September 27th, 2005
112777564652615000
The Unforgettable Fire
originally recorded September 5th
Like so many other blog entries involving new trains I’m currently surrounded by comfort and listening to U2. Odakyu has a special train called the Romancecar, which like many other private railways’ salutes to eloquent travel, involves fewer stops, faster transit times, and fully carpeted cars. I have a window, a fold-out table, a place for my umbrella and jacket, and a sense of import and excitement. The only thing negative I can say is that this no smoking car smells terribly of odor-treated cigarette upholstery, much like any car ever owned by my father. Either this used to be a smoking car or the ventilation engineering is a wreck. Oh well. The extra four hundred yen guarantees me a seat and no stops until my destination of Machida.
As I said, things feel special today. Even more so as I’m meeting a friend I haven’t seen in three years. Uezu-san worked at ATR in an internship the same summer that I did. She was on the greater-funded Robovie project with Dan. They worked behind me in the third floor MIS lab. Aside from the once or twice that I made an ass of myself (which I hope she has long forgotten), we had a couple good times together hanging around Takanohara and Nara. Actually a deer attacked her once when we were in the park, it’s awful. We also went to the now defunct karaoke bar above the Kushi Raku next to Takanohara station, and the staff commented that it seemed like we had been friends for quite a long time. So I’m really looking forward to catching up and having some good, wholesome fun with someone I can still believe in. With it being cool and having my umbrella and “date outfit” on, I feel like I’m sixteen again and on my way to my first night out junior year. All I need now is a rambling old car and a stick shift, man I miss driving. 
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Uezu-san paired with a markedly younger and more healthy-looking me a mere three years ago at the good ‘ol Snack Mizuno.
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A summer wasting
I don’t think four hours have ever gone by so fast. It was faster than being asleep. We had dinner at a nice little place Uezu-san ferreted out on the web.
Seven weeks of staying up all niiiiight…
Fortunately for me washoku (Japanese cuisine) stopped being a hindrance to growing closer via food long ago. Raw fish, tofu, and vegetables pickled with rice vinegar are not only acceptable, the truth is I’d more often than not choose them over any kind of junk food. It tastes good, and feels good.
I still have a bad habit of being a karaoke hog. If we’re in a group it’s not so bad but with only two I have to fight off my overly efficient search-and-entry skills. It’s the mind-set mostly. My need to impress and gain acceptance weighs much heavier than my general need for sharing, equality, and just letting things happen. Fortunately, I think I lucked out today as all of my selections were J-Pop hits that Uezu-san both knew and claimed to like, and the sheer variety of my knowledge seemed to make a fair impression. No excuse for being selfish though. ^^;;
But it was really nice, and just as much fun as I expected (something in scant amounts as of late). She said she likes history, and of course I’m a knowledge nut so I think it’s quite feasible that we’ll go museuming or something soon. Now if only the floors mopped themselves while I was gone this would be a perfect day.
Long live Belle and Sebastian and thanks x10万 to Melia for introducing me!
