Thought that a narrative would be fun.

“BEEP BEEP” the sound of the streets of Osaka rang like an alarm at seven o’clock Monday morning. Janelle rolled over and slid her window shut as if to hit the snooze button on the city. She groined and dug her head under the pillow.

Another day in this city so far from home she thought. Why do mornings always have to be so early?

With a yawn and a stretch she slowly rolled out of bed. Sitting on the edge of the mattress she crinkled her toes and shook out her shoulders. After that late night she was extra stiff this morning. She made a mental note to swallow a couple ibuprofens with her morning coffee.

Just then their came a knock at the door and the voice of a Japanese man telling her he had a delivery.

Janelle told him to wait just a moment in the most plight Japanese she knew. She scrambled to find a sweatshirt or blanket to cover her pajamas with. Again their came a shout, I have a delivery! Finally Janelle just decided to go with a scarf on the coat rack.

“Yes one moment please” She yelled as she opened the door a crack. Seeing that she was in her pajamas the deliveryman turned a little red, looked away and then apologized for rushing her. She glared at the postman wile signing for the package. The postman quickly said thank you and goodbye.

After placing the box on her kitchen table Janelle put some water on to boil. She smiled a little when she thought about how back home she had a coffee pot that was on a timer. She could set it up the night before and the next morning awake to the rich scent of special dark Italian roast.

Janelle grabbed the scissors off the kitchen hook and moved over to the box. It was from her parents again. A big smile spread across her face when she thought about how many boxes had been delivered since arriving country. Inside were treats from home. Fruit loops, Easy Mac and Cheese and some soft flip flop slippers that were greatly coveted.

“Wow why did I ever leave home? “ She thought. Living alone in a little shoebox of an apartment a million miles from familiar. At that moment Janelle really couldn’t quite remember why she had gone so far away.

Suddenly the walls shook a little. Not like they did during an earthquake, she knew those all too well now. They shook real fast like someone was hitting the side of the building. She ran out onto her balcony to see what the heck was going on.

The sound of whistles and flutes could be heard from down the street. Suddenly, “boom! Ohiogozaimasu!” The loud booms and shaking were a line of large drums being pounded by five or six Japanese men. They banged and then yelled “good morning!”

What the heck is going on? She wondered. She changed quickly out of her pajamas and into an old pair of jeans and a t-shirt. Grabbed her camera and ran out the door just in time to see a parade of people in traditional costumes turn the corner. Bells and chanting, priests and dancers, even someone dressed as a Prince progressed up the street to the local temple. It was a festival parade, on a Monday morning, in the middle of summer.

Janelle laughed to herself, “Oh yah” she thought, “that’s why”.