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Broadcasting to an audience of three (and a goldfish)...
Comment, ramblings and musings... life through the eyes of a Japanologist...
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Monday, June 3, 2002 |
 There's a lady standing outside in the middle of the street (literally the middle of the street!) cutting her fingernails...
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"Heartful communication between mother and child"
All together now... aaah! But what is it? Not a T-shirt, not even a pencil case... a magnetic coat-hanger.
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I've lost count of how many times I've stated 'You know it's summer when...', but one more time won't hurt, so here goes...
You know it's summer when even the Japanese say, 'Ah, it's summer...'.
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Popped out to get some shopping for my pancakes this afternoon, and when
I came back the second-in-charge in the office asked whether I thought I
should head back to Britain...
I was at a loss as to why I'd be asked
this sort of thing, but it turned out that there was a report of a
'blaze' (this being a translation from the Japanese) in Buckingham
Palace on the news section of the Japanese Yahoo site. (This, of course,
shows what the top people in the office get up to during work hours, but
that's a different story...) Anyway, with thoughts of terrorism racing
through my head, I checked the BBC web site... it was nothing like a
blaze, of course, which is a relief.
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Anyway, the storm lasted for an hour or so, but all through the night
there were still rumbles in the far distance. I hoped that the storm
might clear the air a little, and at first it did seem to do so, but it
was still a sleepless, tossing-and-turning night.
This morning, though, the world seemed to be peaceful after the natural
violence of the night. Biking out to the edge of the bay to take out my
rubbish, I was struck by the sheer serenity of the scene. I don't think
I've ever seen the bay so still- 'millpond' doesn't really even begin to
describe it.
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One strange thing, though. During the storm- a storm of such ferocity
that I'm sure to have been outside would have been painful- there was
somebody outside. By the cough, I know that it was 'Edward
Scissorhands'.
As such, two questions arise. (1) Why was he outside
in the middle of a storm? Surely his hedge didn't need cutting again?
And, (2), does the man never sleep? If he was outside at nearly one
o'clock, and up before 5.30, does this mean he can manage on four hours
of sleep a night?
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The weather finally broke at just after midnight, though, and there was
an incredible electric storm. The lightning was virtually overhead, and-
well, I don't think I've ever heard such thunder. It growled all around
the sky, and one rumble lasted for well over half a minute. Some of the
claps of thunder were so powerful- and, perhaps, so close- that they
made things in the house rattle!
The rain, too, was incredible. It started with what sounded like nothing
more than a hailstorm, and built up in intensity to a flower-smashing,
drain overflowing downpour. It really was quite deafening- but then,
suddenly, it stopped. In all of ten seconds it went from full flow to
nothing. Quite remarkable.
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It looks like the hard-to-sleep nights are here. Last night wasn't
particularly hot, but airless, one of those nights when it doesn't
matter if you sleep under a sheet or not. Japan must have been
nightmarish before senpuki and air-conditioning...
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© Copyright 2003 Nathan Duckworth.
Updated: 8/1/03; 8:04:44 pm.
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