The Corner
There is a corner in my neighborhood that really bugs the hell out of me. There is a very small side street, typical of so many very small, nameless streets in Tokyothat intersects with Nakano dori (Avenue), which is the main thoroughfare around here. This particular corner is just a couple of minutes up the hill form where I live, and I must pass it every time I go to the local video/DVD shop. No matter when I pass it, day or evening, two cars are always there blocking my way just when I arrive. How can that be? It is a very narrow, small street, granting access from the big road into a residential area on the side. It is not built for a lot of traffic, and considering the number and size of dwellings found on it, it is impossible - well, highly improbably - that it can produce a lot of traffic. So, why are there exactly two automobiles stopped there, waiting to turn onto Nakano dori at the precise time that I always arrive? Hmm, I think it speaks to the laws of probability and the phenomenon of repeating coincidences. You know, like how you might dream about someone you haven’t seen for ages, and then that same day get an E-mail from them just by chance.