Today I was leaving my gym in Saitama (a couple of stops from Omiya) and I was walking back to my car. I was on a wide sidewalk, roughly 2-3m, and this went on for about 200m until the car park. There were only around 5 people on this stretch of sidewalk.
I had just drawn my phone from my pocket to change music for the walk to the car when an exasperated looking salaryman jogs up to me, crossing his hands and loudly exclaiming Dame! Dame! Dame! While aggressively pointing at my phone.
I was a bit taken aback and with sound cancelling earphones I hadn’t initially heard him. I took out my earphones and made a confused e? face as before I’d heard him I thought I’d maybe dropped something. Without actually explaining he basically mimed that I shouldn’t be using my phone while walking. I understand that I don’t want to be bumping into people but this was an essentially empty road with plenty of space.
Not wanting to cause a scene, I just said 大丈夫, but the tone was definitely more of a ‘it’s not a big deal, don’t worry about it’ 大丈夫, rather than a ‘ok I get it, sorry’ 大丈夫, and proceed to walk away, while also putting my phone back into my pocket since I didn’t have my earphones in anymore anyway.
He goes silent for a couple of seconds so I glance back and suddenly he starts running after me and continues shouting Dame! Dame! I continue to briskly walk away and after a few more seconds he gives up and goes back in the other direction.
No real point to this story and I don’t think I learned anything but a bizarre experience nonetheless.
Edit: I’ve just started going to this gym so I will update if I run into this friendly gentleman again.
by SgtClunge