I went to get a haircut. My hair was getting long, and becoming hard to manage. I went to "fleuRir" in Tama Plaza. I went there for the first time almost ten years ago. Mr. Toki, who is the owner of the salon, is my stylist. He and I are of the same age. Since we have lived the same generation, we share many common interests and concerns. I enjoy talking to him while getting my hair cut. The salon is a two-hour train ride from home, but I go there nonetheless. The biggest reason is that I feel comfortable there. I usually go there by train. Since my commuter's pass cover's up to Akasakamitsuke it only costs 500 yen or so. But this time I went there by bike. The reason is that I wanted to go another place by bike after the haircut.
I left home at 6:45 a.m. although my appointment was at 11:30 a.m. 'cause I had no idea how long it would take to get there by bike. I took a toll road up to the border between Chiba and Tokyo, and from there on went down the regular road across Central Tokyo through Route 246 eventually to Tama Plaza where the salon was. I got there in about three hours including a 30-minute breakfast stop at McDonald's in Muzue, Edogawa City, Tokyo.
When I reached the salon, Mr. Toki and his assistant was cleaning the shop, getting ready for the opening. I pulled into a little open space next to the salon to check if there was enough space to park. I almost parked the bike to get inside the salon to talk to Mr. Toki if it's OK for me to park there. But then I thought they were busy, so I pulled out and rode on to a large park a mile or so away. There I got off the bike and sat in a shade and relaxed for a while. Or should I say I tried to relax, but couldn't, because it was too hot!
So I checked to see if there was a paid parking lot available nearby on my smartphone so that I could read a book in an air-conditioned room. I found one on the other side of Tokyu Tama Plaza Station, where I could park up to three hours for free.
After locking the bike in the parking lot, I headed to the station, and along the way I found a Starbucks cafe across from the station, so I dropped in and ordered my regular stuff, the iced coffee, short.
Unfortunately, they didn't have it. The smallest size available was tall. Plus, one glass mysteriously cost 690 yen. I paused for a moment, but soon realized that it's one of those uptown versions where a wider selection of sophisticated blends are offered because of a presumably more sophisticated population of residents, because the employee, or should I say, barista, tried to explain to me three different kinds of iced coffee. I stopped him while he was explaining the second one. I'd had enough of that BS.
I killed about an hour and a half, reading "Live and Let Die" by Ian Fleming.
I exchanged a few casual words and a smile with an old guard at the parking lot as I headed back to pick my bike up. When I got to the hair salon, I asked Mr. Toki's assistant if it was OK to park the bike where I did. He said no problem. I was relieved.
Soon I was taken care of, and the job was done. Excellently, of course. And I felt like a new man, feeling my head half a pound lighter!
Leaving fleuRir behind, I headed to Chigasaki where my bilingual companion lives. She's an almost b-day girl, turning XX years old in a few days. So I wanted to take her our for a b-day dinner. Though I insisted on going extravagant, she insisted not, suggesting instead that we buy packs of ready-made food and fruits from the mall, and eat them at the food court. I agreed. We enjoyed chatting and dining for an hour or so there.
After the, not lavish, but fun almost b-day dinner there, she and I dropped by a dollar shop to get some toys for her dad. Her dad, who is over 80, used to be a softball catcher. He's a bit out of shape these days, so I thought I was going to play catch with him. I bought a plastic bat, and a very soft soccer ball for kids that is as big as a softball.
At home he and I enjoyed playing catch. He even batted for about ten minutes. I pitched and he batted. Every time he got ready to hit, I announced his name and position just like a TV announcer would in Japan on a baseball broadcasting program. I could tell he got more and more excited as bases were filled and points were scored. Meanwhile, his wife and daughter who watched us play from the sofa started giggling because they had not seen him so wildly excited for many months! After a while I noticed he was out of breath, so I suggested we call it a day, and he agreed. He literally sank into the sofa, with sweat on his forehead, and grabbed a bottle of water from the coffee table, and gulped it like a marathon runner who just crossed the finish line!
That night I was going home after taking a short nap, but ended up sleeping till the next morning as I was exhausted from a long bike ride and chronic shortage of sleep over the week.
My bilingual companion and I walked to the city hospital nearby because there is a restaurant on the top floor, and it's air-conditioned! After filling our stomachs, we went to a do-it-yourself store in the neighborhood. She bought a small attachment to the living room door that helps it to be held open.
I left her home between two and three. This time I took the toll road entirely. I made a few stops at rest areas. First I took a brief water break at Ebina Service Area on the Tohmei Highway. I had a friendly conversation with a Harley rider who was on his way back home in Suginami, Tokyo. He told me that torrential rains were expected around five, so I should hurry to cross Central Tokyo to avoid the rain. I thanked him for the information, because I was planning to rest for a while. I jumped on the bike and left the rest area. About ten minutes later, I saw him coming from behind in my right mirror. In less than a few seconds, he overtook me on the next lane. As he did so, he raised his left arm and waved it at me. I was happy to see his friendly gesture. I bowed and waved back, but I was not sure if he saw me do it...
There was a minor jam on the metropolitan highway, but once out of it, traffic was smooth as cream until I took another rest at Makuhari Service Area in Chiba. I was both thirsty and hungry, and there were a selection of sweets sold at various shops. But after having two small cups of water from a dispenser, I ignored all that sweet stuff, and went to a grocery store that sold veggies. I expected them to be local produce. But most were from other areas such as Gunma. There was 'egoma'. It's wild sesami leaves. A bunch was sold for 120 yen. I thought it deal. They looked like shiso leaves. I don't mind eating shiso fresh. So I thought I'd eat them fresh. I pulled out a few sticks and rinsed the leaves in a sink. I then spread them on my towel and ate them one leaf after another. They were delicious. They have a very peculiar taste, different from that of shiso, but I liked it. Surprisingly, after having ten leaves or so, I no longer craved for sweets. My hunger and thirst was quenched, and I was a happy rider again.
I got off the highway at Takeishi Interchange. I got home shortly around 5:30 p.m. Though I was scared a few times when crossing high bridges near the Tokyo-Chiba border because winds were strong and I felt shaky, but overall it was an exciting ride. I should go for a long ride like this more often so that I can blush up my motorcycling skills.
Tomorrow I have a corporate seminar in Shin Yokohama. I'm done with mental rehearsal. So I'll go for a slow jog to condition myself physically before going to bed.
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