Real Quick Catch Up: Mr. Meanie Neighbor (Patreon)

Oh, wow, has it been a year. Things just. keep. happening. I do want to post a bit about my bestie Chris. He was awesome in so many ways and I don't know if it's possible, but I still have not fully come to terms with his death. Even though I'm the one who found him, went through the viewing, the cremation, cleaning his apartment, and grieving with his family...it still feels like it's not really real...although it does hit every time I want to tell him something and grab my phone. What is wrong with the world? What timeline is this?At the moment, today is the first day where I don't have to drive forty minutes into Shizuoka, so I was actually able to get a walk. See: above sunrise. That was nice. And needed. I have many more things to post and talk about but I wanted to tell you one short story.

During all of this we had bika katsudō (美化活動). This is the neighborhood, early morning, go out and pull all the weeds around your house event. I had to be in Shizuoka at nine that day, so was out there at seven. A little bit not happy I couldn't just not do it. In Japan, it's better not to make excuses, to buck it up, and do the thing you need to do.

So I'm out there in my rubber boots, wading through the drainage ditch -- my favorite part is walking through the water -- and I am pulling weeds...oh! I took a photo or two.

Right side (before)

Left side (before)

I know. I know. It's A LOT of weeds. But I just pulled them before summer. And then BOOM! I look out and this! Also, it was crazy hot temperatures all summer and no one was going out unless they had to. So weeds happened.

Note the second photo, on the left side you'll notice no weeds. My bestie Kawashima-san poured weed killer on that. I asked him not to, but I think he didn't want me to get in trouble for it being weedy. So did so when I wasn't looking. That left part is actually city land, so while I theoretically don't have to weed it, I am supposed to because it's nearby.

Annnnyway. I'm out there being a little Sad Sack about just everything, trying to keep a stiff upper lip and all. And Kawashima-san whistles himself over and we start chatting. Man. I just light up when he comes over. I don't get it. Great energy, that one.

ONE thing he started talking about apropos of nothing, was that Meanie Neighbor. He wasn't even out that day, but K-san told me to be careful. Do you remember the mean neighbor? Flicked a bunch of leech-laden mud on me, always angry, scary face. Looks like Hector from Breaking Bad. Note: A couple weeks ago, I actually saw him looking into my little river ditch as he was smoking. He then spit in it and tossed the cigarette after. Go ahead, take on all the bad karma, dude.

Kawashima-san said he was never a nice guy to begin with, but he had had a stroke and turned downright evil...and dangerous. So I was right!

Then Kawashima-san said that he HATES when he (Kawashima-san) whistles and loses it when he hears it. Once he said, he came over into his yard and then into his house with a kama and tried to attack him!!

He didn't go into details about how he defended himself, but he looked rattled. He said he would have beat him up but since he was genuinely ill, he wouldn't do that. These dudes are both in their nineties by the way.

He warned me and cautioned me and said, be really, really careful around him, and realize he can just work himself up and come into your house like he did his. Yeah, I don't need that.

I told Kawashima-san about Chris and he gave his sincere condolences and then started telling stories about when he was a child. His father died in WWII, and he never even knew him. He touched on some memories growing up during the war and I love the crap out of that stuff. I've always wanted to learn history from people's real experiences and thinking how all this will be lost when this generation passes away breaks my heart.

So I immediately invited him back over to my house when things settle down and asked if he'd tell me ALL his stories. Good, bad, whatever. And he said, yes, of course! So I am also looking forward to that. I'll have to record them because he has a local accent that I get lost in sometimes.

Okay....about an hour and a half later...tadah!

and

Yeah. The second side I only got about half way done. I was exhausted and still had to go work on Chris' apartment after that. But what's really funny (erm...) is after this I quickly shower, change clothes, and head out. I don't remember any itching or anything on my arms at that time. Long day, that night I find an izakaya and take Chris' brother, sister, cousin, and a couple friends who are helping. We're all just running on fumes at this point. I remember there were some fried foods and I ate one tiny scallop. Rubbery. Nothing to write home about. The other no one touched. Soon after, around 9pm we called it a night.

I get home a little after 9:40 and suddenly I thought I'd been swarmed by mosquitos. Sooo itchy.

Mostly my forearms, but also my neck, back of my hand...

First suspect was the scallop. Latent shellfish allergy? Could be. Well, it's also Silver Week (a stream of five holidays in a row), so no clinics are open. Hospitals won't take you unless it's an emergency, and my breathing wasn't bad or weird. So I can't even go in to get looked at.

Then after a day with not a lot of relief but a lot of thinking, I had a couple new suspects. Maybe one of these guys?

My mother-in-law hated pulling weeds and yard work in general because of caterpillars. I thought she was being dramatic. Maybe she was right to be afraid. But these are just weeds. I wasn't in trees or bushes or flowers....I don't know.

My final guess now is contact dermatitis from some strange plants. I mean, there were a LOT. and I was in short sleeves. Not sure what day it is now, but much, much better. Just red dots everywhere. Not so itchy.

And I'm realizing I said this would be a short update, didn't I? It got long!I do have a hilarious story that happened while at Chris' apartment. He was one of the funniest guys I knew. So we all laughed, peeing ourselves, knowing he really would have appreciated what happened. I'll write that one up in a day or two.

But first, the same sunrise as above, just a few minutes later.

I'm feeling I need to hop in my car and drive somewhere. Just drive. Adventure. Reflection. Write some stuff. Read some stuff. Take some photos. Figure out how to record on the road? First, I need to catch up on a lot, etc...but maybe...

Stay safe and well, XOXO,

terrie