{"id":1349,"date":"2022-07-03T10:39:02","date_gmt":"2022-07-03T10:39:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dailysack.com\/travel\/?p=1349"},"modified":"2022-08-19T00:26:22","modified_gmt":"2022-08-19T00:26:22","slug":"the-long-tokyo-bike-ride-that-saved-me","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailysack.com\/travel\/2022\/07\/03\/the-long-tokyo-bike-ride-that-saved-me\/","title":{"rendered":"The Long Tokyo Bike Ride"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

I Hate Canceling <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Yesterday I went out on a long bike ride across Tokyo to visit my friend who was visiting from Osaka. I like spending time with him, so I became anxious about canceling. The reason I wanted to cancel was because I suddenly felt sad for no reason. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That ever happen to you? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, my friend just hopes I feel better soon. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anyway, after that little episode, I had a little adventure. <\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Shibuya<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Sadness and anxiety somehow go together like some terrible PB&J. And they happen without warning. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why did it even happen? I had a great time riding across Tokyo, from the Tama river all the way to Shibuya City with the sun beaming down on my face. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who knows. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That was my state of mind as I cycled out of Shibuya by myself, cranking up my noisiest Spotify playlist to drown out the feels. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

From Day to Night <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Soon the sun was setting bright red, and day turned to night, until there I was, riding down the bluish-black road lit by bars and lamps all by myself on a Saturday night, looking forward to nothing more than to curl up beside my laptop and maybe do a little writing, maybe watch a horror movie and just have a quiet recuperative night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I remember I was thinking about something happy \u2013 was it the thought of curling up at home? Not sure anymore, though I like that version of the story \u2013 when I started smiling real big and just looking into the crowd of people, somewhere in Setagaya. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They must have been going to a club or bar area because they were all young, attractive, and full of electricity. That made me happy too. The electricity may have jolted me. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two Cute Girls <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes a lot happens in just a tiny amount of time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So there I am, smiling for the first time in hours, just grinning dumbly into space, when I see two pretty brown-haired Japanese girls walking along with the crowd. I’m not paying much attention to them, but I slow down as I get near them because the whole corner over here is clogged up with the throng of chattering people. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Still grinning, I pass the girls, and one turns and smiles up at me. I keep eye contact. She makes more<\/em> eye contact. I\u2019m on a bike, though, so I keep going straight on ahead. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBye-bye,\u201d she says softly. I turn my head just 10 degrees and wave my hand without looking back. A duet of giggles erupts behind me. Secretly, safely out of sight, my face flushes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

All that happens in less than 5 seconds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Turning Point <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Then, up ahead, the light has gone red. I could wait there to cross, but I don’t want to do that. If I wait, the girls will catch up. They were pretty, and I liked the attention very much. But instead of waiting, I turn right and pedal on. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The interaction was perfect as it was. It served its purpose: somehow, I am happy again. What if the follow-up disappointed me? Or her? Once you break that barrier and go in for the “hello,\u201d you find out how imperfect people are. Why ruin a good thing? I smiled on for the rest of the night, alone in the darkness on my bike as I passed through the busy part of town into the outskirts, closer to where I live. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And that\u2019s what happened. I turned right instead of crossing the street, rode straight on, and just crossed further on down the road where the light was green. It was a perfect, simple moment with a happy ending. <\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Shibuya<\/figure><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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