Chapter 1: Brave New World- April 4th 2007
"So, this is it? This looks far too fancy to be a school for the crippled".
Many thoughts and feelings raced throughout my mind as the bus drove more and more quietly into the distance, and I stood in slight awe of the regal looking gate in front of me. It wasn't what I had in mind for a school run primarily for disabled students, though I quickly remembered how expensive this place was, and it certainly did look the part for a private school. Whether I looked the part for a private disabled school was another matter entirely.
I was told that there would be someone waiting for me at the gate. This person was evidently late, as my phone informed me that it was 8:08pm, I had told them I was due to arrive dead-on 8. Clearly the Japanese efficiency that I'd heard about wasn't present here. Maybe being late was a trait of the disabled?
My musings were interrupted by the sound of the gate next to which I had leaned opening. A young man who I assumed was about my age came into my field of view. The school's uniform confirmed that he wasn't a member of staff, at least. He looked studious, every inch of him looked relatively neat and tidy, and a small pair of glasses adorned his face. This must be my lateguide.
"Good evening, and welcome to Yamaku. My name's Osamu Nakahara, and I'll be your Class Representative this year". He says all this while in a long bow. Such is the Japanese custom. Though perhaps being a foreigner, politeness is pushed to the forefront of interaction? His bow seemed quite overdone.
"Yes, hello. I'm William Dresner, pleased to meet you". I reply, promptly bowing back in a similar fashion myself. I can already tell it'd take some time before this became as natural as the old-fashioned handshake was to me.
Raising my head once again, I noticed that Osamu had a Cane at his left, and was leaning on it with quite some force. Making an effort not to be obvious, I averted my gaze from it and looked him in the eye. "I wonder what's wrong with him?".
"Shall we head inside? I'm sure there's a lot you want to know".
Osamu's question broke me from my thinking, and, slightly embarrassed, I replied "Yes...of course. Sorry about that, kinda dazed off for a second there...long flight".
"Oh, if I may ask, where did you fly from?".
Mastering the art of walking, carrying my luggage, and talking simultaneously, I hastily replied "England. I flew from London. It was about a 12 hour flight into Japan then an hour-long flight from Narita. The jet lag really makes you feel exhausted".
"England? I've always wanted to go there, you have some really beautiful buildings, I don't think I could handle a 12-hour flight though!". This comment is accompanied by slight laughter from him at the end. I didn't realise which part of that was meant to be funny, but to be polite; I chuckled back a little bit.
"Yeah, it really does. The British museum is fantastic if you ever do end up going. I'd certainly recommend it anyway." My recommendation seems to light a smile on Osamu's face.
"Oh I know! I've always wanted to go and see the Ancient Egyptian stuff they have there. I could spend days just looking over everything they have in there!"
His enthusiasm for history reminded me of my Grandfather in a way. Though I suspect Osamu's historical enthusiasm wasn't restricted to German history. Looking ahead, I realised we were now at the entrance to the school. My home for the entire year. I don't know if I'll be able to bear it, though I could get used to the decidedly up-market surroundings.
"Yeah...I have to go see the Doctor, don't I?" My changing of the subject seems to sadden him a little, but he replies with efficiency.
"Yes, all new students have to get checked out by the Nurse, I'll take you there now if you want? Unless there's anywhere else..."
"Yes, there is actually. I'm assuming there's a library here?"
"There is! Though it'll be closed at the moment...I could show you tomorrow if you like? We're in the same class, so I could show you after class, it's not hard to find". "Urgh, getting used to this silly school year is going to be a pain. Why start on the 1st of April? It must be some sort of a joke."
"Sure, that'll be great Osamu, thanks. So, straight to the Doctor's it is".
"Sure thing. If you're lucky, you won't have to see the Nurse all that much except for routine check-ups". "He keeps going on about this nurse. Frankly, I wouldn't mind having to see an attractive nurse on a regular basis, though I'm sure my health would disagree with me..."
With nothing else left to discuss on the matter, we quickly and promptly walked to the Nurse's office, mentally noting where it was in relation to the entrance. Though I'm sure it wouldn't be difficult to ask for help if I got lost, I'd rather not be dependent on the help of other students.
"Well, this is it. Do you need help finding the boy's dorm too?"
"No, I should be fine, I think I spotted the dormitories on the way in. Room one-one-eight shouldn't be too difficult to find. Thank you for the offer though, Osamu".
"One-one-eight? Oh...okay. You're welcome William. Remember, I'm your Class Representative this year, so come straight to me if you need help with anything, okay?" He said this with a genuinely friendly smile on his face. I actually felt somewhat welcome.
"Yeah...I'll make sure I do Osamu, thanks. I'll see you tomorrow, then? Class 3-4, right?" His nod confirms my thinking and I wish him well as he turns around and leaves me to face this hopefully very attractive nurse.
I knock on the door and hear a muffled acknowledgement to enter.
Upon entering I'm greeted with a sight I wasn't exactly expecting.
First of all, it's a male nurse. Second of all, his hair was what I could only describe as light purple/blue-ish. And third of all, he was squinting. Abnormally squinting. It was quite disconcerting.
"Ah, hello! Take a seat! You must be...Dresner, right?" I remembered social etiquette and bowed in front of him and replied to his inquiry.
"Yes, William Dresner, sir".
He seemed to laugh at my formality which drew a confused look from me, which he kindly addressed.
"Oh, sorry, I'm just laughing at this politeness, I don't expect as much from many students, least likely a foreigner! We don't have to be so formal here, Dresner, we're all like a big...friendly community, here". His smile was a little off-putting too. Along with his eyes, I felt like he was going to turn this visit into a badly made horror film.
