Skip to main content

Torn Bag

Image from: rei.com

Today he's wearing back that old torn bag. He got a new decent one and had it yesterday. Did something go wrong? Don't we all long for better things? And the man can afford.

He's tall but his posture is bent. He wears black beanies with cat ears and eyes on them. His pants although don't seem old needed a good wash. His runners are Asics, not cheap but surely durable. So, the man can afford. 

Today I'm wearing a long skirt I bought from a thrift store three years ago. It serves me well in winter. It's starting to wear out. And oh my coat too. I bought it brand new though.

He seems to take the same train line, same platform, same car. He is easy to spot. Perhaps a lot of people have the same routine. Do they notice him? They might have but they won't bother. 

He just got off the train. This station is a big one, surrounded with both commercial and residential edifices. It connects several train lines. A busy one too.

The man is shabby, looks odd and must be by himself most of the time. In this society he is likely to be an outcast. But the man surely got a job. So he pays his dues and suffice to say has an equal right with any taxpayer.

This supposition is just my way of justifying the prejudice I have of him, Honestly, I feel sorry for him. He got nobody to tell him to upgrade his clothes.

Ah! So I pity him all because of that torn bag? Then I should be getting myself a new pair of socks. I've been wearing a pair that's worn out and has a hole where my right big toe sticks out.  

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Filipino Stores and Restaurants in Tokyo

For somebody who craves for Filipino food and snacks from time to time, here are the stores I frequent to. I can only share a limited perspective but solely based on my experiences. Read on! Filipino Stores 1. Asia Yaosho (Kabukicho, Shinjuku)  While they mostly have Filipino products, they also sell Thai goods. I think their prices are a little lower than the other Filipino stores I've tried. However, they have limited stocks and they often run out of items that I usually need, like Bearbrand. 😁 Credits: This photo is from this website .  2.  Ameyoko Center Underground Marekt (Ueno)   This market is heaven for Southeast Asians. They have a lot of varieties, dry goods, frozen meat, and even fresh seafood. There are also two Filipino stores in the area. They sell more items than Asia Yaosho but they are a bit pricey.  Credits: Photo is from this website. The market is underground. The entrance is on the side of this building at the center of this photo.  3....

Seven

Favor! As I was preparing to apply for this job, I felt that certain peace and assurance that this would go well. True enough, I got shortlisted for an interview. But it wasn't only an interview, there was also a written exam and a teaching demo. All happened in one day. Then the waiting starts. Two months to be exact. This position isn't always available. It's uncertain how many teachers the city would accept in a year. And a lot of us would want to get in. The perks and benefits that come along this direct employment are something foreign workers are longing to have. Then they called me and told me I was first on the waitlist. We were all put on the waitlist. I heard there were over a hundred applicants. Less than half got called for an interview. Then about twenty were considered for the position. But it was still uncertain how many of the twenty will successfully sign a contract. Another week passed when I finally received a mail. It was the contract package. Then they ...

But Before Summer

Today, I held back my tears as I was watching my student hitting his head while saying, 'Atama ga warui' which literally means 'My head is bad'. The more precise translation would be 'I'm stupid' or 'I'm dumb'. The students were using their school provided tablets to do some listening tasks and yet this particular student was just carelessly tapping the screen, opening random school apps. So I approached him and tried to help him navigate the school portal. And as soon as we could open his digital workbook, I left him so he could find the pages and the audio file on his own. I went around the class to help the other kids. But I would from time to time check on that student at a distance. Then not long, he started hitting his head again and repeatedly telling himself 'I'm dumb'. It was so painful to watch. But then suddenly one classmate sitting next to him stood up and helped him and another one followed. I was moved by such sight.  H...