Page 2 of Shifting Gears

As I ate my meal, I looked out the window. I could see the water and ships coming and going. I looked back over at the guy who had just helped me with the ATM.

“Hey, can you tell me how to get somewhere?” I asked as I opened my phone and pulled up the place where Kayden had said I had a job lined up.

He nodded as he walked over and glanced at the location. “Ah! Yes, I know this place. It’s close to where I work. I can show you the way, if you would like?” he said as he stood straighter.

“Works for me.” I grabbed my bowl, downed the rest of the broth, and set it down.

When the server came over, I gave her a bill, and she giggled as she pointed at the money in my hand and said something in Japanese.

I shook my head. “I don’t understand. I speak English,” I said as I went to put my cash back in my pocket.

“She’s trying to tell you that you gave her too much, and she wants to show you which bills to give instead,” the guy next to me said as he pointed at my handful of money. I hesitated, but the man insisted, “Don’t worry; she will not take more than it costs. This is an honest establishment.”

I reached my hand out and opened my palm, and she did a small bow before putting the bill I had given her back in my hand. Then she counted out a couple of other bills from my hand and walked away before coming back with some coins.

“Arigato gozaimasu!” she said quietly with another bow before cleaning up my bowl and scurrying quietly away to the kitchen.

I tucked the money back into my joggers pocket and stood up, following the guy out of the building. He blabbed on as we walked down the street, pointing at this place and that place, explaining where to take my laundry, other places to eat, motels, grocery stores, and—the one that really caught my eye—a pachinko parlor, apparently somewhere I could go to gamble. I made note of the places I thought I would end up using and picked up details along the walk to remember how to find my way around later. One thing was for sure: I didn’t plan on working my life away. I was going to have fun while I was here, for as long as that ended up being.

I also found out, technically, I was working in an area called Yokohama, not Tokyo, but it was all a part of the same city to me. The sun had come up and was reflecting on the water’s surface. The smell of the ocean made it all feel a little more like home.

We parted ways with him pointing down a port, telling me good luck with everything. I gave a thumbs-up and wandered through the warehouses and lots until I found one with the same logo on the paper Kayden had given me. Banging my fist on the door, I shifted my duffel bag on my shoulder. I was ready to toss this thing onto the ground and get shit settled already.

No answer, so I pounded harder this time.

“Yo! Anyone home?” I shouted.

A roll-up door next to me shot upward, and I stepped back to see a short man, with black hair slicked back into a bun and an overgrown beard, looking back at me.

“Whatchu want?” he asked, his brow furrowed and his eyes narrowed as he looked me up and down.

“I’m supposed to start working here,” I said, holding out the paper.

The man snatched it from my hand and read it before glancing at me one more time, folding it in his pocket, and jerking his head toward the inside. “Follow.”

Here I thought I didn’t say much. This guy can’t even string together a sentence.

I followed him inside and discovered that this warehouse was where they inspected vehicles before shipment. A couple of guys were checking the engine of a car that was on a lift across the room. I kept glancing around. There were a few spaces for more cars to be checked over, some racks of tires, toolboxes, and workbenches. Pretty much your basic shop. That was when he pointed upward, and I saw stairs going up to a loft area.

“This way.”

We went up the stairs and passed a few different doors before he came to a stop by the last one on the left. He shoved a key inside it and twisted the knob before he pushed the door open.

“This is your room. Everything you need is right here for sleep and food. Bathroom is two doors down on the right side. Included in work, understand?” he asked as he walked inside.

I ducked my head and stepped inside the room. It was small, maybe eight-by-ten.

“Yeah, I get it. What do you need me to do here? I don’t know much about engines and shit,” I said as I tossed my duffel down against the wall.

“You will help drive cars into containers. Maybe go out and get cars from customers one day soon. You begin tomorrow. Some food in the fridge. You can call me Takumi or boss.” With that, he placed a key on the counter and left, closing the door behind him.

I took a deep breath. It smelled clean in here. So, there was that at least.

I explored my new place. Turned out, his idea of some food was barely enough for a few meals, so I’d need to get some more before tomorrow. Closing the fridge, I opened the cupboards and found some cooking supplies, an electric stovetop, pots and pans, but no utensils, except for chopsticks. I made a note to buysome forks too. I went from the kitchen to the wall across from it. It was a closet wall. Inside was bedding, a rolled-up futon, and a couple of large cushions. There were drawers in it, too, so I emptied my clothes into them, not bothering to fold them.

“Need a place to store my cash and knuckles when I’m not carrying them.”

I looked around the closet more. One board behind a drawer had gotten a little loose, so I gripped it and pulled, and it popped out of place easily enough. I felt around inside. It was dry, and there was a beam to stop anything from falling. I grabbed a pair of socks and stuffed one sock full of the cash and tossed my brass knuckles in the other, knotting them before I threw them inside the hole and placed the board back.

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