In Shinjuku, you are the role. The role is you. The middle-aged overweight security guard on his lunch break REALLY IS the middle-aged overweight security guard on his lunch break. Same for the fleets of Isuzu truck drivers hauling a billion empty bottles, hage salaryman with suits swung over their shoulder. Little blue deliverymen rushing through the back streets with heavy pallets. Anti-smoking suicide squads on patrol. Hot today and the bad hair months are coming. Someone in the table behind me (can’t see her face, something white and chiffon) staring out the second story window like aquarium show. Packs of beautiful weird women prowling the streets: smiling when with friends, scornful and harsh when alone, nervously turning corners, every step forward some kind of gamble, and it’s only Monday afternoon. I’ve only seen one person so far modeling the gauze kaze mask. In winter, they are like a species apart. But one is enough for today.
The sick person REALLY IS the sick person.
So, what are these anti-smoking suicide squads that you speak of? Are they anything like those anti-smoking jingle commercial participants here in the states?
Posted by: Faris Kalin | May 25, 2008 at 11:58 PM
Shibuya's "manner" enforcers... Shinjuku's smoking squad. Are the flesh and blood fashion police of lore far behind?
Posted by: Brian | May 26, 2008 at 06:42 AM