Going, Going . . .

I had been enjoying the train system, so far. The trains are clean, warm, and efficient. I miss one and simply catch the next, which is between 3 to 15 minutes later. I get on the wrong train then simply get off at the next stop and head back in the opposite direction. Due to my schedule, I have not been on a train so full that the white-gloved workers pushed people in so the doors would shut. With the train culture of silence and avoidance, you are never spoken to and only watched covertly. The drunken businessmen may smell bad and pee whenever/wherever, but I have not been groped, grabbed or followed home as of yet. But now the stories are alittle more real, after witnessing this aspect of train culture. An older man and a young woman were sitting across from me on a fairly busy train, and he had his arm around her, stroking her cheek, wispering in her ear, rubbing her arm. She made no comments and no movements apart from occationally slightly leaning away from him. At first I thought they might be together, but then I increasingly felt like I should go over there and say something in my non-existant Japanese. I was travelling with two Japanese women who I'm sure also noticed this, but of course would not look over there openly. Suddenly he got up and left, while the girl stayed behind, getting out her cell phone to text message as per usual. The women I were with spoke to each other in Japanese but did not offer a translation to me on this topic. This is apperently not uncommon, and If I had attempted to help here, I would only have embarrased her more, which is what she is trying to avoid for herself and him! I can't imagine! Apparently this was mild compared with what women put up with on the train without a word.

On a different note, my commenting security is so thourough I have effectively barred myself from commenting. I know this should be simple, (it just wants a password) but think I've found how to just turn the whole thing off. So I appologize in advance if heinious posts appear and offend before I check my blog again next Thursday and stumble around trying to delete them.