The Last Morning Commute

As I wrap up my work commute this week, for good, I’m taking things slow, savoring the experience and thinking about the things I’ll miss. Like the friendly morning staff at Nagano station Beck’s Coffee who fill my thermos with a smile and a little extra Beck’s morning joe, the sight of the regulars along the route: the construction worker guys reading novels who politely make way at the doors, the blind lady who adeptly navigates the as yet still un-gated JR Asagaya station platform with the rhythmic tap tap of her stick and the different sounds of the flooring materials, the smartly dressed women who ride the same train and change at Shinjuku thoughtfully putting up long hair in a bun or cap.

Those little gestures towards fellow commuters are greatly appreciated. Nothing worse than being in a crowded train full of long, free flowing, unkempt, and often unwashed, women’s hair draping all over my business backpack (dutifully worn in front) and clothes that follows me to the office where I have a handy lint and hair roller.

While I will miss gearing up for the day and catching the morning train, I will not miss the evening rush crush commute home. The Yamanote and Chuo line crowds are mostly women riding home from their outings, far different and younger than their morning counterparts. They also have lousy manners and don’t care about mushing their body up against men. I don’t know about you but I don’t like rubbing butts in a crowded trains and guys at least turn their body enough to minimalize the contact points. My Japanese partner often complains that Japanese women have the worst manners in the world, completely contrary to outward appearances. After 15 years of Tokyo train commuting I think he’s right.

A few mundane items I’ll miss: racking up JRE POINT as the office reimbursed my commuter pass. And last but not least the oh so boring satisfaction of Apple Pay Suica breezing me through countless gates over the years without hitch or hiccup, the gate chirping the Suica ‘pi’ with a solid click. Good design doing the job it’s designed to do, fading into the background.