Hapa. Dramatic Mezzo. A California Girl.
East Bay
Joined January 2010
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Monica Akemi retweeted
adhd is telling yourself "alright time to get started" every 30 minutes and continuing to not move
Monica Akemi retweeted
The ADHD urge to use parenthesis in every sentence (because every thought comes with additional bonus content)
Monica Akemi retweeted
A while back, I stopped at a small gas station on a long drive and paid for a full tank in cash.
After filling up, I got back on the highway.
About two hours later, I realized my wallet was missing, it must have slipped out of my jacket pocket at the pump. Inside was almost everything I had saved for a car repair I couldn't put off.
I called the station's number, hoping someone had found it.
The attendant answered and said:
"Yeah, someone turned it in. It's behind the counter."
I said, "Thank you so much, really. I'll come back for it right now."
He said, "Take your time, it's not going anywhere."
I drove the two hours back that same evening.
When I walked in, he pulled it out from a drawer and handed it to me.
I opened it and counted the cash in front of him. "Is it all there?"
He nodded. "Every bit of it. Didn't touch it."
I pulled out some bills and held them out. "Please, take this. You didn't have to keep it safe for me."
He shook his head. "I'm good, man."
I said, "You worked a full shift and still kept this safe for hours. Let me thank you properly."
He just shrugged and said, "Money that's not mine doesn't become mine just because no one's watching," and went back to helping the next customer.
Monica Akemi retweeted
I wonder if my recorded call has ever been used for training or quality purposes.
Monica Akemi retweeted
Standing in line at the post office in Shibuya, old woman in front of me struggling with a package.
Clerk: This is too heavy. You need different box.
Woman: But this is only box I have.
Me: (without thinking) I have a box. You can have it.
Woman: (turning to me) You would do that?
Me: Sure.
ran to my apartment (5 minutes away), got a box, came back.
Woman: (nearly crying) You are very kind.
Clerk: Very rare. Most people don't help.
Me: It's just a box.
Woman: No. It's more.
she insisted on taking my address.
"To send thank you."
Me: That's really not necessary.
Woman: It is to me.
two weeks later: package arrived.
homemade cookies and a note.
"Thank you for the box and for restoring my faith in young people. -Yamamoto"
Me: (to roommate) This is very sweet.
Roommate: You made old lady's day.
forgot about it.
month later: another package.
more cookies and a note.
"I made extra. Thought you might enjoy. -Yamamoto"
Me: She's still sending cookies?
Roommate: Don't question free cookies.
became a regular thing.
every month, cookies arrived.
different types:
- chocolate chip
- matcha
- black sesame
- "mystery flavor" (still don't know what it was)
me: (to roommate) Should I tell her to stop?
Roommate: WHY? Free cookies!
Me: It feels like too much.
Roommate: Send her a thank you note then.
sent a note: "Thank you for the cookies. You really don't have to keep sending them, but they're delicious."
next package: DOUBLE the cookies.
note: "You said they're delicious. So I sent more. -Yamamoto"
Me: I'VE CREATED A COOKIE MONSTER.
year of cookies.
I was drowning in baked goods.
shared with neighbors.
they LOVED them.
Neighbor: Where do you get these?
Me: Old woman I helped at post office.
Neighbor: I WANT OLD WOMAN COOKIES.
Me: GET YOUR OWN OLD WOMAN.
two years of cookies.
then they stopped.
Me: (to roommate) No cookies this month.
Roommate: Maybe she forgot?
Me: She's sent them for 24 months straight. Something's wrong.
looked up her name, found an address.
went to visit.
her daughter answered.
Daughter: Can I help you?
Me: I'm looking for Yamamoto-san. She's been sending me cookies.
Daughter: (eyes widening) YOU'RE the box boy!
Me: ...yes?
Daughter: Come in! She talks about you constantly!
Yamamoto: (from living room) WHO IS IT?
Daughter: THE BOX BOY.
Yamamoto: (shuffling out) You came!
Me: I was worried when the cookies stopped.
Yamamoto: Arthritis. Hands don't work so well anymore. I'm sorry.
Me: Please don't apologize. I just wanted to make sure you were okay.
Yamamoto: (crying) You remembered me.
Me: Of course. You've been sending me cookies for two years.
Yamamoto: Because you gave me a box. And kindness. During very hard time.
Daughter: (to me) Her husband had just died. She was mailing his things to family. You were the first person who helped.
Me: I didn't know.
Yamamoto: That's why it mattered. You helped stranger for no reason.
visited her every month after that.
she taught me to make her cookies.
Yamamoto: So you can make them when I'm gone.
Me: Don't talk like that.
Yamamoto: I'm 83. I can talk however I want.
learned all her recipes:
- the chocolate chip (secret: miso paste)
- the matcha (secret: yuzu zest)
- the mystery flavor (secret: it was lavender, I just have no sense of smell)
Yamamoto: Now you carry on tradition.
Me: I'm not a baker.
Yamamoto: Neither was I. Until I needed to thank someone.
she passed away last year.
her daughter gave me her recipe book.
note inside: "For the box boy. Keep the kindness going. -Yamamoto".........🧵
