The other ryan, surfer-ish #3

the second ryan was not like the other. I liked him so much that I'd deem him nothing remenisent of fruit. he could even be the other white meet, possibly with like rosemary or other goodness. I was more impressed with him in person than over that magic we call internet/email. In fact, because of the recent drama, my expectations were quite low.

so he and his friend were coming to Tokyo from Aomori (northern Japan) to take the GREs and staying in a hostel. I want to visit Aomori and figured I'd meet them for a drink. all previous information indicated that they'd be a good time.

here's how sunday night went down on the phone email/text messaging:

me, 11am: GRE'd?
howdy!

this a friendly Tokyoite from the couchsurfing site.

If your in town and interested in dinner and/or drinks tonight, give me a buzz. Im heading to Kamakura tomorrow.

cheers, kori

Ryan, 11:08 Re: GRE'd?
I TEXT U AFTER TEST WHEN WE KNOW THE PLAN. WE WILL B DRUNK.

normally, I can't stand when people use all caps. but in normal emails he wrote normally and so I tried to hold off making a stupid snap judegement

Ryan, 11:13 Re: GRE'd?
GRE OVER AT 4

Ryan, 5:07 Re: GRE'd?
DINNER N ROPONGI PIZA PLACE. YO QUIERO MEET U.

being as we are both Northwesties teaching English is Japan, the 'YO QUIERO MEET YOU' cracks me the frick up. It's really stupid, but I find it really funny in the moment --and for my completely non Spanish comprede-ing people, "yo quiero" is like "I want to"

me, 6:50 : Roppongi?
sweet. I wont be able to meet you until 830ish. will you be in roppongi?

ja mata, see you soon
kimi ni aitai mo,

kori

the italics I send in hiragana, he says he's good at Japanese. 'kimi ni aitai mo' is the equivalent of "yo quiero meet you" The reason I pushed the time back, even though I really want to meet these guys is because I'm trying to get some editing done. I'm only a few days passed the deadline and I want to stop feeling guilty about it.

Ryan, 6:52 Re: Roppongi?
WE R UNDER ROP EKI AT IRISH PUB! AYA YAY!

Ryan, 7:00 Re: Roppongi?
JUST REALIZED BEER HERE IS 10 BUCKS. WANA SHINJUKU?

me, 7:01 sub: Re: Roppongi?
Ill meet you wherever. just let me know

Ryan, 7:03 Re2: Roppongi?
AWESOME! SHINJUKU EKI! B THER NEAR 830 900

Ryan, 7:49 Re2: Roppongi?
AT EKI. U?

I am furiously editing technical documents still. I notice that it is neither 830 or 900 yet.

me, 7:52 sub: Shinjuku
not yet will be closer to 9. where are you going next?

Ryan, 7:54 Re: Shinjuku
HUB PUB. U KNOW? ENTQANCF AREA OF CABUKICHO

there's a small possibility that's easy to find. a very small one

me, 7:56 sub: Re: shinjuku
Ill try to meet you there. If I get lost Ill give you a call.

Ryan, 7:57 Re2: shinjuku
DAIJOBO. (phone number here not to be put blantantly online)

I arrive in shinjuku station. the busiest station in Tokyo, the biggest damn city in the world. if you don't konw the exit you are doomed. the station is a kilometer square. people live here. there is no exit called "cabukicho" or, more likely, "Kabukicho" I find a map. I see an area called "Kabukicho" near the east exit.

me, 9:01 sub: Re: shinjuku
east exit?

I try and call and leave a garbled message amid the traffic and construction of kabukicho. this is so the safest area of tokyo at night...

Ryan, 9:06 Re2: shinjuku
I DON'T KNOW WHAT U JUST SAID. WE R NORTHEAST OF EKI. I HOPE THAT HELPS. WE DONT KNOW TOKYO. ASK AROUND. LET ME KNOW IF U NEED ME TO DO SOMETIN

Ryan, 9:07 Re2: shinjuku
5 MIN WALK

me, 9:09 Re: Re2: shinjuku
think Im OK

Ryan, 9:09 Re2: Re2: shinjuku
ROCK ON

me, 9:21 Re: shinjuku
where are you from here? I got no clue

this is kabukicho...







Ryan, 9:25 Re2:shinjuku
DID U C A 3 STORY MCDONALDS? FOLLOW BIG LITES DOWN BIG STREET. DON'T KONW PIC! MEET SOMEWHERE?

me, 9:26 re: re2: shinjuku
McD. see it...

Ryan, 9:29 Re2: Re2: shinjuku
FOLLOW MANY LITE BIG STREET. MAYBE 3 TO 5 BLOCKS. BOTTOM FLOOR. WATCH FOR SIGN.

uhhh... this big street? these lights? I guess wrong and wonder around lost looking for "Hub Pub" It's five degrees C out.

Ryan, 9:37Re2: Re2: shinjuku
ON STREET. WATS UR NMBR?

I give up. My keen sense of direction has failed me. I should be ashamed. But more than that I should give up, get warm, and meet these crazy GRE taking guys from Aomori. I give Ryan a call and meet him by the 3 story high MacDonalds. We take the right street and are down in the basement Hub Pub having a nice conversation over a nice beer. I definitely want to go up and meet him again. not fruit.