ItalianoGACKT Official Blog update. Translation below:
Today, I woke up well at 4 a.m. again.
It’s pretty much an annual routine, no, rather, a chicken’s routine…
or you can even say that its the phenomenon of me becoming an old geezer with how well I woke up.
The Empire State Building, which can be seen from my hotel window, is beautiful.
It would be nice to go there if the weather was good but it’s raining here and there…
If it stops raining I might go…
I remained there and finished my work.
At around 10 a.m., I prepared to head out.
The other day, I got my phone repaired at Times Square but it’s in such bad condition
that it’s as good as me not being able to work at all.
I decided to go to another shop to get it fixed.
It might be because of the screen that was changed is a third-party product,
in other words, 【it’s not an original but an inferior product from China】.
Damn it… They got me…
They really thought I didn’t know about these things and did it.
I’m pissed…
I went to search for a different mobile phone repair shop.
But… at the entrance,
『As today is Sunday, we are not open』
said the sign, I got denied.
So I started walking and looking for another shop.
I heard that there was a capable repair shop in the bus terminal
so I decided to go check it out anyway.
There weren’t any shops that looked like that.
When I asked the policeman outside, they said that it’s at a kiosk in the building
so I went in again.
I thought that I finally found it, but it looks way too suspicious…
【Can they really do it??】
I couldn’t help but doubt it.
Anyway, I asked him a variety of questions.
『I changed by screen a few days ago and
the 3D Touch function isn’t responding well but, what do you think the reason for this might be?』
He answered bluntly.
『The screen might be an aftermarket product or the motherboard might be having issues…』
I was a little surprised that he answered correctly.
It’s the same as what I suspected…
Actually, I, GACKT can take my own iPhone apart and modify it,
then reassemble it back to it’s original form…
You might as well say I’m the only musician in this industry.
I rewrite the program a little too.
In other words, I’m quite a geek.
『How much will it cost?』
I asked,
『It’ll cost around $130 to change it to a legitimate screen…』
he bluntly gave me a quick reply but
it’s a very reasonable price…
『Well, then can you try changing it for me? How long will it take?』
I asked,
『Maybe around 15 minutes…』
Hey hey hey hey, 15 minutes?
Even those who are very experienced will take around 20 to 25 minutes right, in this industry.
While the thought crossed my mind, I passed my phone over then he didn’t sit down to work,
but instead remained standing, and while talking on the phone in one ear, he began working.
Then,
he casually left the tiny screws on one side one the table.
As I watched from the side, I thought, if he places the screws so haphazardly,
won’t decrease the efficiency in his work?
The screws used in an iPhone are rather small, and there are quite a lot of them,
at a glance they all look the same, but that’s not true.
Furthermore, there are many repairmen who don’t know it well enough to do it properly,
and put them into the wrong areas
because each of them are so small.
While looking at the messily placed screws on the table,
『This would definitely take longer than 15 minutes right…』
I thought, as I watched him with a dubious expression next to him…
Thinking about it calmly, it makes you wonder what the hell I’m doing having come all the way to New York…
However,
with a speed that I never expected, no, one that I never even imagined, in a flash,
he removed the screen, then the important parts next,
and then put in the new screen.
Furthermore, when I watched him clean the removed parts on the cloth until they were squeaky clean,
I found that he has a rather meticulous personality.
『This guy… he can do it…』
I continued watching him work from the side without showing my surprise.
And furthermore.
Customers came one after another.
And without his hands stopping, he correctly answered the customers’ questions as if it’s natural.
『This guy, he’s quite a maniac…!!!』
His English pronunciation sounded a little different, so I asked him where he came from, and
『Tajikistan…』
was what he murmured.
I see, that makes sense.
If you came to an unknown country and are unable to work like this,
you won’t be able to eat… I thought,
and again chewed on the meaning of the words 【art brings bread】.
No matter what you do, if you are able to do it properly and are particular about how you do it,
you will definitely be able to make it your work and will be able to make money from it.
For him too, compared to being hired to work, being in such a small shop like this,
for example, and doing things himself will probably earn him more.
Even so, his skill is good.
While looking inside and checking,
『The motherboard has no problems,
the screen was a bad third-party one, this…』
he said, showing me the back of the screen.
Indeed, it was a bad one.
That damn repairman… pissing me off..
Then,
his skill was precise, pointing out the wrong screws.
『You can’t put this screw in this place…』
he said, showing me the small errors.
It’s too awesome…
In 15 minutes, he returned it to me in a cleanly finished condition.
『If it doesn’t move after this, tell me.
I’ll check it in more detail…』
His skill was so good that I clapped.
Furthermore.
In the period of this work, a few different people left their damaged phones, with 3 or 4 waiting for repair.
Perhaps,
they knew that this guy is skilled,
and everyone gathered here to get it fixed.
Wonderful!!!
How unexpected,
that I will meet such an artisan in such a place!!!
I’ll come here again to get another phone’s screen changed.
I applauded him, and told him that I was moved by him,
and he smiled for the first time.
『If there’s any problem, do come any time…』
The world is big.
Really.
There are all kinds of people around.
There are lots of talented people around.
I then got into the car,
and from then I went to shop for clothes that I’ll be using for traveling around Europe.
I recently like poker for poker fashion,
so I went to have a look.
I arrived at Dolce & Gabbana
and next to it, was incidentally Trump Tower.
『So Trump Tower is this big…?』
I thought, I’m like a complete country bumpkin.
I expected to quickly decide on my clothes when I went in but
the pace of the staff was slow…
It took quite a lot of time for them to just prepare things.
As I looked around in the shop, I discovered an eye-catching bag.
『To think Dolce & Gabbana has something like this…』
I thought, snapping a photo as I looked in the mirror.
Pretty nice.
If the belt area can be easily detached with a buckle
I’ll buy it immediately… I thought, attracted by the great leather colouring.
This is a really wonderful leather.
I’ve never seen such a leather bag…
『To think Dolce & Gabbana has something like this…』
I kept saying the same line over and over.
I couldn’t decide whether to buy it or not.
When the staff came towards me, I asked about the price.
『How much is this??』
『Eeeehhhhhhmm, USD27,000』
『Hah?』
I thought I heard wrongly, and asked a few times but I kept getting the same answer.
You’re kidding me,
This bag is almost 3 million yen???
Dangerous, dangerous!!!
I was about to go with the flow and buy it…
Give me a break〜〜
It’s not like I’m Michael Jackson or something.
Diss… you’re dissing me…
While thinking about that, I was still undecided about whether or not I should buy it.
Oh well,
I suppose since there are things that I don’t like about it there’s no need to buy it… I thought,
and with painful reluctance, I left the shop.
While taking a break at a cafe, I thought about the bag from earlier.
There were lots of shocking things today for some reason…
Seems like there’s still more that will happen today.
Alright then,
after eating, maybe I’ll go and drink a little too…
Even so, 3 million yen…
Naaah, no way, no way…
Source: GACKT Blog
Translation: GACKT ITALIA Team
Translation © GACKT ITALIA