Gaijin Tonic

My path seems to be intertwined with a Japanese TV star, Hidehiko Ishizuka (otherwise known as “Ish Chan,”) a tubby funster who eats a lot, smiles so broadly that his eyes disappear, and wears only overalls in the winter.
Everywhere I go, this guy has been there before me. When I visit a restaurant or a bar, there’s a signed photo of him on the wall, posing with the staff. When I go to the over-sized shoe shop, there’s a signed picture of him, grinning down at me. When I go to the big and tall store, (the only place I can buy clothes in Japan due to my height,) Ish-Chan is the model in their brochures!

I suppose we have a lot in common. We’re both tiny-eyed, inanely-grinning gluttons, with an appreciation for food and drink. He’s my doppelganger!
The other day, a friend of mine spotted him strolling down the street, near where we live.
He’s closing in! One day I’ll wake up, look in the mirror, and it won’t be me. Ish-Chan will be staring back at me. Creepy!