I borrowed the うぬ−ぬ book from the library a while back and found it light and refreshing. I don’t think her new book DANSHI is that strong though.

Nonetheless, when I heard she will sign books at Maruzen tonight I decided to go. I’ve never had anything signed, so a little curious too how these things work. I noticed that the majority people queueing must be women. Needless to say I am the only non-Japanese.

Anyway, come 7pm it is announced that ‘sensei’ will shortly step out of that elevator. Applause! We are being ushered around by plentiful dark suit-clad helpers who suddenly became visible out of nowhere. The parallels to a Japenese wedding now become painfully apparent. I advance in the queue, snap a mobile phone pic despite my feeling that the sign on the wall probably prohibits this.

I reach the front and dark suit drone #1369, who collects the books and cards with name requests sees my two books and says “one book only”, even though I had explicitly confirmed this to be OK when I purchased them. I tell the drone and he disappears for a moment, comes back and lets me pass.

I’m in front of the ‘sensei’ and she looks at me with a blank facial expression, then starts drawing with lacquer pens. Finally an utterly random scribble and she says “sign”. I am not sure if that’s a joke, but offer a polite laugh. I look at the Canon EOS with the girlie stickers all over it that sits on the table. Other book gets the same treatment. Still the blank face.

By that time I feel rather disappointed by it all. I thank her and sink the books into the plastic bag and head straight for the escalator. At the same time I realize all the onlookers around us and the image of handshakes and deep bows of my predecessors cross my mind. I don’t feel I forgot anything here.