Outlaw

I get this strange feeling of being an outlaw of sorts in Tokyo. Not only am I a minority by default but i am also kind of unique among my fellow gaijin. I have noticed that there are not a lot of southern people in Japan. If my memory serves me right, I have only met two people from the rebellious south. So I am a rare breed indeed here in the land of the raising sun.

I have experiences that a lot of people here just don`t have. For example, how many people living in Japan can say they have floated down the tug river on a car hood with a small gang of friends drinking cheap wine? I have clear memories of hanging-out at an abandoned poor drinking 40oz, smoking weed, and trying to deal with the shit situation life had handed us. My education on the `way life works` is very different from my fellow Tokyojin.

The uniqueness of my life experience sometimes causes misunderstandings. While this is expected, it stills gets under my skin sometimes. I have to give the Japanese a lot of `benefit of the doubt` due to the fact I am from a different culture. They sometimes don`t understand why I have tattoos, speak with a heavy southern accent, speak my mind as I wish, and enjoy breaking the rules a little(these are just a few things they have a hard time wrapping their head around). What gets them the most I think is the fact that I display an extreme lack of worrying about `saving face.`

I tend to stick to my own individuality even when I should just `go with the flow` at times. It really throws them for a loop when I express an opinion that is opposite from everyone else at the table. I think the Japanese sometimes feel I am disagreeing with them, when in reality I am simply expressing my own take on any given issue. I actually find it a little funny when they all stop talking and look at each other in amazement. It is as if they do not know how to react to an opinion different from the group.

There is also the whole thing of some Japanese finding me to be so-called `scary.` I know I am a little rough, yet that is not what is freaking them out at times. When I walk to do so in a very upright manner or with my hands in my pockets while slightly slouching my shoulders. My hair is also something which gets them sometimes. I wear a pomp which I have come to find out the majority of Japanese associate with `bad people.` Feeling no desire to change my choice of dress or manner of walking, I try to win them over with my `sparkling personality.` It seems the Japanese don`t take well to people who are a little edgy. They seem to like shit eating grins and rainbow happiness, which is not what I am about at all. I have had to learn to show them I am okay just a little different from most people. It takes time but eventually they get what I am all about. A few times I took it as far to explain to them the `greaser lifestyle.` I also have had a few request for knowledge about The American South.

The Japanese are a interesting bunch for sure. They seem to misunderstand people way too easy. You have to give in to them a bit for them to be able to make any attempt to try and understand you. It is strange for sure but I enjoy the challenge.

Beware of Greasers on Bicycles

Well, it seems that there is a problem with greasers on bicycles here in Adachi-ku,Tokyo. The problem has apparently gotten so bad that a sign is needed to warm people of crashes between speed demon greasers on bicycles. LOL

The sign has actually been up for a while. It is located across a bridge down form my apartment. The look of a greaser is uncanny. The two careless riders are wearing white T-shirts, blues jeans, and have their hair all greased up. It is kind of funny actually. The idea of greasers riding bicycles is odd enough. I have never seen greasers riding bicycles in Japan or elsewhere. I wonder what the person making the sign was thinking.

`Those damn greasers better stop riding their bicycles like crazy people. Someone is gonna get hurt for sure. I know; lets make a sign warning them to be careful. That will show them!`

In fact, I have never seen anyone crash into each other at that little intersection. There are some factories down the road so not many people would be riding their bicycles in that direction in the first place. The intersecting road leads off into a little section of town with a few small shops and restaurants. During the day a lot of school kids can be been riding their bicycles in the area; due to a jr/senior high school nearby. In the morning a lot of salarymen, housewives, and factory workers can be been riding their bicycles to work and otherwise. Yet, I still have not seen anyone, greaser or otherwise, crash into each other.

So, why put a damn sign up in the first place? I guess this is yet another fine example of the extreme Japanese risk avoidance thing in full effect. I have noticed that the Japanese will make laws and issue warnings, `Just in case.` They tend to think about every possible thing that could go wrong and create laws and policies to avoid anyone saying, `But you never said anything.` I must admit, it gets on my damn nerves sometimes. Doing business with them can be just as hellish. You basically have to beg them to agree to anything. Even if what you say makes perfect sense, they will come up with some reason to say no. It can take hours to get them to agree on a policy change.

Anyway, us greasers will make sure if we ever actually ride a stupid fucking bicycle we will be extra careful not to crash into each other.

Yanki Boy

So had to go do a shake down on a branch school heading from Shibuya half way to Yokohama. Not the kind of place I really wanted to go, but it was for my job. The area was actually not bad; except it was kind of far from where I live. I could tell it was not the kind of place which has a high gaijin population. I had one old man bark gaijin at me in a rude manner. I simply laughed at him and that was that. Although, is not the area which is important to this blog post; it is what happened at the branch itself.

