On to the West Side

When I was in hunior High, I remember reading with particular devotion a certain Japanese comic book called Captain Tsubasa. It was a story about this kid soccer player in Japan who becomes one of the greatest to ever play-- his touch on the ball is like music, every ball and person he meets playing football he befriends (Yes, soccer balls are his friends.) Anyway, my older brother was into the main story, but I was more interested in some of the side stories, like this guy Shingo who never really got recognition in high school ball but moved to Italy on his own to try to make it on a team in Milan while shining shoes near some fountain. So this kid was an amazing juggler, and he'd go do crazy tricks with the ball without having it ever touch the ground, kind of street performing for loose change. And the way the artist drew the football pictures made you feel like you were better after you looked at them, you know? Like you can do the same shit, rolling the ball off your heel into the air and balancing it on your forehead like nothing.

Anyway, on my last night in Sydney, I met the personification of Shingo in the mall under the Sydney Tower. I was skating by when a soccer ball rolled to me, and I was super happy because I'd been wanting to kick around a ball, so a couple Japanese dudes and I had a small juggling session, then they started drumming, I danced around a bit, and this kid started a one man show, attracted a crowd of like 35 in this mall, and killed it. Killed it. Everyone in the area was drop-jawed by his soccer skills. And they gave really good money for the show. I chilled with them a bit, and turns out they all met there and made their living with the show. They were all down dudes. Talk about inspiration. Regrettably I have no photos, sorry.

So after that I got on a plane this morning to Western Australia, had a verrrry pleasant bus ride through the suburbs of Perth, and am now in a shabby-esque hostel in the city, having a good time chillin out. Feels kinda like a frat house. No beer-pong though, alcohol isnt allowed in here. Oh yeah, I finished Bill Bryson's book In a Sunburned Country (Down Under in Australia) on the plane today. Super good, funny, informative, check it out if you're interested in reading about Australia. All right, onward up north soon. Laater