I sauntered into the local post office the other day to use the cash machine, a usually mundane event that requires no consciousness whatsoever.
Since many cash machines in Japan are located inside buildings such as banks and post offices, some ATMs are not accessible after hours. As a result, crime at ATMs is scant. So I was startled to find two men in black waiting for me as I left the machine at around 9 a.m. They accosted me before I could even get to the door.
Befuddled, I scrutinized the men for a moment. Their suits were actually dark gray, not black, and they were, thankfully, employees of the post office. I vaguely recalled a bit of hustle and bustle as I entered the post office, but hadn't taken much notice as my mind was on the fresh, crisp yen notes that would soon spit themselves out of the ATM.