A conversation Kirsten had with herselves this morning as she went into the train station to go to kichijoji for Mia's music class:

The Mother: Wow, that man is standing directly in Mia's way on these stairs.

The One Who Assumes the Worst: He looks a little weird. His hair is all stringy and his sweats are dirty.

The Mother: Should I go down a different staircase? Is it safe?

The One Who Assumes the Worst: Oh my God! His butt is hanging out of his pants. He's crazy. He's going to poop on the staircase. He's going to hit Mia and Maika.

Compassionate One: Oh, maybe he's just confused about where he is. Maybe he's forgotten his meds. Poor guy.

The One Who Assumes the Worst: There's a train guy. I'll wave him down. (proceeds to do so, then explains in Japanese that the weird guy just got on the train)

The Mother: Should I get on the same train car as that weird guy?

The One Who Assumes the Worst: Yep. Let's stay and watch and see what happens. Now he's muttering and yelling to himself. Where did that train guy go? I knew they wouldn't do anything. Chicken!

Compassionate One: Oh, here comes the train guy. Oh no, the guy is completely yelling at the poor train guy. Oh, the train guy is walking away. I feel bad now. Maybe I shouldn't have said anything to the train guy. The bare assed guy has a right to be here, too. I was just making trouble.

The Mother: That guy just put his bare ass on this train bench. (looks down in disgust imagining a variety of nasty things that might have touched the train bench where Mia is currently sitting and eating her maple melon bread)

The One Who Assumes the Worst: Okay, now we're talking. Two train guys just came over, now they'll take the crazy dude away.

The One Who Assumes the Worst: I can't believe it! The crazy guy yelled at them, and then the two train guys just walked away. What would they have done if the bare assed guy had a knife or something?

The Mother: Maybe he does have a knife. (watches lots of other people vacate the area around the crazy guy) Maybe I should go into another car? Are mia and maika okay?

The One Who Assumes the Worst: That's so Japan. Just have to avoid confrontation. What cowards. They just walked away and did nothing.

Compassionate one: That's not very nice. Maybe they're having a bad-

The One Who Assumes the Worst: Oh, shut up!