Chapter 6
Loxy and Jon were lying together, having made enough flowers to cover the entire bed sheet. Lester entered, hesitated, sorting whether someone had been murdered, realized the pattern, blushed, and exited back the way he came, muttering, “lock the bloody door!”
“Knock first!” Jon yelled back.
“He must have needed the restroom,” Loxy guessed. “There’s a toilet out there,” Jon said.
“Occupied?” Loxy asked.
“Umm,” Jon mused. He could have ‘looked’ via remote viewing and confirmed but decided he didn’t need to know who or if. Lester was wanting a preference of the bedroom bathroom, or being lazy. “Maybe I should shift this bedroom back and bring the bath and toilet forwards.”
“Keera would certainly like that arrangement, like passing through a clean room before you come to the bed room,” Loxy agreed.
Jon sat up, studying the room. The room had already changed. “Something is different.”
“Oh, we updated the room,” Loxy said.
Jon blinked trying to discern what was different. He knew it was different, but he couldn’t ‘see’ the difference. The bed was the only furniture in the room, minus the floating beside table. The bed seemed larger, but maybe it was the fact the room was particularly devoid of other furniture. He noticed the wood tiles were now ceramic. The tiles were large, hexagon shaped tiles, a black, gray, and white pattern. In addition to the main bed, several single beds were available, and one bunk bed.
“It seemed reasonable. We tend to sleep together as a group anyway,” Loxy said. “Okay,” Jon said. He wasn’t perturbed by the need for change, just sort of bothered that he knew it was different without knowing the what.
They decided to get a shower. The first few minutes of the shower had the twirling crimson flavored water before it was pure, followed by suds, then pure again. Jon dried and proceeded out to the bedroom when it dawned on him, there was no dresser. Was he going to have to print everything from scratch?
Loxy emerged, wrapped in a towel.
“You okay?” Loxy asked.
“Yeah,” Jon said, and might have passed her on his way back to the lavatory to interact with Siri through mirror interface, but he stopped as he watched Loxy access one the upgrades.
Loxy activated a tile-set, and three hexagons rose simultaneously to reveal a personal, hidden closet. Hanging clothes, drawers, shoes on a rack, hidden recessed lights, a full body size mirror, and even a place to hang her towel while she sorted what she was going to wear.
“OMG,” Jon said.
“What?” Loxy said, looking at the mirror as if something was off. “Oh, are you wanting to play again?”
“Um, the hidden closet thing is really cool,” Jon said.
“Oh,” Loxy said. “Yeah, I guess it is. So, you don’t want to play again?” Jon tackled her and took her to the bed.
निनमित
Again, laying within in the confines of new, old and original flower patterns, they sorted stuff. ‘Sorting stuff’ was a random list of things to do and things they experienced while separated; catching up basically. During their conversation, Jon paused, his eyes going distant. It was similar to the pause you hear in a big group conversation, where everyone recognizes the pause as something, even if they rarely understand what the something is. Loxy was familiar with this and so didn’t interrupt the process. Only after he returned, did she inquire.
“Want to talk about it?” Loxy asked, her hand rubbing his chest.
“Not sure what it is yet,” Jon said, putting his hand on her to stop the hand rubbing without asking for here to stop.
“What’s it feel like?” Loxy asked.
“Surface level? I have been hired by a fairly prominent Japanese household as a nanny for their three boys, age 3, 4, and 7,” Jon said. “I am not allowed to say the four year old is four years old.”
“Japanese don’t like the number four,” Loxy said. “They don’t even have it on the elevator as an option. Interestingly, the fourth floor still exists and a lot of magicians live for free in Japan.”
“Oh, that’s nice to know, as I might want my own place eventually,” Jon said. “I do have room board, though, and this is pretty much a full time gig, but if I got a girlfriend, well, I don’t think I should bring her home.”
“Do you speak Japanese there?’ Loxy asked.
