I then got to my hotel, which was right by the airport, at around 9pm. I had some work to do, and some calls to make, so I went to bed at around 1am as there was nothing to do around the hotel, not even a great restaurant! This is tragic when you’re in Japan! Then, I heard my phone ring, like really loud. It’s pitch black in my tiny hotel room, I’m trying to understand where I am, what’s happening, what’s that loud noise. I can’t find my phone, I open the light, and see on my phone screen “The Alex” – this is how I wrote his name in my phone contacts. I start being worried, still half asleep, thinking “If Alex is calling me, something’s wrong for sure!” 

I go “Salut frère (we call each other “brother” in French)”. And then my mind kicks in as I can hear he’s in a public place, either a pub or a restaurant: he’s in his meet & greet party, and I might be on speaker phone where everyone can hear my low-end, exhausted, and worried very early morning voice! My first reaction was to look at my phone again making sure the Facetime call was an audio one and not a video, otherwise, I think I would’ve fainted! How much shame can one handle, right?! 🫣