The Jetty

Chapter One: Sailing to Aka-Usagi

The breezy sky above my little head. I, Brianna Mills, was invited by my older cousin to spend the summer in Japan with her. Personally, I don’t why I’m even here. I really should be home in DC now! I’m in a foreign country here! I’m not even spending summer on the main island! My cousin, Noizchild Johnson, her boyfriend, and I are going to a small island off of Honshu called Aka-Usagi! I was told at the airport to head straight to the cruise dock. Brilliant! Just brilliant! I’m in a foreign country, can’t speak Japanese, and I don’t now where on Earth I am. Well, could be worse. I could be at my grandmother’s all summer long! I shuddered at the thought of spending long hot hours on the farm. I would die out there! I would also die without electronics out there! They are my bloodline! My grandmother listens in the middle of nowhere too. That would drive me insane. I would have to people to talk to at all times! I am failing to understand how my grandmother can enjoy living out in the middle of nowhere with no one to talk to year after year. I couldn’t do it! I would die first! The country is no life for me! Plus, I’m too delicate to work out in hot sun. I would break too easily in the heat picking vegetables for no payment at all! That would be so wrong! Thus, me being here in the Honshu boat dock station waiting for my cousin and her boyfriend. What a drag!

So, what to do? What to do? I sigh aloud as I blew up my long black bangs. I already played the games on my cell phone to death! I don’t feel like listening to my music right this second. Well, I guess I can people watch for a while! That’ll be easy! It’s a small habit I’ve picked up in DC. It would be interesting to try out in a foreign country. The conditions are just right also. I’m in a crowd dock with tourists and people coming on and off the boats in or out of the country. I try not squeal out loud with excitement at my new idea. I feel like a fisherman with a huge net that I’m casting out of the Sea of Japan. I take in a deep breath. Well, here goes! Within the span of thirty minutes:

A hairy big fat ramen noodle vender all dressed white arguing with a tall and slender sake salesman about a gambling debut that is owed over a dice game I’m not familiar with. (Culture thing I guess!)

Three Harajuku emo girls all dressed in black and grey schoolgirl uniforms buying ice cream. (I’m sorry! I thought school was out! I can’t understand why Japan has school uniforms! I couldn’t do it! I have to show off my sense of fashion to the world!)

Two old ladies in light green yukata with grocery bags in their arms buying peppermint ice cream for the same booth. Two of the schoolgirls gave up their seats for the old ladies. (I wish I could see more of that back in DC! We could really use it!)

Two small children in shorts and t-shirt playing in the street

The Harajuku girls looked at the two men fighting as it gets worse. (I want to look away, but can’t! It’s like a train wreck!)

A man and his pregnant wife go up and buy red bean ice cream as well. (Now, I want some ice cream as well! No! I must resist! I have to stay good all summer long!)

But what’s this? A huge crowd has gathered around the ice cream stand. I wonder what they are watching. So, I walk over to them and peek into the crowd. It’s the noodle man and the sake man again. They are really fighting now. It’s not just an argument anymore! It’s a full on fight! The ramen man has punched the sake man in the face. It looks as if he would fall to the ground. But no! The sake guy stands straight and tackles the ramen guy to the ground. Uh-oh! It’s a brutal fight to the death now! The crowd keeps looking on at such violence. It’s funny. Why are human beings attracted to fighting, blood, and violence so much? I don’t understand it either. I can’t look anyway either. Who will win? I can’t say, but my money’s on the ramen man! Everyone around me is making bets on the fight. Money is being passed around like candy and drinks like a wild party. I’m tempted to lay down my money and bet for more as well. I slowly draw out my wallet. No! I have to be good on my vacation. It’s so hard! No! Be strong! Be strong! I put my wallet away and just watch. I’m still keeping my bet though.

Finally, the police come along and break up the fight. Everyone goes away and the two men are arrested on the spot. Aw, darn! There goes my bet! Still, I get to keep my money and enjoy the rest of my vacation! I sigh out loud again. If I can! “Brianna!” I hear someone call out. I look up and see Noizchild and her boyfriend walking towards her. I smile cheerfully. Finally! The cavalry is here! Now, I have to endue four long hours on a cruise boat from here to Aka-Usagi Island. Oh joy! Oh joy! At least, I could find someone to talk to on the way there. So, I straighten myself out, gather up my luggage, and head over to my hosts.