May 22 cont...
I got back out to the gate before all the current Henro could leave and had my thumb out when a What country are you from Please? lady stopped to talk to me.
Her English was sketchy and she kept offering me a cup of tea at her house a few doors down.
I showed her my book and scroll, explaining that this was my second time and why and that I just wanted to get going and get it finished. As she was talking to me, the Henro were starting to all leave.
She finally left me but came back a minute later with her own Henro book of stamps to show me. After a while, she sensed my distraction and urgency to get a ride so she started waving and yelling at people to see where they were going.
I had hitch hiked for years back home and had developed a sixth sense of who was approachable and who wasn’t – the well meaning woman was making people feel uncomfortable because they had no intention of giving me a lift (mostly because their cars were already full or had Monks in them etc).
After a while I had to say Onegai shimasu!! – No Please! Pointing to myself, that I could do it myself.
She finally got the hint and cheerfully left saying Gambette.
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