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"Mr. Foot-Kicker"

By lylehsaxon (Thu Feb 28, 2008 at 08:14:05 AM EST) (all tags)

"Mr. Foot-Kicker"

The ride into work today wasn't overly bad, but Mr. Foot-Kicker was standing next to me and he kicked my foot about twenty times on the way into town. The first five or six times I thought he was just accidentally acting like the big sub-human neanderthal bear he looked like.....

..... , but after being kicked (and fairly hard, not the usual light accidental tap) about fifteen times, I had to consider the possibility that it was intentional.

The train finally reached my station, and as I got off (receiving a final parting kick from that low-life critter), I walked over to the next train and pondered what to do about it if the beast assaulted my foot again tomorrow. Visions of hitting the emergency door release and throwing him off the train at speed leaped to mind, but that's what bottled up frustration does to the imagination. Getting back on an even keel, I could only think of talking to him - something like this (in Japanese):

"Hi there. How are you today? Is there some reason that you have to haul off and kick me every 90 seconds? Would you mind stopping that please?"
If I'm lucky, the beast will have crawled back under a rock or gone back to its cage at the zoo, and I'll never have to see it again, but no - I see that bugger from time to time on the train, so it'll likely be (shudder-shudder) back.

Lyle (Hiroshi) Saxon
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/

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"Mr. Foot-Kicker" | 15 comments (15 topical, 0 hidden) | Trackback

Maybe by R Mutt (4.00 / 1) #1 Thu Feb 28, 2008 at 08:30:28 AM EST

Restless legs syndrome?

Probably best to start out by asking him politely. Then if he keeps on, you can retaliate with a clear conscience.

You seem to have a lot of problems on trains by Rogerborg (4.00 / 2) #2 Thu Feb 28, 2008 at 08:34:32 AM EST

So, what's more likely: that every single Japanese person nurtures a seething mass of barely restrained xenophobic hatred, or that you are doing something offensive?

Note: this question is rhetorical.

-
Metus amatores matrum compescit, non clementia.

barely restrained xenophobic hatred by wiredog (4.00 / 2) #3 Thu Feb 28, 2008 at 09:34:32 AM EST

Back in the 80's, when I was in the Army, a friend went to Japan on leave. He was black, from Alabama. When he returned he reported that, when it came to racism, Southern Crackers had nothing on the Japanese.

Earth First!
_{(We can strip mine the rest later.)}
[ Parent ]

: They're out there! by lylehsaxon (2.00 / 0) #8 Thu Feb 28, 2008 at 05:45:18 PM EST

Yeah - they're out there! A small percentage of 30,000,000 I think, but still a large number and they stand out...
Lyle

The shortest way home is the longest way 'round....
[ Parent ]

Neither! by lylehsaxon (4.00 / 1) #7 Thu Feb 28, 2008 at 05:43:22 PM EST

It only takes a very tiny percentage of 30,000,000 bipeds to put a fair number of unpleasant folks out there on the rails. Large bipeds in this country tend to be nasty I've found. I guess they have grown up getting their way through brute force?

Lyle

The shortest way home is the longest way 'round....
[ Parent ]

Watch your mouth stumpy by Phage (2.00 / 0) #11 Fri Feb 29, 2008 at 05:44:26 AM EST

Beware generalisations.

The Czar of Accounting. No Nit Too Small To Pick
[ Parent ]

: Which one? by lylehsaxon (2.00 / 0) #13 Sat Mar 01, 2008 at 05:35:50 AM EST

Yeah - which one did you have in mind?
Lyle

The shortest way home is the longest way 'round....
[ Parent ]

Not that I would assume you are a wimp . . . by slozo (4.00 / 3) #4 Thu Feb 28, 2008 at 10:46:36 AM EST

. . . but this diary has me scratching my head. Like, what's the issue here?

After the second or third kick, a polite "Excuse me, but could you please stop kicking me, please?" would have been an appropriate response, I think. I am positive he wouldn't have physically attacked you at that point - rather, he would have been shocked at your great Japanese, and, embarrassed with others looking, would have likely stopped.

Nobody talks... by lylehsaxon (2.00 / 0) #9 Thu Feb 28, 2008 at 05:48:33 PM EST

The thing is, you have to understand that nobody talks here unless they're a step away from murder. You have to make sure you're absolutely correct, and when you're packed in tight, you have to give the benefit fo the doubt to almost extreme degree. Speaking Japanese? The norm these days! Japan is too expensive for tourists, so most foreigners here speak the language.

A friend beat up a harasser and was promptly jailed and deported. Not a good option for me....

Lyle

The shortest way home is the longest way 'round....
[ Parent ]

I wasn't suggesting . . . by slozo (2.00 / 0) #12 Fri Feb 29, 2008 at 12:00:54 PM EST

. . . you beat anybody up - I was suggesting that next time, you simply ask the person to stop kicking you. And you contradict yourself - you tell me now to "give the benefit of the doubt", but you were there, and wrote that it seemed not to be the case already . . . I fail to see how asking a stranger to stop kicking could get one deported!

I do understand that nobody talks to each other - it's a familiar paradigm, even here in the west. When I have travelled the subway in Toronto and stop to ask a stranger for the time, the usual response is to ignore, then shrink back as if I'm going to mug them. But that's just 'cause I'm a big, serious looking dude - in your case, and in Japan, I am guessing you would have gotten a nice, polite response.

[ Parent ]

: In the beginning... by lylehsaxon (2.00 / 0) #15 Sat Mar 01, 2008 at 05:43:13 AM EST

In the beginning, I was giving him the benefit of the doubt, then I began to suspect it was intentional, and I rocked back on my heels and his kicking foot slid under my shoe instead of into it... then I backed up a bit, etc. It's a bit more complicated than you're imaging. Also, the act of asking someone to stop doing something that they will deny, is to disturb public harmony. If this concept is too foreign, you would do best to avoid living in Japan for sure!
Lyle

The shortest way home is the longest way 'round....
[ Parent ]

Next time take away his by muchagecko (4.00 / 2) #5 Thu Feb 28, 2008 at 01:46:25 PM EST

girlie manga. He's just mentally jacking off and the leg kick is involuntary.

"It means more if you have to earn it, even if it's by doing something as simple as eating a meal." Kellnerin

: Could be... by lylehsaxon (4.00 / 1) #14 Sat Mar 01, 2008 at 05:37:40 AM EST

Ha-ha! That's funny to imagine - it could be....
Lyle

The shortest way home is the longest way 'round....
[ Parent ]

What's the penalty in Japan for being a barbarian by chuckles (2.00 / 0) #6 Thu Feb 28, 2008 at 05:09:56 PM EST

who coldcocks a native on the subway?

Sent from my iPhone.

: Not the subway, not that blatant... by lylehsaxon (2.00 / 0) #10 Thu Feb 28, 2008 at 05:50:56 PM EST

It wasn't the subway - it's a surface sardine run from the burbs. Not an outright attack, but rather relentless irritation....
Lyle

The shortest way home is the longest way 'round....
[ Parent ]

"Mr. Foot-Kicker" | 15 comments (15 topical, 0 hidden) | Trackback