Epilogue, or The Night Keio Line Shut Down

The background nuisance of ATM ‘after hours’ became palpable a couple of Wednesday’s ago. Coming home from Shibuya a little ahead of last train, I transferred as usual at Meidaimae, the place where I work. In Japan the trains are always on time, so I immediately knew that something was wrong when the timetable of incoming trains was hours behind and a completely empty train was sitting on the tracks. After a few minutes spent racking my brain for the proper thing – anything – to say, I looked at the station agent and said “Fuchu???” He said something that sounded urgent – and I understood ‘Shimokitazawa’ and ‘taxi’. I started to worry – was I supposed to take a taxi from Shimokitazawa? I left Shibuya before last train, but by this time if I was going to Shimokitazawa I had to do it fast, or else I might be sleeping in the Meidaimae station. That’s when I spotted a Jamaican Gaijin on the platform – on the phone with a Japanese person. He handed the phone to the train agent, and after a few minutes his friend gave him the translation. Apparently something happened to a train on the tracks, and NO TRAINS could move! Keio line was shut down for the night!

We were all supposed to take cabs home, and they were suggesting that we did it from Shimokitazawa. It’s not uncommon for Gaijin in Tokyo to ignore each other, so I was happy to have this Jamaican around, especially since he had access to someone who spoke Japanese. Ignoring the question of how to pay for a cab with only ¥2000 on me, I wanted to figure out the Shimokitazawa question. The Jamaican, however, had a different priority. Still on the phone with his Japanese connection he was getting angry that he had to front money for something. It appeared that his trip was being sponsored (common for Gaijin – many come here on tours, etc), and he hadn’t expected to have to pay for anything – even though Keio line was obviously reimbursing everyone. I waited a minute or two for him to calm down, but he just grew angrier. I got so annoyed! I was thinking – forget about the money! We may not even be able to get to Shimokitazawa!

At that point I left the platform to see if anything in the station made sense. At first all I saw was a mildly chaotic crowd, and then a confluence of factors saved me. I spotted Akane, one of the Japanese staff at my branch – she was just then leaving work. I was so relieved to see her!! I rushed over to her, my frantic words practically pouring out of my mouth. She was really calm (probably because she could understand what was going on), reassured me and explained as much of the situation as she was told and could relay in English. I didn’t have to go to Shimokitazawa for a taxi, a makeshift taxi-stand materialized in Meidaimae for the occasion. At that point I realized that I didn’t know how to pay for a cab. It was way after-hours; I was thinking that maybe Keio line would provide us IOUs to give the cab drivers, but I knew that was an empty hope. I wasn’t yet figuring out how to explain to a cab driver where I live – the streets of Tokyo are so chaotic (often nameless) everything requires a map and very specific directions – but with Akane there I felt that crisis was a little less imminent.

She is the reason I got home. Maybe the most crucial and serendipitous detail of it all: Akane lives two stops away from me on the Keio line. Not having money for a cab was no problem. Not being able to tell the cab driver where I live was not an issue. My background state of disorientation would not keep me from getting home. Akane and I found a cab together, she explained to the driver where to take me, and before she got out gave me enough money to cover the ¥8000 ride home. All I had to do was take a deep breath, and remember to get the receipt.