Never had I found a stranger so genuine and nice until last night. I was walking two streets past off Ningyocho Subway Station, finding this brick apartment my family rented for a week since they followed in Tokyo. My feet ached cruelly and my back from lugging around my backpack. I halted this stranger for leads, but sadly, no luck. Eight in the evening, I found myself lost in cold Tokyo.
He checked his phone for Google Maps, tried to lead me, with not a single hesitation. We were walking and exchanging a few English words. He was still tinkering on his iPhone, mapping around this town when I asked for his name at some block. His name is Satoshi.
Walking further, we got to this red brick building, got to the elevator and signaled me to follow. I hit second floor. The room said JMS. That couldn’t be it. It looked like a financial business office. He had that certain Satoshi disbelief look as he checks on his phone again; says his map can’t be wrong. We walked further and conversed more.
But still, he led the way; we walked further, asking people and checking maps. We got to this area which we thought was the right place, but still luck was not with us.
I was half-expecting he would be leaving any minute then, come up with reasons of the need to free himself finding this apartment. But I was wrong. We kept walking and walking. Asking cab drivers, even spotting hotels to ask. On my seventh day in Japan, never had I met anyone so mean nor rude. They are genuinely nice and the most helpful in their little ways and I appreciate it to bits. But this man, he shoved his way home and walked with me for more than an hour to find this apartment.
At past nine, we finally found Palais d’Or Ningyocho. ‘This is your home’, he said. He smiled and we shook hands. He said ‘bye-bye’.
I’m thankful to hold on to my belief for the goodness in people. He could have just told me to hail a cab, or simply leave. I would understand, but he didn’t.
Strangers and moments have always been my favorite words. Case in point: last night.
