The rush to the Train

Man, I'm tired. I'm wondering even what it is that I should be writing about at this time.

I tried to teach a couple of my students the word DEFENESTRATE (SP?) but I ran into a problem. The word is not in their dictionaries. Heck, it isn't even in my electronic dictionary. I felt like I had entered an twilight zone entitled “the vocabulary blackhole.” Then I got over it, and explained the word three different ways. They got it, but I don't think they'll remember... Although, I did leave it written on the back wall's blackboard. They never seem to erase stuff on it. Hehehe.

Is this my all? Did I go and surpass my limit? Or did I run headlong into it? I just got on the train about eight minutes ago. I realized the train was about to leave about 3-4 minutes before it was scheduled to leave. Regrettably I was all the way up the hill at school. I had become distracted in assisting the students. I like to think I'm a very active teacher. I hang out in the library when not in class and chat with the students after school. Today, they were working on preparations for their Sports festival. I was helping them create a wire basket so they could complete their Mikoshi. They needed a basket for the center of the mikoshi to hold a giant paper crane.

Explanation:
A mikoshi is a kind of thing that is hoisted on the shoulders of people in a parade. It's kind of a portable parade float... except Mikoshi are usually associated with shrines. In other words, it kind of has a cultural religious significance for people here in Japan. Either that, or it is just part of their perception of what a parade involves. Which brings me to my other question: Is it somehow wrong (on a catholic religious level) for me to assist the students in completing a mikoshi that will be used to parade around a giant paper crane covered in tin foil? I honestly don't think so, because I really don't think making a parade float is anything intrinsically wrong. If, however, I misunderstood the significance of the tin foil crane.... meh.

Now, I fear I must return to my previous topic. I realized I only had a little over three minutes left to get to the station right about the time we had completed the basket and were trying to figure out ways to reinforce the basic frame. Jumping up (okay, not that dramatically, but definitely sudden for the situation), I grabbed my bag and said farewell. That was after I asked the name of one of the students. I think I already forgot it, but I can't undo that mistake now. Oops. They said something about, “Will he make it” and “What does he intend to do, run?” as I went out the door.

Yep, they got that right. I ran. I ran so far away. I just raaaaan.... not a flock of seagulls. Bad timing I suppose, but yes, I did indeed run. Straight downhill, through puddles of water, and past a whole bunch of stopped cars that were waiting for the train to go. Yes, they already had the crosswalk down when I ran past that area to the station. I must have looked funny to everyone else. Strange Gaijin-san running full speed through the streets after a heavy downpour. Pausing as I ran along only long enough to pull a 1000en satsu (bill) out of my wallet, I rushed straight into the station and practically ran into the eki ticket machine.

Some baa-chan (older lady) who no doubt had finally just made her way into the station after getting off the train, said “Mada maniau yo, maniaimasu yo.” (You can still make it, you'll make it) Encouraged, I gather up my change and my ticket and went over to the window. Usually, the guy there stamps my ticket for me, but today he just held out his hand in the direction of the train and said quickly “Daijoubudesu. Nottekudasai.” Without hesitating, then I literally ran right past him and onto the train. I paused long enough for a little apologetic bow to the train engineer standing there.

Somehow I made it. My chest heaving. My muscles feeling afresh. I saw a couple of my students who had seen my headlong rush just kind of staring at me with bug eyes and smiles. I walked in and sat down trying to grasp at breath. Before fully recovering and whipping out my computer, I noticed that the guy next to me was playing Pokemon and that the students (not from my school) across from me were staring. I felt, in a word: alive. Then I wrote this.