It’s hard to leave your wife and puppy in a time and place that seems so close, but at the same time so far off.

Each time I come back to Japan I feel that I’m trapped in a different time and place.

In many ways it reminds me of when I first arrived here, alone, living in a service apartment, and simply trying to occupy my time when not working.

I won’t lie, it’s frustrating as you venture out with the feeling of  ”been there, done that.”

So what have I been doing besides basic chores and whining about the situation?

Well…not much.

I’ve wandered in and out of  the shops of Shinjuku, Shibuya and Harajuku looking in vain for a pair of sneakers as a request from one of M’s colleagues who helped her get settled.

Eat in a variety of restaurants featuring noodles, more noodles, and sometimes rice to mix things up.  I joke, the food is good, especially the Korean place down the block that actually features a vegetarian dish which literally makes you breathe fire.

Mostly though I’ve been going to Yakult Swallows baseball games.  Especially games in which the Swallows find the most painful way to lose. Prior to last night, the last four games I attended were all against the first place Giants and all four proved excruciating as the Giants either persevered or the Swallows simply folded.  Perhaps the best example came last Sunday night as the Swallows closer walked in not one, but two runs to lose 2-1.

Last night against the Swallows rallied in the bottom of the 9th to tie the game 3-3, but once again our closer decided to make things interesting in the top of the 10th.   First he decided to “challenge” the Dragons cleanup hitter, a man with 34 homers with nothing but fastballs.

Boom.  4-3.

Then he gave up  two singles and to put the nail in the coffin, fired a wild-pitch directly to the backstop (the catcher didn’t, correction…couldn’t even put a glove on it) making the score 5-3 Dragons.

Tonight I will go back and will continue to go back for as long as they keep playing.  I grew up a Mets fan, so disappointment is not something that will keep me away.  Tickets are relatively cheap, $15-30 depending on what’s available.   The games while nothing special offer me a chance to forget the nonsense of the world around me and occasionally offer tutorials to British colleagues who have taken a liking to the game.

For now I suppose that’s good enough?!?

Eh, who am I kidding, I’m ready to move on and get back to the future.