Blocked in

I would love to update you on the atrocities of Japanese Christmas lights, but alas, my home Internet doesn't work and I can't upload pictures from work. What good would a Christmas light post be without pictures?

Instead, I'll talk about my meh Wednesday. (In case you didn't know, "meh" is now a word in the dictionary. It has been added with the meaning an expression of boredom.)

At the intersection of 49 and 141 there is a torii on the left side of the road. It stands over a paved footpath leading a set of mossy green, uneven steps. The ancient steps climb up the side of the mountain until the are swallowed by the bamboo and cypress trees. I have always wanted to stop and explore the temple at the top of the stairs. On Wednesday, my afternoon class was canceled, leaving me with ample time on my way home. The weather was brisk and clear; perfect for exploring. I've seen any special temple parking, so I parked the car on the right side of the road in and old lot. In the 3 and half months that I've driven this way, there had never been any cars there.

49 is fairly busy road, so I waited at the light until there were no cars coming from either direction. The stone torii was almost short enough to touch, so the temple must not be the biggest or most important for the area. As I walked up the footpath I saw the most amazing building. It looked abandoned, but that could just be because of the material it was made from. The walls looked like mud and hay, and a dry piece of bamboo was exposed by a crumbling crack. I felt like I was walking back in time. The stairs, marked by another stone torii, lead directly up the mountain to the visibly closed temple doors. I began to climb, mindful of the cracked, narrow steps. I thought the steps might be loose from earthquakes and age, but they were stable and strong the whole way up. The wind swirled around me as I passed the tree line, blowing away the humm and buzz of cars from route 49.

The temple was closed, possibly for construction or renovation. Wishes and prayers written on paper were slowing disintegrating around tree branches they'd been tied to. Broken jars, statues, bells, and toys lay next to an ancient tree. Cobwebs filled the mini shrines that sat behind the temple and under the natural stone all. Another thick tree had pushed its roots through cracks, winding a permanent hold on the rocks. Stone rain gutters shot away from either side of the temple, flowing back down the mountain. I came back to the front at sat on the top step, listening to the breeze that made the bamboo sway. I was only up there 15 minutes, but I could have stayed all day.

I walked back to the modern world of work and zooming cars carrying the tranquility with me. I didn't even notice the other cars parked in the old lot until I crossed the road. The other cars, a white car with a "senior driver " sticker, and 2 white company trucks, were pinning my car. I was blocked in. I tried not to get upset as I copied the Japanese letter and walked to a gas station. After walking around for 10 minutes looking for the nonexistent company, I just broke down and cried. I couldn't understand directions to the company, I couldn't explain my situation, and I was obviously in trouble for parking in the lot. I went back to the car, took out my cell phone, and called the office. I was talking to Kimiko when an old man walked up and started talking in Japanese. For the first time since I arrived, I hoped I looked like a scary stereotypical gaijin. (I probably did, with my messy hair, blood shot eyes, and runny red nose.)

I passed the phone to the old man so Kimiko could talk to him and explain that I was a foreigner and didn't understand anything. After the phone call, the old man began to move the cars. I jumped in my car and sped off as soon as I had an opening. Later, Kimiko told me then man wasn't mad, just surprised since I had parked in his lot.

The event was pretty exciting, making the rest of my day kind of meh.