passengers streamed out of the train hurriedly. They flowed around a man and a woman kissing passionate goodbye. The man then tore himself apart and walked away, then giving a quick look back and a smile. Nothing that had happened registered to him yet but he had things to accomplish. Outside Sapporo station, a blue wagon was waiting for him.
A red hair man came out and gave Pedro a bear hug, "good to see you again". "Asimov, you lose weight". "There is nothing to eat but misery in Grozny". Pedro grinned at the familiar sarcasm. "What's the agenda for today". "Let's talk in the car".
They found themselves in Bikkuri Donkey, having breakfast burger. a delicate and delicious bun-less category that was distinctly Japanese. "So we are going through Sakhalin to Russia". "Yes. It is an easier way of entry instead of going directly to Vladivostok. Too many navies in this area. We will cross to the narrowest of Tatar Strait so we don't spend too much time at sea. We leave at three hundred hour."
"What happens between now and then? There is a whole day". "Have you spent any time in Sapporo?". "This is my first". "I'll take you to the bedrock bathhouse. Better than Sauna and goes well with Vodka. There is nothing else in Sapporo other than great beer and ramen". "I can live with that". "I still remember your distaste of Vodka". Pedro replied, "Nothing good happens with Vodka in daylight". Asimov laughed.
posted by Dody G. at 9:09 AM
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