Chapter Seven
Background Theme: It's Like A Dream
After I recovered from my moment of intense shock, I took a
closer look at the couple once they were faced once again in my direction. Their features were in no way the trademark
exaggeration as in Anime or Manga, but I could now see a very strong
resemblance. My gaze followed the
couple as they passed under the pavilion, where they stopped to pick up small
sports duffels that I assumed carried changes of clothing. They then walked toward the Ladies' restroom,
where Akane, still holding Ranma's hand, said a few brief words then reached up
to kiss him on the cheek. Smiling
happily, she visibly sighed, turned, and entered the small structure. Ranma watched her disappear inside and,
after a moment's hesitation, turned and walked in the direction of the Men's
room. The other students in the group
sat among the numerous picnic tables, chatting excitedly amongst
themselves. About what was fairly
obvious, despite my lack of understanding of their actual speech. The objects of their interest would no doubt
facilitate a cornucopia of rumors.
I looked over toward the bus. The driver was carefully reclined, albeit
somewhat uncomfortably, his head tilted back comically and snoring rather
loudly. I noticed the sun had climbed
rather high in the sky and passed overhead before I had known it. What may have been five or six hours judging
by the Sun's position in the sky seemed
to elapse as if they were only two.
If the group was getting ready to leave shortly, as it seemed with more
and more of the students exiting the restrooms having changed clothing, I
decided that I might as well attempt to score a ride. I walked away from the cliff and down toward the gravel parking
lot. The stone mix that made up the gravel's
composition was packed fairly tight, hindering me only slightly as I sscrunch-sscrunch-ed my way across to
the bus. I tapped lightly on the window
next to the driver, who awoke with a start.
Rubbing his eyes and wiping at his mouth with his forearm, he looked
over toward me and started again.
Yawning and then sliding his window open, he poked his head through and
looked at me quizzically. I'm certain I
looked as out of place as I felt.
Hopefully, it didn't show on my face too much. I scratched the back of my head for a moment in the universal
sign of Uncertainty, all the while digging deep into my mind for any smattering of Japanese I might know. About the best I could come up with was counting to four, a few
Americanized words, and terms from several different Sho Kasugi movies. None of these would be of any help except to
make me look extremely foolish. Deciding I couldn't embarrass myself any
further than by just standing there with my mouth open (but nothing coming
out), I took a deep breath. Looking at
the bus driver, I let it out slowly.
Taking another deep breath, I opened my mouth to speak yet again, hoping
I wouldn't offend this gentleman by slaughtering his mother's tongue too badly.
"Gomen. Wakarimasen. Nipon," I said, speaking as calmly as I could while at the
same time trying to remember what Japanese I had picked up reading other
fanfics, manga, and James Clavell's Shogun. I hoped I was telling him that I couldn't
understand, and therefore couldn't competently speak, Japanese. For all I knew, he could have interpreted it
as anything from a greeting to an insult, or even being asked for a date. Cringe.
I waited for a long moment as he took in
what I said. He regarded me silently
for a moment, pursed his lips, then smiled broadly and said, "S'okay, Joe! Nice you try though!"
I smiled back, relieved. "You speak English?"
He laughed. "I know little bit English.
Big fan of many American and British sitcom. Also have many friends on Internet who speak English."
I was certain my face belied my
pleasantly being surprised, as he chuckled again and asked, "What I help you
with, Joe?"
"Domo
Arigato," I offered, bowing, hoping I wasn't exhibiting a disgraceful show
with my lack of knowledge of both Japanese language and culture. Withdrawing my wallet from my rear pocket, I
opened it and took out the hotel business card I had and showed it to him. "Do you know where this is?" I asked.
"Hai. Not too far from school."
I paused a moment. I found I was pausing quite a bit lately. "This school," I continued, "it wouldn't
happen to be Furinkan High School?"
His face lit up. "Hai! You been there before?"
"Not really," I shrugged, then
smiled. "Its reputation is, let's just
say, rather widespread where I come from."
"Where that?"
"Oh, nowhere important at the
moment." I looked the bus over, then
turned my attention back to the driver.
"May I ride with you if it's along the way?"
He thought a moment, then said, "It not
on way, but I take you as far as school.
From there I tell you direction to hotel. Not far away from school, maybe ten, fifteen minute walk."
"Thanks a million!" I exclaimed,
happily. "How can I ever repay you?"
He looked down toward my still open
wallet as I replaced the business card, turned his gaze to the covered vending
machines, and then looked back at me. I
could hear his stomach start to rumble.
"I forgot lunch," he said sheepishly.
"You buy me late lunch?" He
smiled.
"You got it," I said, grinning, thanking him again.
Walking
with him to the machines, he pointed out a pork bun in a refrigerated machine,
a bag of pork rinds in a snack/candy machine, and a Coke from one at the far
end. He patiently showed me which yen
bills to use and made certain I obtained my change. At my request, he gave me a quick rundown on what coins were
what. I then picked up a few items,
deciding to try the pork bun as well.
There was a small microwave oven built into one of the nearby machines
that also had a recessed sink and tap water from a nearby well. I opted for a bag of chips, a Diet Coke,
then followed the driver back to the bus.
I took the seat immediately behind him and we ate in relative silence. Once heated, the pork buns were soft and
warm, chewy with tender cuts of pork and a light gravy mixed in the
center. It reminded me of siopao, a similar dish I had sampled a
few times during my stay in the Philippines.
As we finished, we discarded our wrappers in a small wastecan under the
driver's seat.
The
students began boarding the bus shortly afterward. I was awarded an odd glance by most of them, especially by Akane,
who had seen me on the cliff before. I
waved and smiled. She nodded, smiling
in return; then turned to Ranma, who boarded behind her, pointed to me, then
said something as she motioned toward the cliffs. Ranma simply nodded and waved reservedly at me. They moved back further on the bus and took
seats closer to the rear.
Once
the bus was loaded, the driver stepped off quickly to check to make sure
nothing or no one was left behind. He
walked into the Men's room, then over to the Ladies' room; first yelling into
the doorway then poking his head in. He jumped back as a young girl came
running out of the restroom, trailing a travel bag and a bright red towel. She vaulted through the door onto the
bus. Looking around for a seat, she
knitted her brows together in disappointment until I motioned her over and
offered her a seat next to me. Smiling,
she stowed her things under the seat and sat down, wearily. Using her towel as a pillow, she leaned back
and commenced to fall soundly asleep.
Satisfied
that all were onboard, present and accounted for, the driver started up the
bus' engine, released the air brake with loud a psssshhhhh!, shifted
into gear, and slowly pulled away from the pavilion. Turning off the gravel lot onto the dirt road, we drove a few
minutes before entering a paved highway.
We slowly picked up speed and headed back to Nerima.
