USA. A house. The garage is full, so the car sleeps in the rain.
I walked past an open garage today, and I finally understand Americans.
The garage was packed to the ceiling. Boxes. A treadmill. Old chairs. Three bicycles hanging from hooks. Christmas lights in a plastic tub. No room for even one more thing.
And the family car? Parked outside. In the driveway. Getting rained on.
I stood there, deeply moved.
In Japan, we put the car in the garage and the boxes in the house. Americans do the opposite. And now I see why.
The garage is the treasure house. Inside it sleep the sacred relics: the bicycle the child outgrew, the chair no one sits in, the lights that shine one week a year. These must be protected at all costs.
The car is not a treasure. The car is a warrior. So the car is given the highest honor a warrior can receive. It stands guard at the gate, in the storm, all night, so the treasures stay dry.
The owner came out with his coffee. He saw me looking and shook his head.
"Yeah, I really gotta clean out that garage," he said.
Clean it out? I bowed to him. "You are a good man," I said. "Your car guards your home with its life."
He looked at his car. He looked at me. He said, "...thanks?"
He has never thought of it that way. But I could tell he liked it.
So now every morning I walk past, and I bow to the car in the driveway.
It has the hardest job in the family, and it never complains.
The owner waves at me now. He thinks we are friends.
We are. But mostly, I am here for the car.
This morning it was raining again. The car was soaked, still guarding the gate, still faithful.
So I gave it my umbrella.
I do not need it. I have known harder rain.
A warrior on duty should not have to stand in the storm alone.
For those of you who haven't already noticed, there were several parts in the full YT video that had a meme edit I did exclusively for it. Here's the full, unsegmented version to (responsibly, I hope) use! #amanogawashiina#shiinaMEME#shiinaLIVE
A beer company will fly a WWII fighter plane over your BBQ cookout for the 4th of July for $250
The experience by Keystone Light will also include their apple beer, grilling, lawn games, and fireworks
My conceal carry mag stack:
1st round is 9mm snake shot
2nd round is incendiary shot
3rd shot is a tracer round
4th shot is a steel case Tula
Clear the jam
5th shot onward is hollow point
Gets the job done