my bike.

september 1

buying my bike was the most satisfying act of my life in japan, so far. i had been pining after the magical bike that seemed so far away for nearly a month. a month that felt like six. after riding almost everyday in portland, not touching a bike for that long seemed like torture. even after i had my new apartment lined up i imagined that it was going to be at least a week before i figured out where i could get a decent bike without forking over hundreds of dollars. on my first evening in my new place, after all five of the teachers who helped me move left, i felt desperate and lonely. i was in a new part of town, starving and i had no clue what to do. so, i set out to find food. now i do admit that i was eyeing the bike shops on the way to my new place. there were two on my street and there was a small hope that they would still be open and would have a decent selection. so yeah, stopped at the first one. the bikes were over $200 and the guy barely noticed me looking. i didn't want to step in for fear on actually having to speak japanese, and i moved on. the next shop (because now i've decided i'm buying a bike, screw sustenance, a bike is more important) was a little more dingy and more bikes, more USED bikes. i was of course drawn to a beautiful orange bike in the front. it had a nice basket and was well, orange. on closer inspection though it didn't have any gears. now i know that the most gears i'm probably going to get is 3, but i've been to my school, i've seen the hills that i will have to conquer, i want gears. so then i spot this oldish navy blue bike. a large, deep basket, the classic japanese gear shifter--with three beautiful gears--, the cool japanese style lock and marked down by 1000yen ($10). i do notice a newer, mat black one right next to it for the same price...but it's newer and the same price...something is probably wrong with it. i catch the owner's eye, a nice looking middle aged man (that reminded me of the guy gentiana bought her mom's bike from), and motioned at the bike i liked. i then tried to ask if the breaks were any good and he offered to let me try it out. after removing the 6 locks (it was locked to all the bikes around it) he pulled it out, adjusted the seat--impressed that i wanted it high, meaning the CORrect height--and took it out to the street. i peddled around the corner and went up and down a side street. it road like a dream! i went back, 'kore wa onegashimasu' (this one please). while he was getting his register book i picked a lock and motioned to it when he came back. he singled that no, i should take this other one, and then he gave me 3 bucks off of it. after i wrote my address, name and phone number in his book, he explained--through hand motions and simple japanese--that if i needed air or any work done i should come back to him. that was that. i had a bike. i was a happy happy little girl. i then proceeded to ride gleefully down the street, absolutely clueless as to what i would do next.