Thinking of the Refrigerator

I emptied out my refrigerator for the move.

I bought only the vegetables I knew I could use up, resisted buying eggs because they are surprisingly hard to finish, ate all the frozen rice and meat, and packed the seasonings into cardboard boxes.

Looking at the empty refrigerator, I thought, 'Ah, a new life is finally starting again,' and at the same time, I was flooded with memories of the day I bought it.

***

A year and a half ago. Before moving to Shimane, I visited a second-hand furniture and appliance store in my hometown called 'Life and Kimidori'.

That was where I met the refrigerator I am using now, a 2010 model from the brand 'amadana'.

Among various second-hand refrigerators from brands like SHARP and Hitachi, this one stood out, sitting all by itself with its matte white finish and wooden handle. 256L. The price was 32,000 yen. It had a cute design, and both the size and price were not bad at all.

I stared at the refrigerator as if I were glued to it. It was what you would call love at first sight.

But a refrigerator is something you use every day. Is it really okay to buy a second-hand one on impulse? 2010—smartphones probably weren't even widespread yet. Plus, I was only in the sixth grade back then. An appliance from that era? Wouldn't it break after a year of use? My indecisiveness kicked in.

The clerk, seeing me standing there as still as a weight, spoke to me, saying, 'This refrigerator is really cute, isn't it?'

When I told them I was hesitant, the clerk smiled and said this:

“You touch the refrigerator handle every single day, don't you? Doesn't it make you excited that it's made of wood?”

I had only ever thought of a refrigerator in terms of its function to keep food cold, but after being told that, I imagined all the moments of excitement I would feel every time I opened it.

The moment I take out seasonings for cooking. The moment I take out pre-made side dishes. The moment I take out an ice-cold beer.

As I touched the handle, I imagined so much. I started to really look forward to the moments I would open the refrigerator every day.

So, I bought it. I decided to purchase it while turning a blind eye to the fact that it was second-hand, a 2010 model, and that the shipping cost was 10,000 yen.

***

While cleaning the refrigerator before the movers arrived, I remembered, oh right, this is a used item, manufactured in 2010. I remembered this because even now, after using it for a year and a half, it works perfectly, and the inside is so shiny you can't tell it apart from a brand-new one.

We always want something 'new' right away. I wouldn't think of buying a 12-year-old appliance as new. Because I work in the IT industry, I am sensitive to new products and services.

But by using this refrigerator, I experienced the joy of opening it. I was also able to rethink the basics of life, such as treating things with care. And I was very grateful for the chance encounter of buying it at a physical store.

If I had only been chasing after 'new' things, I surely wouldn't have met this refrigerator that I love so much.

Looking for used items is incredibly fun.

Even if it's not appliances, there are many used items in the world, such as vintage clothing and used books. I also frequently visit Second Street and Book Off.

I think it was this refrigerator that taught me the goodness of used items.

A new life has begun, and I am spending my days with anxiety and fatigue that just won't go away. But today, just as always, the 2010 amadana refrigerator is there. How happy that makes me in my life.

...I realized it after I placed it. The door is on the opposite side of the kitchen!

Damn it! I want a refrigerator that opens from both sides!!!!!