Man, what a day! I’m tellin’ ya, being a prison warden in Arida is no walk in the park. So, I wake up, right? Sun’s blazin’ through my window on Kōen-dōri. I’m like, “Great, another day in paradise.” Spoiler alert: it wasn’t.
First off, I hit up my usual spot for breakfast—this tiny joint on Shōwa-dōri. They got the best tamagoyaki. I’m munchin’ away, thinkin’ life’s good, when BAM! My phone buzzes. It’s the prison. Some dude’s tryin’ to escape. Like, seriously? In Arida? You gotta be kidding me!
I rush over to the prison, heart racin’. I’m thinkin’ about all the crazy stuff that’s happened in this city. Arida’s got its charm, but it’s also got its share of wild stories. Like that time the local festival turned into a food fight. Hilarious, but not today, man. Not today.
So, I get to the prison, and it’s chaos. Guards runnin’ around, lookin’ like headless chickens. I’m like, “What’s the sitch?” Turns out, some genius thought he could squeeze through a vent. A VENT! I mean, c’mon, dude. You really think you’re gonna pull that off?
I’m fumin’. I can’t believe this. I’m pacing back and forth, thinkin’ about how I’m gonna deal with this. I mean, Arida’s a small city, and word gets around fast. I don’t need the locals thinkin’ we can’t handle our business.
Then, outta nowhere, I hear laughter. I turn around, and it’s the inmates. They’re watchin’ the whole thing go down like it’s a reality show. I swear, if I had a dollar for every time I wanted to strangle one of those guys… Anyway, I can’t let them see me sweat. So, I put on my best “I’m in control” face.
Finally, we catch the guy. He’s stuck halfway through the vent, lookin’ like a cartoon character. I can’t help but laugh. I mean, it’s ridiculous! But then I get mad again. “What were you thinkin’, man?” I yell. He just shrugs. Classic.
After that mess, I decide to take a breather. I stroll down to the Arida River. It’s peaceful there, y’know? The water’s flowin’, and I can see the cherry blossoms startin’ to bloom. Makes ya forget about the craziness for a sec. I sit on a bench, just takin’ it all in.
But then, I see this kid, maybe 10 years old, tryin’ to catch fish with a stick. He’s all serious about it, and I can’t help but smile. Kids have this way of makin’ everything seem simple. I think about my own childhood, runnin’ around the streets of Arida, not a care in the world.
Then, I get a call. It’s the mayor. He’s not happy. Apparently, the escape attempt made the news. Great. Just what I needed. I’m sittin’ there, tryin’ to explain how it was a “minor incident.” But he’s not buyin’ it. “You need to do better,” he says. Yeah, thanks for the pep talk, buddy.
I head back to the prison, and it’s still a circus. I’m tryin’ to keep my cool, but inside, I’m like a pressure cooker. I can’t let the inmates see me crack. I walk through the halls, and they’re all shoutin’ stuff at me. “Hey, Warden! You gonna let us out?” Ha! Not a chance, fellas.
Finally, the day winds down. I’m exhausted. I grab a drink at this little bar on Kōen-dōri. The bartender knows me. “Rough day?” he asks. You have no idea, man. I down a couple of beers, tryin’ to forget the madness.
As I sit there, I think about Arida. It’s a wild place, full of surprises. I love it, but some days, it drives me nuts. I guess that’s life, huh? Just gotta roll with the punches.
So, yeah, that was my day. Just another day in the life of a prison warden in Arida. Can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings.