Sunday Shopping

The explanation for why my front bike tire was losing air didn't make sense to me because it was said in Japanese and I didn’t understand it. The Bike Man said he might have fixed it and told me to try it and see what happened. It was still going flat so I had to have both tires replaced completely. I couldn't get them replaced immediately because Bike Man takes Tuesday and Wednesday as his weekend. In all, the whole situation - from the initial suspected puncture to the full tire replacement - dragged on for about two weeks. I used not having a reliable front tire as an excuse not to go to the gym. An excuse for not exercising at home was not provided to me.

With my tire finally repaired I ride to the gym and upon approach I see men inside doing maintenance; the gym is closed. There was a sign about this in the entrance for about a week and I remember ignoring it. It would be too embarrassing to just turn around and ride back so I carry on down the road and turn left toward the bread shop to buy some unnecessary bread to cover for my mistake. The bread shop is also closed and beyond the bread shop is a dual carriage way so I have no choice but to turn around and look foolish.

I ride back past the gym and someone might be watching so I have to act like I’m doing something. Yamada, the electronics shop, is next to the gym so I go there. The smartphones look shiny as always so I look at them and touch them even though I have an iPhone in my pocket. iPad screen protectors are next, again I already own one and don’t need to be looking at them. Although, my current screen protector is a little scratched so instead of just pretending to be shopping I might really buy a new screen protector. Open wallet, it’s empty. There’s maybe 214 yen in it. It would be too embarrassing to just turn around and walk out so I press further into the shop and look at iPods in which I have no interest. Some fat people are taking up too much space.

My performance continues and I remember that I genuinely need a USB extension cable for connecting my external hard drive and Apple MacBook Air across the room. Despite having no money I look around for a USB extension cable and when I can’t find one I ask a shop assistant where the USB extension cables are. He shows me the USB extension cables and I look at the USB extension cables and think about which length would be appropriate even though I don’t have the money to buy a USB extension cable. The shop assistant, whose time I just wasted, has walked away and probably can’t see me anymore so I slowly step away from the USB extension cables and do a facial expression to convey that I’m either reconsidering the purchase or that I can’t find the right length. It’s open to interpretation.

This has gone on long enough now, if someone was watching me they’d be convinced that I knew the gym was closed and my plan all along was to buy some bread and look around Yamada. The bread shop was closed but it didn’t matter because I did a convincing performance at Yamada. I have my backpack with my gym clothes in it but no one knows that but me. Anything could be in it, maybe it’s mostly empty and I was planning to put my shopping in it. Yeah, that’ll work.

Next, I ride back to central Onahama, get money at the ATM and go to Cainz Home, the DIY shop. I realise that Cainz Home is like a toy shop for adults; an adult toy shop. I buy a cork-board, A4 size envelopes and a USB extension cable.