superhero
i felt like a superhero today. two helpless (okay, not necessarily helpless) girls from japan were at my local train station with huge suitcases, talking to each other in japanese. at first, i didn't bother with them. i thought they were japanese americans, and didn't look like they were needing of help. maybe just a bit flustered with their heavy suitcases.

then when i climbed up the stairs to the platform, i heard one of them speaking to another lady, in broken-ish english. (though not really that bad. decent, even.) but she seemed really flustered and talking about an airport.

so i approached her with a "daijyoubu desuka?" when she walked by and she seemed soooo relieved that i spoke japanese.

so i directed her onto the right train. apparently the two girls came from tokyo. was on a trip to ny. they were on their returning leg home, but stepped off the train at newark penn station instead of newark airport (really, this happens ALL the time. why they don't make this more clear, i don't know.) then they took the amtrak in the wrong direction, realized this, and got off at my station.

so, basically, their flight was leaving in an hour and a half, and here they were... not knowing where they were. and running really close to flight time.

on the train, the train attendant struck up a conversation with us. and invited himself to go to japan with the girls. (as a joke?) he's the most gregarious train attendant dude i've ever met. after the two girls hurried off to catch the monorail when they reached the airport stop, he said something to the likes of, "man, if i were to go to japan, i'd never survive. i'd marry every girl i see! they're so beautiful there. like those two girls."

anyway, going back to the girls, they were so incredibly grateful for my (propitious?) existence. and my translation and assitance. it made me feel like a superhero.

it's a great feeling.