apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Yes! I noticed they were both single and close in age and was hoping they'd fall for each other and live happily every after...outside of the closet.

How sad is that? Yes, why not a happy ending?

I heard this on NPR on Friday, my co-worker and I were driving to a meeting and ended up talking about THe Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler for the entire drive.

How long do you think someone could live undetected in your house?

Lourdes, what a wonderful sentiment!

It's kind of creepy too. but, just in case, I'm going to check to see if there are any single men in my closet! Woo hoo!

yeah I wanted a happy ending, too.

though more I want a house large enough to have a closet I don't need to open in a year and an extra mattress I wouldn't notice missing!

I heard that an copy of apartment therapy and an application for the small cool contest were also found in the closet.

Talk about a resourceful person!

and homes in japan are so small! i just can't imagine. and it took him several months of surveillance to finally catch her. that is so creepy.

You are SO funny, making fun of a homeless person!

Way to go, AT

That's what I'm talking about Enamorada! Homeless and resourceful La Loca! The "Girl" had a plan!

I hope she is able to use the fame she garners from this story to build a better life for herself.

My mother in law often talks about a family living in her closet and building into the attic, we thought it just the dementia...

Re: "...just in case, I'm going to check to see if there are any single men in my closet! Woo hoo!" - TRUE BLUE

TRUE BLUE,
You'll have significantly better odds if you check in *my* closet. Holler if you need directions ;-)

AlmostAD, I'm in San Francisco, and there aren't a lot of men in the closet here, they are pretty out with it. But I need an old guy who likes old gals. Because I'm an old gal.

I thought about putting a naked boobie shot in my profile, but that ceases to be attractive about the same time the difference in one's bust line height varies by several inches, depending on whether or not one is wearing a bra.

Which might frighten the young'uns.

------

Outside my silliness, I do realize there is a need for affordable housing and safe places for women to live.

This woman, who was not noticeable, it would seem that she could live anywhere, and I hope that she does have a good place to live after this news story.

Where IS one supposed to go when one has no where to go? If there is no family. If there is nothing affordable?

The homeless have a pretty bad reputation. And I've seen some scary looking folks, whether or not they are homeless, I do not know, as I did not ask.

But those stereotypes need to be rethought. Those ones that are of drunken, drugged, dirty, smelly people (try doing an image search on Google for "homeless person" to see what kinds of photos are tagged that way).

Here's one:
http://www.frs-ladroitehumaine.fr/uploaded_files/imgs/bigstockphoto_homeless_person_151275_%5Bresolution_de_l_ecran%5D_1159261658.jpg

Compare with these fellas on Oprah:
http://www.oprah.com/tows/slide/200309/20030922/tows_slide_20030922_04.jhtml

Longish hair, beards. The beards are trimmed, but the hair looks unkempt.

The after picture is on the next page:
http://www.oprah.com/tows/slide/200309/20030922/tows_slide_20030922_05.jhtml

Yes, those really are the same guys.

I remember this show very well, and I'm getting misty about it. That one dear man on the left, he cried. And I cried. And I'm crying now.

You don't know what kind of person is hiding behind the hair and the beard. Or the hunched from the cold person in an oversized jacket they dug out of a dumpster.

They could well be just regular folks, who need a chance. And this lady didn't get one any other way.

I would be scared of the mountain-man look, but I think that older man is quite handsome with his new look.

And speaking of makeovers, that show also had one of the nicest loft makeovers. Check it here:
http://www.oprah.com/foodhome/home/decorating/slide/20030922/home_slide_20030922_loft_01.jhtml

"I hope she is able to use the fame she garners from this story to build a better life for herself."

In Japan, people don't gain fame and glory from their illegal exploits. In fact, this woman will be deeply ashamed at the publicity surrounding what happened and hope that her name does not appear in the press. There is nothing in this situation to capitalize on and nothing funny about it. Her act was one of utter desperation and fear.

The homeless are seen as lazy and as opting out of their responsibilities as "members of society" in Japan. They are seen as a disgrace and regarded with contempt. Anyone who doesn't work or fit in is seen as unworthy of sympathy or charity. Last year, two men in rural Japan (not homeless, just unemployed) starved to death because they were denied welfare benefits of any kind. People who came to their houses to do sales or collect on utility bills saw one of them crawling to the door and obviously in a bad way, but they walked away. A homeless woman who was starving was picked up by an ambulance and rather than given medical attention was dropped outside of a local government office and left to die.

My point is that such people are seen as unworthy of help or fame. The most likely outcome for the woman is that she'll be arrested and put in jail. The "best" outcome is that she'll just be tossed back onto the streets. This is a far sadder piece of news when you live in Japan and know what it's really like.

Orchid64 - That is why when I saw the story about the 4 armed and 4 legged girl born in India I thought "How Lucky"
She will be taken care of and worshiped for the rest of her life.
I agree that the woman living in a closet for a year was desperate. I can't imagine how she managed to hide in a Japanese house for that long. Plus she didn't leave in a year either. To do so, she would have had to leave the house unlocked and risk someone else breaking in or not being able to get back in herself.

It's easy for someone to do what she did in a country where men often work until late at night and star early in the morning. Many men spend fewer than 8 hours at home after working hours and commute are factored in. Also, she hid in the top part of the closet which is usually used for long-term storage. Men are infamous for not cleaning. The owner probably never looked in that area.

My sister had a neighbors escaped ferrett living under her bed for a year.. It too stole food and drank out of the toilet bowl.. not sure where it pooped, but she was a slob and never noticed.. Until one day she went to sit on the toilet, and it was dead in the bowl!!! How creppy is that!!