Groan

So we just bought a second-hand microwave. Cheap, 2000 yen, cheaper even than anything we found at Akihabara. Saw an ad, called the guy, got on a train to Shibuya. We had some time to kill when we got there, so we went into that building with the aforementioned translucent display--nothing too special; it looks like the display is a bunch of rods set across the windows, which is why you can sorta see through them. Somewhat more exciting was the discovery of a number of Indian curry restaurants, one of which has an enticing deal: all you can eat for one hour for 1000 yen. We may have to return to that place later.

Anyway, back to the microwave. Met the seller of the microwave outside the Shibuya Hachiko exit, and he related to us the remarkable story of the dog after which the exit was named. Also found out he's heading to Calgary for training: he's a skeleton racer, possibly the craziest event in the Winter Olympics (it's the luge, head-first). Went to his place, got the microwave, paid the 2K, and we were off.

And we quickly discovered a problem. The box we got with the microwave was the wrong size. It had handles, but one of them was broken. The thing was not easy to carry, and we had a long walk back to the station to look forward to, as well as a number of predictably crowded trains.

I soldiered on, though, stopping periodically to lean the damn thing on a convenient post or rail. Got to the station, got on the first train (Kate having to feed my ticket through for me), lugging the microwave along. The train got to the stop, we got off, me lugging the microwave along, and then thinking that something didn't feel right....

The microwave was falling through the bottom of the box. I figured out what was happening a split second before it really fell, so, being the quick thinker that I am, I stuck out a foot to catch it.

Ouch. Or as they say in Japan, itai. Fucking itai.

As people stare in wonder and confusion, I, limping, drag the microwave aside. The question now, of course, is whether the contraption still works or not. You must understand this poses quite the dilemma. For one would not want to carry this thing the rest of the long way home, braving dislocating shoulders and crowded trains full of exasperated salarymen, only to find that it doesn't bloody well work. On the other hand, we have already invested 2000 yen and a substantial amount of effort into this enterprise.

So on we went. A nice surprise: the thing was actually easier to carry without the stupid fucking box. The rest of the ride home went OK. The normally crowded Nambu train was not quite as crowded as it sometimes is, so we managed to take the microwave aboard without being squished into it. The walk from Kuji station home never seemed so long. But we made it. Lowered it to the floor, plugged it in, stuck in a cup of water, turned it on.

It made a microwave-like noise. Just checked the water. It had indeed been heated. Hallelujah.