I was living alone before 311, but I didn’t cook by myself. Because the gas and electricity were too expensive in my area, buying food at supermarket was so much cheaper. Instead, my kitchen was full of books.
That was hard to throw away a kitchen of books to leave Japan. I took only 2 books with me. I needed them. They are small books written by Paul Arden, this and that.
Those two books are about the importance of being different from everyone. I want to say these changed my life, but probably it’s not correct. I had the same opinion as Paul Arden when I read them for the first time already. When you feel like you already know what is written in the book, it is a good book for you. However, books are always more sophisticated than how I speak.
“Trapped
It is not because you are making the wrong decisions, it’s because you are making the right ones.
We try to make sensible decisions based on the facts in front of us.
The problem with making sensible decisions is that so is everyone else.”
Just after 311, the price of flight tickets rised drastically. On 3/12/2011, the one to USA cost 1 million yen.
However, people started coming back gradually. and started seeking for the reasons to think Tokyo is alright. Everyone made sensible decisions.
When earthquake happened, I was at work. I had to submit something by 4PM of that day, I came to the office at 7:30AM and worked furiously. When I was in the last spart, it happened. 14:46 3/11/2011.
Since I was a child, I had been told to hide under the table when an earthquake happened. but it was a lie. Phone, pen, mouse, PC screen, everything fell off to the floor and bounced like a ball. You’d have your face hit by those things if you are near the floor. Cups, dishes,files, posters, everything fell off. and it went black out.
My whole day work disappeared.
I was alone in the office. My coworkers were surveying land near sea. My parents were somewhere.
When I went out, I saw women crying on the street, traffic was messed up because traffic lights went off. I learnt public bus can rule the streets like elephant in Savannah. Police was not on the street yet. I went to the nearest convenience store because the shop doesn’t have automatic door. It was also dangerous to across the street though it was only 4 or 5m.
The shop staff were my friends and they had a radio. then I heard Tsunami was coming to Sendai. but I did never know it was that massive Tsunami wave.
I actually was at the convenience store to keep my food for the following few days and water. I even thought of buying a lot of water and batteries to sell later.
but my entrepreneurial spirit disappeared. 15 children and their parents came to the shop. Parents went to pick up their children from a near elementary school. The shop became like a shelter.
Kids wanted to go to the toilet but the light was off. I found myself making them wait in the queue and helped the parents.
More and more people came. Inside of the shop was complete dark. Cashers didn’t work without power. I was rushing with other staff to serve customers. I still don’t know why but I was helping them out for volunteer.
However, staying there was a right decision. Because a lot of people came, it became like a information center. Internet still didn’t work. No email. No phone line. Even radio station doesn’t know what happened. but people brought live information. Which area got the power back on, which area is still in black out. JR is stopped. Which ATM is available etc.. I learnt, information matters.
Battery, Onigiri, water, bread, they went out of stock within 30mins, in this order. I bought as little food, water and battery as possible. 16:00. Power was still dead.
I became concerned about my neighbors around the office. The office is on the 3rd floor of a small building. The second floor is a massage shop (for women, by women), and the first floor is a restaurant. I was worried about the staff there.
I went out of the convenience store. The air was yellow. and then, ground waved. Aftershock hit.
Iori Mochizuki