Jon mused. “No,” he finally answered. “They wanted an English speaker only. I think they hired me because I have a masters in counseling and they saw a full time nanny counselor type as being more productive than seeing a counselor once a week.”
“Makes sense, actually,” Loxy said. “Who needs the counselor?”
“The seven year old. The 3 and 4 year old probably would have needed one, too, except I have changed their tangents. The whole family as a system, though, needs counseling, based on my standards and bias, and so I have to be really careful in my assessments to make sure I am incorporating their culture into the equations,” Jon said.
Jon contorted his face unconsciously, dramatically, as was his way when he was safe to sort something in the presence of others. “I get the sense that I am there not just to be a nanny, but to somehow save the Japanese people.” He was glad he was able to say that without worry that Loxy would be like ‘how dare you elevate your ego to the point that you think you know more than a whole culture,’ because that wasn’t what Jon was trying to communicate. It wasn’t about the colonial spirit of America seeking Empire building. Japanese folks have some severe problems, like the Fukishima Nuclear Disaster being much more fucked up than anyone wants to talk about, and consequently, the ones that need to know aren’t being informed, and the progress towards fixing it isn’t being attended to. And it wasn’t like Japanese lacked heroes; Japanese men would line up and go in and sort that whole mess out by hand if that saved their people, even if it meant their individual death. What’s worse is the American and Russian governments knew how bad it is, but culturally they were equally blocked from saying or helping because the Japanese will block out of saving face, and they’re response is like, ‘fuck you, then,’ but really it’s no longer about Japan but the whole world, and all the cultural personalities playing are just adding to the disasters. Talk about monsters in the world; Japanese movies had a point!
“How so?” Loxy asked.
Jon didn’t respond, his eyes suggested he was searching. “Is this your practical?” Loxy asked.
“No,” Jon said. The answer was out before he even mulled it over, which surprised him, but he was certain it was a valid no. “It’s too big. This is Doctor level stuff, but feels like participatory extra credit. I am not happy there, actually.”
“About being there, or about the situation?” Loxy asked.
“Who am I to tell the Japanese how to save themselves? Heck, who am I to say the world need saving?” Jon said.
“An outsider. You can see things they can’t. Conversely, it will be Japanese that save America, because they will see things you can’t,” Loxy said. “We save each other. That’s how this works.”
“Yeah,” Jon said, not convinced.
“Surface level, what would you change?” Loxy said.
“The workweek’s hours has to come down. 100 hours a week is unreasonable. It’s one of the problems the kids are having, they don’t ever see their parent and I am pretty much a parental surrogate. Anyway, the fierce competition for employment, coupled with severe rates of social isolation, is likely driving the suicide rate, which is approximately 70 people a day, most of whom are male,” Jon said, sorting some facts. “The 100 plus hour work week is resulting in poor nutrition, fewer families, which also explains the severe drop in population, more than what the standard sociological models can explain, even when coupling in that most males don’t feel they earn enough to justify procreating, which also probably explains the almost bizarrely, juvenile male behavior in anime. Take Musume Monster girls, for example. There is more sexual activity and innuendos than an episode of 3’s company. All the women want sex, and want one particular guy, and he frequently feigns disinterest and is ultimately forced or tricked.”
“Sounds like your fantasy world,” Loxy said. “Oh, I wish,” Jon said.
“Oh, be careful what you wish for,” Loxy said.
“I have everything I want, right here, right now,” Jon said. “That will get you laid again,” Loxy said.
“Should I repeat it?” Jon asked.
Loxy kissed him. “Tell me something you wouldn’t change about the Japanese culture.”
“They don’t hire janitors for the schools. All students and faculty are responsible for the cleaning, which means, students are less likely to make a mess because it’s something they clean up, which is actually a huge factor in building respect for each other and the environment. I would so employ that system of respect in every school in America.”
“Yeah, that’s not going to happen,” Loxy laughed.
