Catch Up! part 2!

J105 Sunday August 6th
I woke up at a leisurely 9AM. I set out an hour later to do things. Important things. I was determined; I wasn't going to just sit in my apartment all day and surf the internet. No, today was going to be different.

First thing I had to do was get my bike fixed. Luckily, about a kilometer (give or take a few hundred meters) away is a bike shop, run by a nice old Japanese guy. I walked my crippled vehicle to his shop, delighted to see it was both open and staffed by its lone employee.

"Pwah?" the old man asked, looking at my bike and making an explosive gesture with his hands. Did your bike's rear tire burst? he asked with gesture and onomatopoeia. I nodded an emphatic yes, and he quickly set about fixing my bike. He wedged the outer rubber skin of the tire off with a short chisel and a turn of his wrist. Then he unscrewed the actual inflatable tube, made of surprisingly thin rubber (or polymer, I wasn't quite sure which) and pulled it free of my bike.

He dragged a small bin of water, where he kept it I knew not, and tested the tire's cohesion. He inflated it and then pushed segments of the tube under the small water bin, looking for bubbles. He found the offending spot, one and only one puncture. He patched it with a healthy dollop of rubber cement and an ovoid patch. The glue set almost instantly, and he set about reinstalling the tube and the protective rubber shell. The entire process took maybe 12 minutes from start to finish. He charged me 1000 yen for the job, which I gladly paid.

My bike felt like it was brand-new. I rode with the serene grace only a pair of well-inflated tires can give. The bumps and cracks of the road were almost unfelt as I streaked down side streets and main roads. I took my time, luxuriating in the ride. I made my way to the barber shop that had been pointed out to me the night before. It was across the street from G-Bros, easily found thanks to its tell-tale barber's pole.

I went in and was told there would be a 20 minute wait. No worries, I said, and hopped back on the old bike-a-roo. I pedaled my way to the nearest conbini to have breakfast. I enjoyed my rice balls and tea on the steps of the big shrine just off of Route 6. Every once in a while a person would walk by. Those that did, the little old ladies at least, gave the shrine a polite bow, stopping to administer the respectful gesture before resuming their walk.

I returned to the barber shop, fortified by my morning meal, and decided to wait in its air conditioned interior, rather than the growing heat outside. The two staff went about their business, happily cutting the hair of two gentlemen who had been before me. One thing you must know about Japanese barbers is that they take their time. Most hair cuts cost at least 3000 yen, with the majority being around the 5000 yen mark. You get what you pay for, though.

When it was my turn, I was delighted to discover my barber, a young man, knew some English. We had a conversation mixed between English and Japanese while he snipped and trimmed. Japanese barbery is like...sculpting...hair. Lots of little cuts, very few big ones. For example; my sideburns had been growing out of control the last few weeks. He spent, no kidding, about 15 minutes on each one, trimming it down to a uniform, smart-looking length. Same with every other bit of my hair.

My barber had been learning his trade for nearly 7 years in another part of Japan, only recently returning to Hitachi. I got a hair cut, a scalp massage (which was heavenly) and shampoo/rinse. At this place, all that would have normally cost 3000 yen. Scandalous, I know, but realize that that is the *cheapest* hair cut I've ever seen in Japan. But, there's a kicker. I mentioned that I had been referred to this place by a friend, Mike, worker at my company's sister company. When the barbers realized this, they immediately knocked off 1000 yen from my bill. I paid only 2000 yen for the entire thing. Amazing.

After that, I was off to Joyful Yamashin, the local Home Center. A Home Center is a big store, kind of like a Home Depot of Lowes. The only difference is that you can find *anything* that you use in your home. This includes lumber and wall paint and light fixtures. It also includes things like car accessories, clothes, bath products, and toys. You can find just about whatever you want there. Myself, I was looking for a good hat. I have only one, a ball cap, which is precious to me. It's a gift from my Dad, and I'd rather not let it get eaten, or lost, or burned in my many adventures. Plus, it's a ball cap, and I've had a hankering for a wide-brimmed hat. Preferably straw.

And, Lo! I found one! It's a good fit, flexible and snug but not brain-killing. A nice dark blue cloth band about the head-perching bit. And only 700 yen. Yoink! I also picked up a bath towel, I'm in need of a new one, and another belt. This one has a bit more slack than my other new one, and it was nearly 1/3 of the price.

I paid for my new purchases and decided to head home. The day's heat was nearing its peak, and I had finished my to-do list. I came back home and rested, saving my energies for the next day. Golf was the order of the day, and I had to be fresh for it. I did some writing, but not on this blog, and went to sleep around midnight.