In Japan you can eat dinner in a booth
designed so no one ever looks at you.
One seat. A small curtain.
A wall on each side.
You order by ticket.
A pair of hands slides the food through.
You never make eye contact with a soul.
The internet thinks this is sad.
It's the opposite.
Japan looked at the lonely person —
the one too tired to perform,
too drained to make small talk —
and didn't pity them.
It built them a seat.
With dignity.
And really good ramen.