“Yeah, and when I open my school, the students and parents will be signing an agreement in advance and if the parents don’t accept, they can take their kids elsewhere,” Jon said, as if establishing a protocol for an existing school. Part of his brain was already imagining conflict, and presenting the responses. “And parents wonder why their kids don’t clean at home, or are inept at washing and cooking. If you don’t teach them, how can you expect them to do something?”
“I agree with you. I have noticed many American don’t know how to cook, and their rooms are messy,” Loxy said. “So many inept people, it does seem to be an American thing.”
Jon sighed, is eyes going distant. “Do you know the story Marry Poppins?”
“Yes, your Tulpa version of me actually watched it in your head a while back and it uploaded unconsciously. I only realized it when I found myself humming a song,” Loxy said.
“Oh? Which one?” Jon asked. “I love to laugh,” Loxy said. Jon nodded.
“You seem surprised,” Loxy said.
“I was thinking you would go for Chim Chimney,” Jon said. “Oh, what a dreadful song,” Loxy said.
“I like that song,” Jon said.
“Do you realize how bad it was for chimney sweeps? And they were not tall, thin adults like Dick Van Dike. They were kids. Small, underweight, homeless, gutter rats that would do anything for a bite of bread. And sometimes kids got trapped in the chimney and died,” Loxy said.
“Yes, the reality of it was certainly not Disney-ish,” Jon agreed.
“Other than that, the song is pleasant in tonality and movement,” Loxy agreed. “But I love to laugh. Followed by these are a few of my favorite things.”
“That’s a different movie,” Jon said.
“Oh, yeah, you’re right,” Loxy said. “So, what connected you to Marry Poppins just now?”
“My story with these kids and their parents feels like an updated version of Marry Poppins, where a magical, American male nanny saves a Japanese family, bringing the parents back into lovingly engage their children, and each other, healing their adult wounds, and simultaneously offering a pathway of love for the whole of Japanese society to recognize its strength and weaknesses.”
“Any monsters involved?” Loxy asked.
“I’m in a Japanese movie,” Jon said. “What do you think?”
“Cool. I love Japanese Monster Movies,” Loxy said. “Do you remember that one with the Star people?”
“The ones that are shaped like stars?” Jon asked. “OMG. I haven’t thought of that one in years!”
Keera entered, was about to close the door when she noticed them. “Oh. Oh! Do you need a moment?”
“No. We were just talking about Japanese movies. Care to weigh in?” Loxy asked.
Keera pretended to consider the request while closing the door from the inside. She walked over and lowered Loxy’s closet in order to raise her own, simultaneously raising a separate hexagon tile that became a chair for her. She sat. “I am kind of partial to Machine Girl.”
“Oh, that’s fun,” Jon agreed.
“Really? Vengeful teenage girl gets a machine gun to replace the hand that was cut off is fun?” Loxy asked. “Where’s the love?”
“Japanese live action is kind of bizarre,” Keera said. “Killing people is about love.”
“I thought it was just lost in translation,” Jon said.
“Oh, clever, and yeah, not so much,” Keera assured them.
Lester entered, and due to the placement of Keera and her closet he didn’t see Jon and Loxy in bed. The moment he did, he turned to face away.
“Are you two ever going to get up?” he demanded. “It is my room,” Jon said.
“I need something from my closet,” he insisted. “Something you can’t magically make outside?” Jon asked.
“How long are you two going to keep up this pretend animosity?” Keera asked. “Pretend?” Jon and Lester both said.
“I want access to my closet,” Lester said.
“No one but you is stopping you from accessing your closet, Lester,” Loxy said. “Does everyone know about the closets but me?” Jon asked.
“Funny how that works, eh?” Loxy asked.
Lester tapped his closet with his cane and it rose from the ground. He swapped out canes. “Really? That’s all you wanted?” Jon asked.
“I’m going for a walk,” Lester said. “Too many people around here.”
