Breaking with Tradition
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This story is not part of the book, but it captures some of the same themes and energy.
👉 If you enjoy this story, consider preordering the book. It’s packed with similar moments, humor, and reflection—but no pressure. Just a way to dive deeper into the world I’ve been building.
I’m grateful for your support, and I hope you enjoy this as much as I enjoyed writing it!
Breaking With Tradition
I was headed to drop off my pet bottles and cans at the bin this morning on my way to work as per every Wednesday morning, generally without a word to or from my neighbors beyond greetings if that, as per tradition, only this morning:
Neighbor: Good morning!
Me: (flabbergasted almost to the point of annoyance. I looked around just to let him know I knew he was breaking with “tradition”. Everyone is usually on some “we’ve been living next to you like forever but sorry we’re gonna be shy with you like forever” shit. In fact this was a guy I had tried to break the ice with and spoken to at least twice and been ignored or responded to offhandedly…so I had tattooed his kisser on my shit list) Good morning?
Neighbor: (Grinning) So sorry, I must have startled you.
Me: Yes, you did. I actually thought you were a mute.
(His face struck a strange expression somewhere between a plastic smile and some authentic annoyance. Then he seemed to decide I must’ve been kidding and laughed)
Neighbor: You’re funny! I could tell when I saw you on TV that you were a funny guy.
Me: (Now I understood his sudden neighborly friendliness. It was the power of celebrity!) Ah. You watched Baribara?
Baribara (バリバラ) is a Japanese barrier-free variety show that airs on NHK dedicated to eliminating the "barriers" for "all minorities who face difficulties in life." The show’s hosts suffer from various disabilities and tackles serious topics often with incorporating elements of laughter.
Neighbor: I watch it every week. My son, he's disabled. So we watch it together, the whole family. We saw you last year too on Black in Buraku. You were funny!
(Suddenly, I remembered a kid with a mental disability I couldn't name, who had recently taken to being friendly with me every time I saw him in front of the apartment building with his mother. He spoke to me sometimes and even touched me a couple of times, embarrassing the hell out of Mom. I didn't know that was his son, though.)
Me: I see. Well thanks for...
Neighbor: Wait, I just want to say I think what you are doing is great! What you said at the end of the show...about Martin Luther King?
Me: (Mouth agape I'm sure) King? Uh-huh…
Neighbor: He said that injustice for one is injustice for all, right? And it's so true. I know my son will face discrimination in the future because he has a disability. He will be in the same position as black people in the US, and probably here in Japan, too, deshou?
Me: (I'd never considered blackness a disability in America, but it was definitely a disadvantage. The same here.) Hmmm...
Neighbor: So I know what you are doing now may benefit my son and many of his classmates with disabilities in the future, too, ne? So I want to say thank you!!
And he bowed to me TWICE, right there in the street, right in front of the garbage bin. And I was so embarrassed by this that I felt flustered. I looked around to see if anyone was watching, and a few people were. He didn't care. I stood there and realized I still had two enormous bags filled with my and Miki's trash.
Me: Uh...you're welcome?
Neighbor: I have to go to work now. Please do your best! I hope to see you on TV again.
Me: I will.
PS: Never know who is watching...and it's getting safer to presume everyone is watching.
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