Last night was my holiday work dinner. We went for dinner and had a few drinks when it finished a few friends called me and asked me to join them for a few more drinks at my friends bar. I have been there so many times and walked home from there over 50 times in the past two years! Heck I have walked around this town any time day or night for the past 2 and a half years.... after all ... I DON'T HAVE A CAR!
So last night I was feeling pretty good and started my walk home at 1am as usual. I got out my cell phone and was sending a message when I noticed a police car drive past (nothing unusual). Then I put my phone back in my pocket and noticed the same police car pull into the Koban Station 10feet in front of me. Two officers got out of their car and approached me. "Kanbanwa" we all greeted each other. Then one of the officers approached me and started talking in Japanese. Even though I understood him, I have learned that when it comes to important things (hospital, emergencies.. ... police)its best to try and get Japanese people to speak English, this way I can understand more and if there is a lack of communication its not so much on my part. So I asked him "Gomen ne? Ego onigaishimasu?" (I'm sorry, English please). And I got an "Oh boy" look from the other officer, but the one speaking to me actually did a pretty good job. "Where come from?" he asked me. "Paradise." He looked at me funny and in Japanese asked where that was and I said "next to Yokubenimaru" and then he got it "oh OK". "Card please" and gestured for an ID card so I got out my Alien Card (by the way its the first time anyone besides like the bank and the city office someone has asked to see that card in 2 1/2 years!). So I gave it to him and watched as the other officer wrote down notes on a paper from my gaijin card. "Where going?" asked the officer and I said "home" and he said "where home?" and I pointed one block away (yes I was one block from home) and said "Kamio temple" and then he asked "Whats your job?" and I replied "Lesley English School". I work at two schools so its confusing to understand if you don't know that the two schools are owned by the same company and we were a block away from the English School so it seemed like the best answer, but he didn't seem to understand what that was and looked at my card again and said "Kozokura Ego no sensei" and my response was "hai hai". And I love the last question... "do you drink alcohol?" I wanted so badly to say something like yes, do you? Are you asking me out for drinks?... but thought better of it and replied "Hai choto" (yes a little). And then he handed me my card and said be careful and good night. And that was the end of it.
So I walked home thinking - WTF!!!! Why was I just pulled over?! Can you pull over a person that is walking?! Is it OK to walk home after drinking at 1am?! How else does one get home after drinking? Wasn't I being safe by walking.... I wasn't driving?! He never even explained why they were stopping me!
Anyways I'm adding it to my strange police experience list.... if you want to hear the others just ask.... for some reason I always get pulled over by the police when I'm not doing a single thing wrong, but when I'm being reckless they are no where to be found... knock on wood!
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