There is a sushi restaurant right by my apartment. I pass it everyday to go to the train station, and pass it again on the way back. The guy who owns it is always outside, checking on his turtles, taking his dog for a walk, or just chatting to passers by. He always starts a conversation when ever I pass by and he’s out.
He’s such a friendly guy, and he enjoys chatting, especially to foreign people. When my friends came over from England and they stayed at my place, I introduced them to him and they took a photo with him.
He once told me that about 20 years ago a ufo came to this part of Japan and they stayed for a short while. He said he thinks he was abducted and he doesn’t know what happened for a couple of hours that day.
As I walked passed again today, he told me the story again. He said that the human race is doomed because we don’t care about anything anymore. He said that the aliens came, looked at our disgrace of a planet, and then left. They are not interested in our planet anymore.
The way he talks about it makes me think he really believes it happens. He’s not some drunk talking nonsense, he’s very sincere.
I started thinking about the people we meet daily and how they impact our lives. I try to be as open and welcoming as possible, so I can meet as many people as I can. I like listening to people’s stories and hearing their opinions and life lessons. We can learn a lot if we just stop and listen.
At the gym, I have made some friends because I always try to say hello to people who I see regularly or who joins the same classes as me. It’s almost a sense of community. At work, regular customers who I greet and ask about their lives. I remember my dad used to know everyone in our small town. He would always be stopped by someone whenever we went out. He owned a small business and because he gave good service people became regulars and everybody seemed to know his name. I guess because I’m not Japanese that living in Japan people have a natural curiosity to talk to someone different. I doubt I would have the same experiences in England. But the important thing I think is to be open to talking to people and listen to what they have to say. I was such a shy introverted child and teenager that I’m glad I’ve become a little more outgoing.