Gifts

Some gifts were waiting for me when I returned with a fresh

stamp on my passport. The first:

means “I’m a strange foreigner.” This one would have made lots of sense to wear while sightseeing. The second one:

means “Beware of Perverts.” Apparently they actually had such a problem on the trains that they had to post these signs. After spending hours upon hours riding the trains in and through Tokyo, I can see how they’d have that problem. Many of the young women continue to wear short skirts even when the temperature is below fifty degrees Fahrenheit, and the trains get so packed that people are like sardines in a can. A very big can that moves very quickly down the tracks.