Chiba to Tokyo. So I’m on my way home and I’m sat in a chill corner seat. Opposite me is a row of empty seats and one older Japanese fella. All is well. Train sets off and at the next station a young lady of non-Japanese descent sits in our cozy little corner but she’s on the phone chatting away about what I do not know.
I’m immediately irate, because I hate people talking on phones on public transport. This is one Japanese code of conduct that I strongly agree with. I wish my home country was the same. I start looking around to check if there are the signs regarding phone use and of course they are there. I’m hoping the young lady will get the hint. She doesn’t.
The older gent is now making eye contact with both of us and she isn’t getting the hint. As a foreigner I do believe that we should play ball to the best of our ability and that we should police ourselves so as to avoid deepening negative connotations within the Japanese community, no matter how petty. If he wasn’t present I may’ve just let it slide.
So this is the point where I turn to her. Say “hey”. And point at the sign above our heads. She immediately understands and profusely apologizes. Now I feel guilty and embarrassed because what if it was an emergency? Was I at all unnecessarily heavy handed as a relatively larger white male talking to a smaller woman? Should I just shut the fuck up in future because in reality, yes people on phones is annoying but, no one was being harmed? Am I being a shill and a bitch for a society that lately doesn’t show particularly affection for its foreign communities?
I’d like to hear your thoughts.
by circlesinmyheadspace