Tokyo Tower: Chapter 2 Part 2
Tokyo Tower ~ Me & My Radio, & sometimes My Mom ~
(A semi-autobiography by Fukuyama Masaharu)
Continued from here.
Having got fired after only 3 months delivering pizzas, I practised my positive thinking - “This type of work is not suitable for me.” Focusing on what lay ahead, I moved into physical labour. Not once did I consider returning to Nagasaki.
And so, for my next job, I chose a transport company. My task was to move steel piping and assemble the metal scaffolding in construction sites. The foundation of the building in the old J-Wave was put up by me, really.
The first week went by well. The pay I received each day was good enough for a living. But for some reason, my employer stopped giving out wages in the following week. Something was not right. Thinking I had to check it out, I mustered up my courage and went to the office. Someone else was already there…….Another body covered up in drawings, i.e. another ‘life senpai’.
The ‘life senpai’ yelled, “Don’t give me that …!” as the boss was trying to fob him off, and then proceeded to beat him up. Making use of the situation, I was also able to get all my pay back.
In any case, I had to feed myself. Having very quickly lost my faith in this transport company, I decided to move on to a lumber factory close by. After some months at the factory, I could finally say that my life had settled down.
During all this time, there was 1 song that kept me going. Sion-san’s “街は今日も雨さ” (Machi wa kyo mo ame sa).
“From morning to night, my fingerprints have worn off, this continuous dish-washing, only gets me ¥3,200″
Hearing those words, always gave this new city-dweller a lot of courage.
“When I was delivering pizzas, I could earn ¥4,000, that’s more than Sion-san……”
Even now, when I hear the song again, it brings back memories of those years. My feelings and state of mind at that time, my struggles within, I can still feel my spirit of those days.
“It was because of this song, that I was able to keep pushing on.” It would not be an overstatement to say this.
とりあえずは食うことさ First, to feed myself,
新聞の広告で仕事を拾った I found a job from a newspaper ad
朝から晩まで指紋がすりきれるほど From morning to night, my fingerprints have worn off
皿を洗いつづけてたったの3200円 This continuous dish-washing, only gets me ¥3,200
つぶれかけたスナックの裏にある Underneath all the snacks
かび臭い部屋 俺のねぐら A musty smelly house, that’s my home
なにが都会の気ままな暮らしだ Is this the slipshod life of a city
それどこじゃねぇ まったくそれどこじゃねぇ I’ve gone off-track, totally off track
街は今日も雨さ It’s raining in this city today
びしょ濡れの心の向こうに My heart feels drenched out
標識がかすんでみえる The signs are misted and unclear
街は今日も雨さ It’s raining in this city today
今日が昨日のくりかえしでも Today repeats yesterday
明日が今日のくりかえしでも Tomorrow repeats today
今日が昨日のくりかえしでも Today repeats yesterday
明日が今日のくりかえしでも Tomorrow repeats today
Yes. My music had not yet begun.
I did not even have a notebook at that time, all my lyrics were written at the back of pamphlets. The words I wrote under those circumstances, “Into the photochemical smog, we were born”…… were not worth mentioning. But, I was in Tokyo, and I was getting closer to my music with each step I took.
Please think about it for a while. In Tokyo, before I was able to pick up a guitar, the things I held were……pizza, …steel pipes, …wood……See! It’s getting closer and closer to a guitar!
Will the next one, be the guitar?
~End of Chapter 2~
(Midori’s comments)
Masha said in an earlier radio broadcast that he had gone back to visit the lumber factory some years ago. The owner pointed out a chair and said, “This is where you used to sit. Right there!” He was touched to tears. He never thought the owner would remember even such tiny details.
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Tokyo Tower Series
Chapter 1 (I / II) ………. Chapter 4 (I / II) ………. Childhood Chapter
Chapter 2 (I / II) ………. Chapter 5 / 6 / 7 ………..Mother’s Day Chapter
Chapter 3 (I / II) ………. Final Chapter (I / II)
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Translated from Fukuyama Honne (Article 400)
Original posted on ANN TamaRadi blog 2007.03.21 written by Fukuyama Masaharu
Lyrics from the song have been translated very loosely from the original post. Please let me know of any mistakes!
This English translation was first posted on MashaPlus [dot] Info Forums. (Registration required to enter.)