Being Late for a Flight and Further Misfortunes

— We can't put you on the flight, you should have come 20 minutes ago. — But the train just arrived, I ran here. — Bring confirmation from JR (Japanese Railways) that it was late, and we'll reimburse you the full amount. — But I absolutely need to catch this flight. — It's impossible.

The girl from SkyMark offers me different options, but it's hard for me to think straight right now, I'm completely out of it. The plan is falling apart, the CouchSurfing stay in Wakkanai is getting canceled, this looks like losing a whole day, new expenses, sitting in the airport and moving around unsuitable railway platforms with two bags and a cardboard box with a bike that's gotten pretty beat up during flights. They offer me a flight to Sapporo at 20:15, nothing closer is available, it's 7:35 AM on the clock. — We'll book you the 20:15 flight, you need to bring confirmation from JR, then we'll reimburse you the full amount and count it as payment for the flight to Sapporo. I go down to the office for confirmation. Everything's clear, this morning Richard and I bought a ticket for 6:05 AM, express from Shinagawa to Narita Terminal 2. It was supposed to arrive at 7:15, but arrived at 7:30, I just need to get confirmation. At the office I explain the situation, the girl writes down everything I say, noting the times 6:05 7:15 7:30, then goes to another room. After 5 minutes she returns. — We checked the cameras, the train arrived exactly at 7:15. — No, it arrived later, much later. Her colleague at the next desk joins in. — We checked, it arrived on time. I ask her to check again. The girl nods and leaves. It can't be any other way. I remember looking at my watch when it was 7:05, then at 7:15, how I fidgeted in my seat on the train, asked about the time and stop ten times over. How it was already 7:26 on the clock, how I showed my ticket to the Japanese guy who was riding with me. How we both ran out of the train together at 7:30, he was directing me. I ran like a ninja, like an FBI agent in movies, maneuvering between dawdling people. I remember running up to the airport representatives' counter with the Japanese guy, how they explained where to go upstairs.

A man in a cap called out to me and invited me to come with him. He speaks in a friendly tone, smiles. We approach the same airport representatives' counter. The cap says something to them in Japanese. I recognize that girl I approached in the morning. — Hi! Do you remember me, I ran up to you half an hour ago, rushing to catch a flight. I was standing here, and right here (I point slightly to my left) was a guy in an orange t-shirt. She perks up, nods. — Yes, yes I remember. — I ran up to you at 7:32, and you explained where to go. She looked at me nodding, then at the Cap. — Yes, yes, but the train arrived on time, at 7:15. I lowered my eyes. Could I really have glitched out that badly. Or could I. I don't understand anything anymore. — Ok, thank you. They smile, wish me a pleasant journey.

Japanese people behave interestingly in situations when parties have conflicting opinions or intentions. I rarely had to hear a direct "No". Instead they'll listen to you to the end and nod vigorously. Then they'll say "Yes", followed by something opposite with an expression of regret on their face. This is driven by a desire to maintain harmony in conversation.

At the SkyMark registration counter there's already a different girl. I explain the situation to her again. She asks me to come back at 18:00 to buy a ticket. Whether there will be reimbursement or not, I don't know yet. We're talking about 14,800 yen — that's my approximate budget for a week of travel. Now I have to wait about nine hours and figure out what to eat. Fortunately, there's free WiFi and an outlet in the airport. I sit down and make a list of things I'll do during these nine hours, it's the only way to collect my thoughts. Bad news: if I arrive in Sapporo at 22:15, I'll have to sit there until eight in the morning to catch a train to Wakkanai. Good news: the person from Wakkanai is waiting for me tomorrow at any time. Bad news: I'll have to grow a third arm to carry bags and a box between train platforms. Good news: there turns out to be cheap and delicious Japanese noodles in the airport, instant ramen doesn't compare. Bad news: after five or six hours in the airport you want to disappear somewhere, eject, dissolve. Good news: they reimburse me a partial amount, keeping 500 yen as a penalty. Bad news: during check-in for the flight my camera drops and breaks. The lens won't move. I have nothing to shoot and photograph for the blog and "Dozhd"... Dead end.