I’m at Mister Donut (“Yes! Healthy.” is the new slogan campaign!) at the Sea Mall, listening to the last lines of Tears for Fears’ “Everybody (Even Frankie!) Wants to Rule the World.” I’m here by default: I went to the junior college so I could work (type exams, look for my next job, have cybersex), but the entire campus was locked shut. Ugh! So instead of getting entirely bent about it I began running errands to the post office and the travel agency. Since all roads in Shimonoseki lead to the Sea Mall, here I am at my beloved “misudo” drinking a chocofudge shake (soul food, eh?), avoiding the eyes of all the passersby since their gaze tends to concentrate on all foreign objects (i.e., me!) and listening to hits from the ’80s. Perhaps this is the closest to civilization Japan can offer. Legend has it that there are Mister Donuts in San Francisco. I can’t imagine. There are several red and green banners overhead reading “San Francisco Chinatown” and asking this very important question: “Could some of San Francisco’s fog be caused by the steam from dim sum?” No, that is not *my typo! I dare not read the fine print…. I think the time I’ve spent at “misudo” has been my most productive in Japan: reading, writing, or just people-watching. Alas, all good things (even my chocofudge shake!) must come to an end. I shall miss you, Donut-san!