People always say, “You’re always in a state of excitement, Mr. Shimabukuro.” Any reasonable person would think so once they see me spewing out words and jokes, regardless of whether they’re funny or not. Or maybe I always had this temperament. Ever since my eyesight began deteriorating due to an incurable disease called retinitis pigmentosa, I feel like I’ve become more of an excited person.

And it’s not just me. There’s a lot of people whose vision is impaired or completely gone and are still exciting. If such people gather, it’ll be a loud circus that’ll make you want to pull the plug and shut it down.

When your vision is impaired, you tend to rely more on your mouth and ears. That’s why such people are naturally more talkative. But apparently, that’s not the only reason. I wouldn’t say it’s a cause per se, but I do believe that part of the reason has to do with society. In other words, society is creating these visually impaired, excited people. Let me introduce two events that illustrate my theory.

The old man walking in Ohori Park

On one hot summer day when the cicadas were crying loudly, I was chatting with a girl from my visually handicapped group of friends at a café in Ohori Park. Once the conversation settled down, I decided to go home. Apparently, there was a subway station nearby. It was my first time visiting the area, so I relied on her memory for directions. But her vision is worse than mine. And she probably wasn’t confident that she chose this particular route. I was getting worried, so I checked the directions with an old man who just happened to be walking by. The old man was very polite. He said that if we went straight, turned right at the big intersection, and walked straight along the sidewalk, we would reach the station. I thanked him and resumed my journey towards the station.

Ultimately, I found the station, just as he said. She stopped in front of the steps that led underground. Visually handicapped people often dislike stairs. Now, the question is: Where is the elevator? At that moment, I heard a voice from behind me.

“The elevator is this way.”

To my surprise, it was the old man from minutes ago. He was following me all along. Since our vision is impaired, we have a lot blind spots so people can follow us as much as they want. When the elevator doors opened, he gestured us to get on. He pressed the B1 button and told us go be careful before walking away briskly. I’ve never encountered such a convenient stalker. I don’t mind if he follows me 24/7. My spirits were lifted.

The owner of the convenience store across the street.

I got divorced last year. Saying goodbye to someone who has been with me for around 20 years was rather quick and easy. I needed to find a place to live. The real estate agency I was familiar with introduced me to an apartment near my workplace. It was a small 1K room. I felt like I was a student again. Everything was electrified, which I appreciated. There was a convenience store across the street. That sealed the deal. People like me who are visually handicapped have a hard time, even if it’s just to buy groceries. I might be fine in large cities, but in rural areas where driving is a necessity, it becomes a matter of life and death.

I became a regular at the convenience store since the day I moved in. The owner was a super friendly guy, too. Every time I went, he came and talked to me. Whenever I left the store, he would open the doors for me. He was kind and ensured that I wouldn’t hurt myself. It was really a nice place to be.

One day, I went to the convenience store early in the morning. It’s easy to shop when there are fewer people. When I finished paying, the owner spoke to me quietly. It was quite odd and unusual.

“We’re actually going to close the store at the end of June.”

“A new convenience store was opened near this place, and our revenue went down by 70%. I can’t keep it open like this.”

“I was always worried about you.”

He handed me a piece of paper. On it was his name and contact information. He prepared it in advance and waited for days for me to come.

“I almost forgot. Can you tell me your phone number?” I called the number so he would have mine.

“Thank goodness I have your contact information. I’ll close this store, but I’ll be at the convenience store 2km that way.”

“Call me if you need anything. I’ll deliver it to you. Use me on rainy days!”

I could feel the smile on his face as I left the store. This was my first time in 40 years that an early summer morning without the sound of any cars felt so refreshing.

I have many stories like this that I would like to share. My heart is packed with the kindness, compassion, and care of others. It’s like a balloon that’s just about to burst. I’m a clumsy person who doesn’t know how to release some of that air. That’s why I’m always in a state of excitement. I’m sure others like me feel the same.

“Mr. Shimabukuro, you’re excited as always.” See. Someone said it to me again today. This is fine. This is exactly what I need.