“Why are we talking about Japanese movies?” Keera asked.
“Jon is a nanny for a family in Japan, which he’s comparing to Marry Poppins,” Loxy said.
Lester laughed. Jon was perturbed and didn’t hide it.
“What, don’t think I can take care of three children?” Jon asked. “I don’t know of any Japanese musicals,” Lester said.
“Watch more films,” Jon said.
“Trust me. Fill a movie with K-pop girls, it will hold my attention,” Lester said. “That’s new,” Loxy said.
“Nope. You can’t save sexual power for transmution without stimulation, and since I have been forced to start over from scratch, expect to hear a great deal of Kpop in your future,” Lester said.
“Does it have to be K-pop?” Keera asked. “We have dancing girls in school uniforms way before Britney got hit one more time and Korea starting copying us.”
“Yeah, that would work, too. Just has to be females,” Lester said. Then he pointed his cane. “Adults! None of that ambiguous anime stuff where you’re not sure it’s actually a child or a teen. That’s just weird.”
“I wouldn’t be too judgmental,” Keera said. “The reason anime translates so well into the American and Chinese arena is due to their lack of legitimate pathways for teenagers to discuss and process healthy sexual activity. Adults can’t even discuss the subject without extreme condition and contextualized rituals, and even most parents opt their kids out of sex education, because they don’t think the school or state should be discussing the matter. And since no one is talking about relationships or families, academically or at home, because everyone assumes it is self-evident and obvious, well, the only place left for self-discovery is television, movies, and on the streets, which means there is a serious increased risk of encountering real monsters for those brave enough to explore beyond the barriers that no one is discussing!”
“Interesting,” Loxy said. “We were just kind of discussing that, off topic, and under the radar.”
“I don’t want to know about what you and Jon speak about off the radar or on the radar.
The only thing I need to know is that you’re changing the sheets when you’re done,” Lester said. “That’s just absolutely disgusting.”
“We were thinking of flowering your bed next, so we can have matching sheets,” Jon said.
“I will be sleeping outside tonight,” Lester said, departing.
“Maybe we should get another shower and be productive,” Jon said.
“Oh, this was productive!” Loxy said. “Did you know orgasm help relieve menstrual pains?”
“I read that. In Cosmo, I think,” Jon said. “You read Cosmo?” Keera asked.
“Mostly, I just jack off to the pictures, however, I always read the sex articles, and ‘orgasms helping monthly visitor’ articles gets published about twice a year, as if women forget, or maybe they’re working in new customers, or educating men. I suspect more men read Cosmo than women.”
“Yay you, for admitting all of that,” Loxy said.
“It’s not like I can hide that from you, Loxy. I mean, you have access to all of that,” Jon said.
“Cosmopolitan, Petticoat, Teen, Seventeen, Vogue, Cheerleader Uniform, Ball Room clothing, the Sears catalogue,” Loxy listed.
“Oh, Sears! I knew sears when Phoebe Cates was in it,” Jon said, time traveling. “She was really young then,” Loxy said.
“I was really young then!” Jon said.
“You were young?!” Keera and Loxy said together. “Cute. I am going to go get a shower now,” Jon said.
Loxy pulled him back. “We’re not going to shower together?” Loxy asked. “I think I need a cold shower,” Jon said.
“How many showers have you two had?” Keera asked. “What, three now?” Loxy asked.
“I am really not counting the showers,” Jon said.
“I know something preferable to a cold shower,” Loxy suggested. “I am listening,” Jon said.
“Can I play?” Keera asked.
“You want to?” Loxy asked, kind of surprised. Waving towards the amount of blood. “Machine girl, lots of blood,” Jon said. “And she’s a nurse, biologist. And, well, she’s a female.”
“All good points, but some women get freaked out,” Loxy said.
“Have you ever known me to be squeamish about blood or sex?” Keera said. “Besides, afterwards, we can all get a shower together.”