November 21, 2007

• I caught the flexible fabric disc by hooking the hole in the center with my wrist and letting it float gently down my arm. I then stopped abruptly as a Japanese youth chasing a white frisbee stumbled into my path not 2 feet in front of me.

  "Thats the thing about Tokyo", the Canadian I was with said as I threw the disk back at him. "Even the parks are crowded."

  It was one of those busy Tokyo weekends; I was making an appearance at a friend's birthday picnic before a study group and dinner with a friend from out of town. I was just glad I hadn't opted for a lazy Sunday at home; The sun was glowing behind the trees that had finally turned their fall colors, and it was warm enough for a light jacket or no jacket at all, and everyone in the city was out enjoying it. Our picnic blanket was completely surrounded by dance groups, drum circles, children's playgroups, chattering students, and dog walkers. It was busy, but not oppressive. I sat on the blankets trying my Vegan friend's homemade falafel and soaking in the English, Japanese and Spanish that was melding around me.

  When it was time to go I made my hug rounds and headed by myself back onto the main cement path. I passed a huge group of drunk College students, and two girls practicing a fan dance. Farther out there were several soccer games, and three girls with jimbeis playing for one Japanese girl clearly trying to do some kind of African tribal moves. Another American and I stared at her and then gave each other a look as we passed on the trail. When I was nearly out of the park I came across some fuzzy rock n' roll and a group of Japanese men in tight pants in a circle around their motorcycles. They were twisting and dancing in their leather jackets while tourists watched and snapped pictures. They had no rhythm, but their hair was immaculate.

  As I dodged skateboarders and boys in loose pants jumping from their one side of their bike wheels to the other, I remembered the violent longing from the Lady Orlando. "Life! And a Lover", and I breathed in a measure of the cool clean air. Well, this is Life, at least, I thought, and continued on towards Harajuku Station.

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