Asato

I crossed over this beach many times before. The sun was setting and my feet were starting to freeze in this ice cold water. Winter in Japan is never easy, fishing in the cold was harder than normal. I am a fisherman, my name is Asato Kim, everyone just calls me Mr. Kim, I haven’t figured out why but it doesn’t really matter to me anymore. I am on a mission, I have to get to America before the summer time gets here. I have to make it to California and visit Pier 39, I made a promise to a childhood friend of mine about 15 years ago. I know that going to America on an old promise is a risky thing especially since I don’t know if my old friend will even be there, I don’t even know if my old friend is still alive.

  I help the men pull the net through the water, most of the fish have already migrated to lay their eggs somewhere else, and this area is much too active. Only about 100 fish in the net now, when we are used to pulling out at least 1,000. This winter, the fish will be very scarce but I need the money for my trip, so even if we pulled out 50 fish, I will earn my wage so I can make my way to America. I help the men put the fish in our truck and we head back to the fish factory in Tokyo. We finish our job and the boss pays us by the amount of fish we bring in and the hours it took, I take my pay and head straight for the train station.

People on the train always try to sit away from the man smelling like raw fish and the ocean but its Tokyo so the train is always crowded. I never pay those people any mind anyway, I make my living without begging for change in the big city. 50 yen in a cup never got me anywhere that I couldn’t get by walking. Even after my parents died from being sick and not being able to afford the medicine they needed, I never had to beg anyone, rather I was never going to beg anyone for anything, I had been homeless before and got by off of the kindness of people. My friend from school had come by and saw me on the streets, filthy and hungry, he just picked me up and made me stay with him until I found a job. Now I have my own apartment in Tokyo low cost, all thanks to my friend. He went to America to be a doctor, while we were kids we made a promise near the Rain Bridge that when we were 35 we would meet each other in California at Pier 35. I have to keep that promise, he helped me in ways no one else would and I have to be there to pay him back for all he’s done. 

I get off the train at my stop and make my way towards my apartment, my things are all in bags and boxes and suitcases, in a couple days I will take all of my things and leave Tokyo for good. Sure I love Tokyo but let’s be honest, I can’t afford just a vacation in California, I will move there. Things here are getting too crazy with all the earthquakes and parts of my building have had to be rebuilt because of all the destruction that the earthquakes cause. I put my wages in my money jar I keep hidden, I take off my smelly fisherman’s shoes and my clothes, and take a nice hot shower. Looks like I’m eating Udon for dinner tonight. Sometimes eating the simplest food makes me feel like royalty. Why? I haven’t the slightest idea. Maybe it’s the way that even though it’s the simplest food, it still has the power to warm you down to your soul, A poor man would be grateful for it, I would I know, I was one. I check my voice messages as I wait for my noodle to cool, one from this corporation looking to help homeless veterans, but I’m not homeless and I’m not a veteran, so I delete that message. One from this girl who’s trying to call someone else, she has the wrong number, I delete that message too.

As I finished my Udon, I get into bed and try to sleep, something is keeping my mind from resting, although I can’t place what it is. Maybe my friend in California won’t be there when I get there, maybe there’s something wrong with the apartment I brought, It’s a cute little place, a 2 bedroom cottage with a white fence and green shutters, it’s in a row of other small cottages, but this one is special, it’s has a backyard small enough for a little dog or a little kid and enough space to have small grill. I don’t think it’s the apartment that’s bothering me, something big seems to be coming and because I don’t think it has anything to do with me personally, it’s having more of an effect on me.

I wake up in a cold sweat, I barely slept for 2 hours after tossing and turning for 45 minutes. I have to find my friend, sooner than I thought, this thought that something will go terribly wrong won’t stop nagging at my mind. I get up and go to my computer, I sign in to my travel website, and I buy my two tickets for tomorrow morning. Well, now that that’s settled I have seven and half hours left to sleep before I have to be at the airport.

 

Author's Note

definietly not done with this chapter! please comment and make suggestions etc.