Amulets
A story of a taxi.
It was when my friend went on a trip to Kyoto. Since he had a reservation at a small hotel a bit far from the station, he went there by taxi. He opened the trunk and packed in his luggage, and as he sat in the back seat he was alarmed. Countless amulets were stuck all over the car interior... The amount wasn't ten or even twenty.
He had a bad feeling about it, but his luggage was already inside the trunk. He reluctantly said the name of his hotel, and the driver started the car silently. However, there was no way he could help but worry about it, let alone endure the car's silent atmosphere.
Just before my friend finished saying, "Hey... what are these charms?"
The driver, facing forward as he was, said, "It's okay. Because it's still daytime..."
Not saying anything else, he drove in silence from beginning to end for the 20 minutes it took to reach the hotel, and then my friend promptly paid the fare and retrieved his luggage.
For some reason, he looked at the taxi as it was driving away, and someone was sitting in the back seat.
'A Woman...?'
The taxi didn't seem to be carrying someone as a customer. When my friend squinted his eyes, that woman appeared to suddenly turn to look at him, and the instant their eyes met she vanished...
He rushed into the hotel at full speed and completed his check in, then immediately headed to a nearby temple.
Of course, he walked there.
It was when my friend went on a trip to Kyoto. Since he had a reservation at a small hotel a bit far from the station, he went there by taxi. He opened the trunk and packed in his luggage, and as he sat in the back seat he was alarmed. Countless amulets were stuck all over the car interior... The amount wasn't ten or even twenty.
He had a bad feeling about it, but his luggage was already inside the trunk. He reluctantly said the name of his hotel, and the driver started the car silently. However, there was no way he could help but worry about it, let alone endure the car's silent atmosphere.
Just before my friend finished saying, "Hey... what are these charms?"
The driver, facing forward as he was, said, "It's okay. Because it's still daytime..."
Not saying anything else, he drove in silence from beginning to end for the 20 minutes it took to reach the hotel, and then my friend promptly paid the fare and retrieved his luggage.
For some reason, he looked at the taxi as it was driving away, and someone was sitting in the back seat.
'A Woman...?'
The taxi didn't seem to be carrying someone as a customer. When my friend squinted his eyes, that woman appeared to suddenly turn to look at him, and the instant their eyes met she vanished...
He rushed into the hotel at full speed and completed his check in, then immediately headed to a nearby temple.
Of course, he walked there.
<Coach's Insensitivity>
Isshi... while I'm grateful that I got to read an immensely good story, can this really be true? Because, I think it's impossible? Having a taxi job in such a car... sorry. I'm insensitive aren't I? Well, you wrote "Charms," but by some chance wouldn't these be "talismans" or possibly "safeguards"? While I'm on topic, at the end I think he should have visited a shrine instead of a temple. Of course, it's because the domain is different. And to dig in, fully loaded... it's okay in the daytime but how would it be at night, you know?