"Erm...I'll remember that, thank you. Nurse...?"
"Hmm...? Oh, just call me Nurse, that's what everyone else does!". "So, he squints an abnormal amount, he seems to have a smile constantly plastered on his face, he has a strange hair-colour, and he doesn't have a name? This guy MUST be a horror villain".
"Oh. Sure, okay...Nurse". My apparent confusion and awkwardness elicits another chuckle from him.
"Anyway, Dresner. Down to business."
His sudden change of tone and disappearance of his smile take me by surprise. This must be what he's like on the job.
"From the information I received from your resident Doctor, you underwent a full pulmonary transplant a little over a year ago, right?" "Pulmonary...? Oh, yes of course, Lungs".
"Erm, yes. Just over a year ago, Nurse".
"How have you been adjusting to it? Regular light exercise?"
"Erm, yes. I spent three months going to a rehabilitation gym after the transplant. Other than that I haven't been doing anything too stressful, yes". I avoided overtly lying about this. But I'd neglected to keep up a regular exercise schedule like my Doctor had suggested. This one seems like he might be a bit more diligent though.
"Abstinence from Tobacco and Alcohol products, yes?"
"Certainly, I haven't touched Alcohol or Tobacco in well over a year, Nurse". This one was actually true. After I was hospitalised I was unable to acquire alcohol or cigarettes, and I doubt I would've been allowed to had I been able to regardless. Being in the hospital actually helped me inadvertently quit Smoking, as I'd been a regular smoker previously.
"Well, make sure you keep it that way, right? I know you're turning 20 soon. Don't let you being of legal age tempt you to go back to either of those things. It'd wreak havoc on your body, Dresner". The way he said this made me anxious, he sounded like he'd throttle me himself if I defied his orders. It also reminded me that the legal age for Smoking and Drinking was indeed 20 in Japan, as opposed to the 18 for both back home.
"I will do, you don't have to worry about me".
"Good, now...give me a second, I need to find your file".
He spends a good half a minute flipping through his many stacks of files neatly set about on his desk, though they're seemingly not in Alphabetical order, or surely he wouldn't be taking so long. I can't imagine their being many people with the name Dresner in a Japanese school.
"Ah, here we are, Dresner!" He exclaims triumphantly, retrieving it from its brethren and removing the contents from their folder. Going over the several sheets of paper inside, he sets them down and looks straight at me.
"Well, everything here seems to be in order. You've got enough medication to last you for the next six months. Just come to me within the month when you need more. Other than that you should already know everything you need to know about your medication schedule?"
"Yep. Three capsules a day, once a day, before I go to sleep. I got it drilled into my skull by my last Doctor, so you don't have to worry about me forgetting".
"Oh my, well I'm no brain surgeon, so I can't promise the same results I'm afraid". He smirks at his apparent joke. "Brain surgeon jokes...really? Does he tell those to everyone?"
"Erm, anyway, moving on from comedy, I'm sure you'll be fine with your medication. Might I recommend the swimming pool or the running track for some regular light exercise? Nothing too harsh of course, though something to just get your body to work up a light sweat."
"I'll look into them, yes. Thanks for the recommendations."
"So, unless there's anything else you want to discuss, you're free to go, Dresner. Don't let me see you again too quickly!" He said quite jovially with a large smirk on his face. Dear lord I hope I don't have to see this man too often.
Leaving the chair and standing up, I give it a think and come to the conclusion that there's nothing that I need to bring up with him. Giving me an exit window from this strange, yet (I think) good-natured gentleman.
"No, there's nothing else I can think of Nurse. I'll make sure to come to you or one of your staff if there's anything urgent I need to discuss. Goodbye!" I say, shaking his outstretched hand in a firm handshake, picking up my luggage that I have so far neglected to drop off at my room, and left his office. Feeling a little relieved.
"Right, time to drop off my stuff at my room, room one-one-eight if memory serves me right."My Key was buried inside my bag, and only outside the room would I permit myself to searching and sifting through my things to find it.
118 - Dresner.W
I stood outside my room, after a good 20 minutes of wandering around campus (I had refused to ask anyone else on my first day being here, and I kept making myself believe that I remembered exactly where the dormitories were) I was finally outside my room for the next year of schooling. It was a strange feeling, thinking this is where I was going to be staying for the next year. An ambivalence of dread and anticipation.
None of the other rooms near mine seemed to be occupied either, the lack of names on the number-plates seemed like a give-away. Apart from one. One of the rooms opposite me had a light shining out from underneath it.
117 - Setou.K
I considered introducing myself to, from what I could tell, my lone hallmate. However, my brain pleaded with me to leave that until tomorrow and get some needed rest. I happily obliged, mentally noting to remember to introduce myself to him in the morning. "I do hope he's at least passingly interested in something other than sports. Sports nuts irritate me".
Putting my luggage on the floor, I surprisingly quickly fished out my room key from among such things as my new school uniform (God, it feels wierd to say that. I hadn't had to wear a Uniform since I left mandatory schooling at 16), my Japanese student Visa, and my Passport.
Congratulating myself on finding it so quickly, I unlocked the door to my home and entered, quickly dumping my bags on the floor of my surprisingly spacious room and shutting the door behind me. My phone indicated that it was now 9:06pm, and I felt exhausted.
I promptly decided to only unpack my medication plus the bare essentials for classes tomorrow; my alarm clock, a uniform set, and some shampoos and the like for a morning shower. I quickly swallowed my daily dose of pills, locked my door, undressed, and climbed into the surprisingly comfy bed.
Staring up at the ceiling, my brain calling for sleep. I gave one last thought before I gave in to the call of slumber.
"Well...here we go."
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