Episode 30: The Station God of Gotanda Station

Gotanda Station, where the Yamanote Line, Toei Asakusa Line, and Tokyu Ikegami Line intersect. An office district and an entertainment district exist back-to-back; by day, it overflows with business people, and by night, laughter spills out from the izakayas. A strange sense of "chaos" drifts in front of the station.
The station god who protects this place is a middle-aged man dressed as a salaryman with a necktie tied around his head like a headband. He holds a beer mug in his right hand and a calculator in his left, and his catchphrase is, "Whether it's work or drinking, do it systematically!"
"Alright, ready for overtime from the morning again! But tonight, we toast!"
Morning. A young man in a suit stood sleepily on the Yamanote Line platform. The moment the train arrived, he stumbled and nearly missed boarding. The god raised his beer mug and shouted, "Cheers!" Then, the woman next to the young man gave him a light push, saying, "Go ahead," and the young man was able to board safely.
"Helping each other out! Even if you can't toast from the morning, a toast in your heart is important!"
In the morning, on the Ikegami Line platform, a tourist was confused, asking, "Togoshi-ginza? Senzoku-ike? Which one?" The god tapped his calculator and shouted, "The answer is one of two!" Then, by chance, a local elementary school student nearby said, "Togoshi-ginza is this way," and taught him. The tourist thanked him, and the god gave a thumbs up.
"The elementary school kids in Gotanda do a great job!"
Noon. The beef bowl restaurant in front of the station is crowded with a long line. A salaryman is agonizing over, "Large serving? Extra large?" The god shook his mug and shouted, "Be careful not to overeat before the drinking party!" Then, the salaryman muttered, "A regular is fine," and was able to work safely through the afternoon.
"Yes, stomach capacity and work efficiency improved!"
In the afternoon, near the ticket gate, an office lady was troubled while looking at her smartphone, wondering, "Where is the next meeting room?" The god tapped his calculator and muttered, "X equals meeting room, Y equals exit, solve it!" Then, by chance, a colleague from her company passed by and called out, "Let's go together." The office lady wore a look of relief.
"Nice teamwork! Gotanda is all about 'human network solutions'!"
In the evening, on the Asakusa Line platform, a foreign traveler was confused, asking, "Asakusa? Shinjuku?" The god raised his mug and shouted, "Asakusa is for bar-hopping, and Kabukicho is for staying up late!" Of course, he couldn't be heard, but a nearby high school student explained it in English, and the traveler was overjoyed. The god narrowed his eyes and muttered.
"Reliable even though they're young... I should have studied English too."
Night. The neon lights in front of the station shine, and it is crowded with people being sucked into izakayas. The god sat down on a beam, holding his calculator in one hand and raising his beer mug high.
"In Gotanda, you work by day and drink by night. It's a cycle. But you know, that's what being human is all about!"
And with a clink, he raised his mug, tapped his calculator, and laughed.
"Overtime pay? Well, it's a wash with the drinking money! Alright, I'll be ready for a toast tomorrow too!"
That voice does not reach people. However, the faces of the people leaving the station were somehow softened, as if they had just had a drink.