The Man Who 'Doesn't Wear' - A Declaration of Eccentricity

I apologize for starting with such a sudden question, but

it's gotten cold so suddenly that I've forgotten, but did we even have an 'autumn' this year?

Well, if it comes down to 'wearing' or 'not wearing,' I 'don't wear'.

Yes.

But here is the thing.

Since I am a model (lol) guard who works six days a week, I don't want the company to

'Do you need it?' or 'Do you not need it?'

skip over that part of the conversation.

Oh! My apologies.

I'm talking about the 'cold-weather gear' for security duty.

It's been about three and a half years since I became a security guard.

Air-conditioned clothing in the summer. Cold-weather gear in the winter.

Every time I received them at the office, I would immediately return them saying, 'These are annoying,' and after repeating the cycle of receiving them again and saying, 'I really don't need them after all,' the company finally stopped asking me, 'Do you need it?' or 'Do you not need it?' this winter.

I mean, look.

It's very hot in the middle of summer and very cold in the middle of winter. I'm human, after all.

But here is the thing.

Having more layers of fabric on my body than necessary just ends up feeling 'annoying' no matter what.

A down jacket is the absolute limit of what I can wear. I haven't worn a coat in decades.

At one site where I start at 4:30 a.m. in the dead of winter, other young guards worried about me, saying, 'It's below freezing this morning, Youkan-san. You really should wear your cold-weather gear today or you'll catch a cold.' And at a construction site on a snowy day, a security guard at a department store near the post pointed out while laughing, 'Are you okay not wearing cold-weather gear in this snow? You look like a snowman.'

It seems word of such rumors reached the company, and I have officially been 'certified as an eccentric' this winter.

But you know.

As I wrote at the beginning, isn't it lonely after all?

'No, no, pay more attention to me,' I say.

After the 'Do you need it?' 'Do you not need it?' exchange, I want to loudly declare to the company, 'I do not need it,' and let the declaration of my identity as 'Yes, I am an eccentric' resonate within myself.

So, you see.

Just the other day, when I went to the office to submit my year-end tax adjustment documents, I made that declaration.

(At the office)

Young office worker F (hereafter F): 'Alright, I'll take your year-end tax adjustment documents. Thank you for your hard work.'

Me: 'No, no, F. There's still something missing, right?'

F: 'Huh! What is it?'

Me: 'Come on, come on. That thing you wear in winter.'

F: 'Ah, you mean the winter gear. But you don't need it, right, Youkan-san?'

Me: 'But look. All the other team members are getting it, right? So just do the 'need it' 'don't need it' part for me. Please.'

F: 'But you won't wear it, right, Youkan-san?'

Me: 'Well, well, don't be so mean about it. It makes me feel lonely.'

F: 'You're really annoying, Youkan-san (bitter laugh).'

Me: 'Come on. Do it, do it.'

F: 'Yes, yes (bitter laugh). So, do you need the winter gear? Or do you not need it?'

Me: 'Yeah. I don't need it.'

F: 'Heh. You're such a pain, Youkan-san.'

Me: "Thank you, F-kun."

F: "(bitter smile)"

I was on the verge of becoming a 'senile nuisance' (lol), so I will add that I apologized politely to F-kun, but with this, my 'Eccentric Security Guard Declaration' has successfully concluded.

It is freezing again this morning.

But it's okay!

I have loudly 'declared' it both publicly and privately.

My third winter as a security guard.

This battle-hardened 'eccentric' will don the armor of 'stoic endurance' and will surely repel the cold!💪