Wisely Choice: if it is you when it is necessary to choose either, it does very

I live in a ground floor apartment. I don't have any windows, but I do have two big patio doors. The doors open up to the parking lot. All that is keeping anyone from walking in is a screen with no lock. Japan is safe, but I still feel a little nervous leaving it open at night.

Tonight I finally decided to keep it open to let in some nice cool air.

At around 1:30am I heard sirens. 1:35, more sirens. 1:45 still more sirens. I finally noticed, after pulling my eyes open, that there were flashing lights right outside my patio door. I watched men in sky blue jumpsuits and white helmets run back and forth for awhile till I was startled by the doorbell.

I opened the door to about twenty men standing there in all sorts of uniforms and safety equipment things flashing and strange computers. Their eyes bugged out when they saw I wasn't one of them. I think they asked me if I smelled anything. They pointed to their noses and said "Nashi". Lucky for me my manager taught me that word last week! Hamburgoo Picklesoo nashi=hamburger, no pickles.

I was able to answer "nashi" and they went on their merry way. I guess they found the problem in one of the apartments above mine since they were banging away up there for awhile. OK, I suppose that means I can go back to sleep now. I hope there wasn't too much poison (or whatever it was) leaking in through my open door/window.

Oh, there have been a few well publicized suicides from people inhaling homemade poison gas. Some of the gas also poisoned neighbors, so I think the Japanese are paranoid now.