Becoming a Soak

May 13 cont...

We got back to Kuma (of The Mockers!) and I knew I needed a decent feed. We had 80 minutes to spare till the next bus out and there was a bus stop next to the wonderful hotel, Denko, that I stayed at the night before.

Makoto San and I went into the restaurant of the Hotel and ordered lunch and relaxed. I was feeling cold and still a bit overwhelmed but Makoto San’s English was rapidly improving the more practiced, so we were starting to have fun. I knew I needed to book a room at a place with a laundry so I asked Makoto San if he could ring and book me into a place next to Temple 46 – which he did gladly.

We finally went out and waited 5 minutes for the bus. I was cold enough to put my hood up on my Icebreaker, even though it looked like a divers frog suit.
We got off the bus at an obscure stop in the middle of a road and despite there being a path I suspected was the Henro trail, Makato San lead us down the road in the opposite direction. After five minutes he consulted the map and worked out we were going the wrong way. We retraced our steps and went down the path I had seen.

I enjoyed Makoto San's company – he was fun and had a sharp sense of humour.
Whenever I said something, he repeated it how he had heard it, trying to make sense of it. The amusing (and slightly disturbing) thing was that when he repeated anything, he sounded like Crocodile Dundee, so obviously that’s the way I sounded to him.

We got to the Hotel and I was pleased to learn that he had booked himself in too.

The girl showed us to our rooms and we went our separate ways for the night.

I needed a shower (and to wash my clothes) before I got too cold again so I gathered all my things and went to investigate. Because I had to take my dirty things off to wash them, I obviously had to have a shower first, so without even thinking about it, I went into the bath changing area, stripped off and went into a communal bath room for the first time! I got a lady to help me with the taps and surprisingly didn’t feel self conscious at all.
I had my shower (the other lady had finished and left) then I tested the bath water. It was perfect so I lowered myself in. What bliss!!

As I sat there unwinding, allowing myself the luxury, I realized today had changed me. (SMG had said to me months ago that Japan would change me). Last week – last night in fact – I was mortified at the thought of undressing, much less washing myself, or soaking in front a bunch of strangers.
Tonight I did it easily and naturally.
Earlier I understood that The Mockers had brought up deep memories and feelings of being taunted and pointed at for the sores I always had and the internal and external scars were the reason I felt unable to ‘expose’ myself in these bathing rooms.