The Jumper
On my train to and from school everyday there is a boy I call "The Jumper." Not because he has suicidal tendencies but because he jumps. On the spot. All the time.
His constancy is sometimes reassuring in this crazy town called Japan, other times of course he is absolutely maddening. However, the effect he has on me is dependent on my morning mood, which fluctuates wildly.
So, The Jumper (for it is he) is about 17 years old and very special needs. A common scene on the morning run is him doing laps around the train station concourse, or side skipping up and down the length of the platform. Sometimes he dashes wildly out of the station and halfway down the road, only to turn around and look slightly confused as to how he got all the way down there and dash back. More often though he is jumping on the spot, much like a footballer stuck in an endless loop of headers. It's fun when he does it on the actual train too. Rocking trains: fun. He looks like a sweet enough kid, not actually dangerous (apart from that latent threat of strength which a lot of special needs kids tend to have) and he's always cheerful. At least, he is always grinning wildly (trying my best to avoid the word 'maniacal' - oops, there it is).
He's one of many people with special needs in Toyama, who seem to have more than their fair helping. Something to do with a water pollution scandal back in the 60s. I teach at a special school on Thursdays and the bus I get there is always crammed with severely handicapped people. This is why the water in Toyama is much lauded as "Oiishi Mizu" ("Delicious Water") by the tourist board, to distract attention from the stigma of poisoning half their population. And here's me thinking when I first came here that everybody was being ironic (because really, it's nasty).
His constancy is sometimes reassuring in this crazy town called Japan, other times of course he is absolutely maddening. However, the effect he has on me is dependent on my morning mood, which fluctuates wildly.
So, The Jumper (for it is he) is about 17 years old and very special needs. A common scene on the morning run is him doing laps around the train station concourse, or side skipping up and down the length of the platform. Sometimes he dashes wildly out of the station and halfway down the road, only to turn around and look slightly confused as to how he got all the way down there and dash back. More often though he is jumping on the spot, much like a footballer stuck in an endless loop of headers. It's fun when he does it on the actual train too. Rocking trains: fun. He looks like a sweet enough kid, not actually dangerous (apart from that latent threat of strength which a lot of special needs kids tend to have) and he's always cheerful. At least, he is always grinning wildly (trying my best to avoid the word 'maniacal' - oops, there it is).
He's one of many people with special needs in Toyama, who seem to have more than their fair helping. Something to do with a water pollution scandal back in the 60s. I teach at a special school on Thursdays and the bus I get there is always crammed with severely handicapped people. This is why the water in Toyama is much lauded as "Oiishi Mizu" ("Delicious Water") by the tourist board, to distract attention from the stigma of poisoning half their population. And here's me thinking when I first came here that everybody was being ironic (because really, it's nasty).
posted by Geoff at 1:19 AM
2 Comments:
I haven't met the jumper yet. I have however met the "I'm going to eat a cookie while all the while pointing at you and going HE HE HE GAIJIN HE HE HE as cookie flies out of my mouth guy."
What's this about a water scandal? As a cheap sunshiner who drinks from the tap you have me worried
Why do ou think I drink bottled water?
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