This branch has a rather low student number. This fact is not so surprising considering that it is a small branch in the first place. None the less, there are enough students for our company to take a vested interest in it. After doing a little work on the place, the teacher arrives and classes begin. The day was going by as normal until this one rather unique student shows up. A 16 year old gal, horny as hell, very loud, and almost bouncing off the walls like a bunny turns up ready for English. I have no idea why she even comes for lessons. She made no effort to learn anything. She raised hell and messed with the teacher during the entire lesson. The chick was addicted to trouble. Her skirt was hiked up around her ass and she had slightly modified her uniform. The teacher tried to maintain his composure but it was obvious he was struggling.

After the lesson she decides to hangout for a while. As I was talking to the teacher she interrupts and starts asking questions about me. Again, making no effort to practice her English. After a few question/answer go around with her she says, `You are Yanki.` Not knowing what the hell she meant, I headed to a table in the back where I had my paperwork set up. She keeps talking to the staff, at the same time, trying to sneak a peak of me working. After a while she comes to the back and sits down besides me; as if she owns the place. She kept trying to touch my arms get my attention. Getting any work done was impossible, so I had to have staff attend to the young lady.

After catching up with work, I took the time to look up the meaning of Yanki. It seems that Yanki is a subculture which got its start in the 1980`s. Their look is greased up hair, leather, customizing school uniforms, and causing general trouble. In short Yanki is nothing more than a damn greaser! I had been trying to find the correct Japanese word to describe greaser to the general public in Japan. Yanki appears is their word to no good, drinking, fighting, fucking greaser lifestyle.

The only difference I really see between `Yanki` and `Greaser` is most people drop the Yanki habit when they enter the work force. There are not so many lifelong Yanki`s in Japan. Of course, you can still see the Rock a` Billy dancers at Yoyogi park on the weekends. There are also still plenty of Rock a` Billy bands performing nightly in Tokyo.

An Oddity Among the Odd

I assume that most people are aware that the greaser look and lifestyle has its own special place in Tokyo. Just go to Yoyogi park on the weekend for proof. There are always great Rock A Billy parties and shows to go to in our dirty little city. While the Japanese have taken to this lifestyle, I have noticed that not many gaijin sport the high and tight pompadour,leather biker jacket, jackboots, and live the greaser lifestyle. I understand exactly why. The idea of a greaser fell out of pop culture long ago in the west. So, I find myself being the lone gaijin greaser in many situations. For the record I have not always sported a pompadour. In the past I would grow out a fine pompadour, keep it for a while, and eventually cut my hair short and start the process all over again. Hell, a few times I even dyed my hair some crazy color during transitions phases. These days I have decided to keep a pompadour until I am old and gray; or until I am forced to cut it. None the less, I have always had the greaser thing about me for the majority of my life. So I wonder: Where are all the gaijin greasers in Tokyo?

There is no way in hell that I am the only one. This city is just too diverse for someone to be totally unique. There are so many people, from so many different cultures and backgrounds, living in Tokyo that there must be a little gang of gaijin greasers running around in Tokyo. I just have not run into them yet. The funny about the whole situation is that I often lurk around the expected places to find greasers, yet gaijin greasers are not to be found in these places. So, where the hell to they hang? Maybe they are loners, which a lot of greasers tend to fall into, and don`t get out much. There are plenty of gaijin who keep to themselves due to the natural isolation of living in a different culture. Maybe they live so damn rough they do not last very long in Tokyo; i.e. end up getting deported for doing something unforgivable.

With the lack of gaijin greasers, I might just be an oddity among the odd. You know, being gaijin makes a person odd in the land of the raising sun. Hell, maybe I can bring the look and lifestyle back to the forefront of popularity along gaijin. Most likely, I am looked at as being just some odd ball with a strange obsession and way of living. Well, that is ok with me. I have written about being strange before. You know, I am actually comfortable with standing out in a crowd at this point. I mean, I add an interesting mix to the stock of teachers in my company. We need people who are different and interesting in my company to attract some more business. Now that I am a little higher up in the company I can add some flavor to the management team. We need to get the teachers to feel that they are working for an interesting company again. You know, like in the old days when things were rocking like Elvis and profit was high. Back in the day when we stood at the top of the mountain of English companies, there was no one cooler than us.

Anyway, if you know any gaijin who have greaser tendencies I would like to meet them. It would be interesting to meet some greasers from, lets says, Europe or even others parts of Asia. They might be a hell of a lot rougher than me but I can hang with even the toughest of people. We can get good and sloppy drunk together(I still have not learned about drinking, have I?), go to a good rockabilly show, and even become friends of sorts. If you do see me on the streets don`t be shy about walking up and saying hello. Just say: your the Tokyo gaijin greaser from the internet right? You never know, it might be the start of a great friendship.