You say you’re not sureYou say you should waitBecause you might make a mistakeBut who hasn’t made mistakesIncluding terrible ones? You say it’s not for youYou say you shouldn’tSomeone said something beforeBut who cares who said what in the pastWhen it’s about you and now? You ask “But how?”You’ve never done it beforeAs if that’s […]
Several years ago, I was at London Heathrow Airport connecting flights. Although normally connecting flights is easy, because my two flights were operated by different airlines, I had to go through the border control once before doing the full check-in procedure all over again. As soon as I got out of the arrival door with
Merry embarrassment at the airport Read More »
Spotting my seat, I first pick up the disposable cushion and throw it in the overhead storage along with my backpack. Sitting down on my seat, I take out a book, a notebook, and my pencil case from my tote bag before storing it away under the seat in front of me. These three items
The spring I was turning eleven, my family made a ten-day trip to London, England. Since my father had work to attend, it was my mother and I who explored the city together during the day. With a paper street map in our hands, we visited popular tourist spots – the British Museum, Trafalgar Square
So as it won’t fall Read More »
Inside an old cameraIs a film rollI cannot rememberWhen was the last timeWe took a picture with itWhat was the last sceneCaptured on the film? Left inside a tape recorderIs an old cassette tapeNobody’s opened it for yearsWhen was the last timeWe played with itWhat was the last soundRecorded on the tape? The sweater I
When I was a college student in Tokyo, I had a friend whom I’d meet up with in Ikebukuro, a neighbourhood in the northwest of Metropolitan Tokyo not too far from Shinjuku. We always met there because not only the place was accessible from both our places by just one train, several department stores were
I’m eleven or twelve in this memory. I visit my maternal grandmother in the countryside during the summer break. As soon as my mother and I arrive at her house, I follow my grandmother to her bedroom to drop my bags. It’s a tradition between us to have a little chat there before joining others
I don’t remember it Read More »
One weekend in May 2018, I went to Toronto to attend my friend’s wedding. Because my budget was tight and hotels in Toronto were expensive, I went for my familiar solution: stay at a youth hostel. After a quick online search, I found one in Greektown close to a subway station. The location was accessible
Two Nights I Couldn’t Sleep Read More »
It starts with a flyer in your mailboxA spark of inspiration ignitesAs you flip through the pagesAn idea for a change The next thing you knowThe box arrivesAnd a tiny piece of furnitureReplaces a bulky unfitted one It’s a tiny change in your tiny homeYet it’s significantBecause nowYour face is lit up with a smile
Small Satisfaction Read More »
Last summer, when I visited my family in Japan for a few months, I happened to spend a night in Tokyo. I was visiting a family member in the region until late in the evening, then I had an appointment to visit a friend in central Tokyo the following morning. Since all I needed was
The amazing night view Read More »
