I had no plan to stop in Japan, but it seems like a stop in Tokyo was inevitable after a delayed flight & missed connection. With a full day ahead of me, I figured I'd connect with my good friend (and cousin-in-law) Brian, who's lived in Tokyo for the better part of a year. Problem is, I had no easy way to get a hold of him, but I figured there's one place we all go these days when we need to reach someone... facebook! So, I dropped a line on his page and... BINGO ...a response. (So for those of you who've decided that FB has no real utilitarian use in your life, here's one anecdote I hope that will change your mind).
When I arrived at Tokyo station, I tried to heed his advice, "Look for the tall white guy, you can't miss me." But it was like Where's Waldo in a Japanese train station at rush hour. A chaotic mad rush of humanity, stereotypical Japanese business men in black suits, and packs of Tokyo school girls were all navigating their way through the labyrinth of endless corridors. Ironically, he spotted me first, perhaps because I looked like the only one lost.
With Japanese efficiency, Brian traversed the city's elaborate web of trains with me on the coattails. Through the architectural wonders of Roppongi Hills and on to Shibuya square where the neon-lit shopping arcades assaulted our eyes. But the best part was the simplicity of our lunch conversation discussing the family, the hardships of life overseas, and my father's fragile mental condition over ramen noodles. And just like that as if we were gangsters in the back of a Japanese restaurant, we devised a plan to reunite the clan back home. I knew I could always count on Brian's candor & practical sensibilities.
Off to Manila by nightfall, and a trip due north by the break of day.
-Marvin
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