Thank you Mr. X

It is the last day before heading back to Tokyo after spending Christmas 2024 in the snow with friends and basically has become my children's quasi cousins (children of friends also living in Japan).

Everyone has left and as this house is in this resort, you are responsible for your own garbage. So you have to drive it down to the "garbage house".

This is not my house though we have been coming here for over twenty years for the holidays and neither are the cars we use to take the garbage to the Gomi House.

This time I chose the open top jeep which is older than most people I know. I assumed it had snow tires on it and winter diesel. (Summer diesel freezes). So loaded with way too many bottles and sacks of the celebrations since Christmas I headed down the hill.

Everything was fine until I realized the jeep started to slip when I brought it to a halt.

So, I backed it down the street perpendicular to the street I had just come down and parked in front of the garbage house. I emptied the fallen soldier wine bottles and bags after bags. The whole time wondering....AM I GETTING BACK UP THAT HILL?

So I started the engine and I was not moving. But I could reverse. My plan was to reverse up against a bank to keep it from slipping and the worse alternative, slipping across the road and flipping into the ravine as it was open top and that would be the end of me and the jeep.

This was 4pm.

I could not get traction despite my family bringing me salt and shovels.

We were now officially stuck. Could not move forward or backwards and there was no pushing this machine of steel.

So we called the town center. "We don't help people". Then I called JAF (Japan Automative Federation) which I am apparently no longer a member of as we are covered through some other insurance upon insurance which takes care of things if we have a problem in Tokyo like getting a flat tire dressed as Santa last year heading to deliver presents.

At one point I slipped in the ice and cut my hand and unknowingly the key fell out of my pocket and under the tire. I only had a few percentages of battery left but turned on the flashlight app and found the key chain peaking out from under the tire.

A dozen cars passed, some even asked if I was ok. Once JAF were on their way I realized I was in an open car with the sun down and it would take them one hour. Heat Tech, Ski coat, hat, gloves...I was certain I was fine.

I lit a flare to save on the battery hazard lights and to keep wild animals away.

One car drove passed and then went up the hill and stopped. They got out and asked if I was OK. She switched to English with either an Australian or English accent as her Gaijin husband got out of the backseat as well and presumably her Japanese Father.

They asked if I needed anything and I explained that JAF was on their way and I was fine.

They reluctantly left and I noticed the temperature was dropping and instead of rubbing my legs as the flare had now gone out I started to make leg warmers out of the used plastic bags that held the salt we put on the pavement.

Just then the family returned with a comforter which they explained had belonged to the previous owners of their house so they did not need it back. Two bananas, ginger ale and those heat packs you shake and they heat up which I put in my jacket and pant legs. I also was on the verge of tears as that was so kind of them when dozens had passed by and not even asked if I was ok.

They got back in their car but before they did I asked their name. They both froze....the father said, I am Mr.X. I said, "Well....thank you Mr.X...I love your superpowers!"

As they drove off the temperature hit -5 degrees. And the comforter and heat packs were very welcomed.

JAF arrived in a car no bigger than a St.Bernard Dog. I was now shivering as he tried to look up my membership in every possible way. I do not have one. Nor did the owner of the car according to his iPad though he did and does.

He then started to add chains to his car which took almost as long as him getting there and hooked a chain to the front of the jeep and somehow that little HotWheel of a car he drove pulled me out of the bank and up the hill.

The challenge of course is the driveway which goes up 100 feet to the garage. That was not possible. So we pushed and pulled the jeep to bottom of the driveway and it is now covered for a long winters nap.

I am someone who has not taken the garbage out in my own home for almost 30 years, my partner does not allow me for some reason. So for me, what was a quick chore of "lets get this done before the sun goes down" turned into putting my life in danger and having to rely on the kindness some strangers like Mr.Jaf and good ole Mr.X with his daughter Super Woman.

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1William O Smith

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