Jan. 31, 2012 - Where's my stop?

We had a plumbing issue Monday.  We purchased a plunger Monday night but were unable to resolve it ourselves, so today I called the realty management company.  They had a plumber come around 2:30; he spent about half an hour and then he had the realty management company call me to say that he would be back around 5:00 with a different tool.  (He didn't speak any English other than the word "toilet.")  At 5:00 another plumber showed up and started to work.  He was here until 6:30 and had a third plumber here for part of the time with him.  I don't know what the problem ended up being, but clearly it was a problem we were not going to be able to solve on our own.  Meanwhile, Greer had texted me from the late bus to let me know when she was on her way after swim practice.  Some time passed, and around 5:15 I got another text from her letting me know that she thinks she's missed her stop.

Here is our text message exchange:

Greer: I have HW in 2 classes
Mom: See if you can do a little HW on the bus
Greer: Ok
Mom: I can't meet you at the bus stop because I have to wait for the plumber.
Greer: Ok
......
Greer: Well, I am just gonna close my eyes for a bit 'cause I am kind of tired.
Mom: Okay
......
Greer: Mom, I don't know if we passed our stop already.
Greer: I looked at a map and we seem to be going away from our house.
Greer: What do I do?
Mom: Ask the bus monitor if you passed the 7-11.
Greer: I don't know where they are but Beth is here should I ask her?
(Beth is Greer's friend, one of the Webb kids.  When taking the late bus, she normally gets off before Greer at a subway stop and takes the subway the rest of the way home.  She lives farther into Tokyo, and by taking the subway, she can beat the bus sometimes by 15-20 minutes.)
Mom: Yes, but I think Beth gets off before you.
........
Greer: I am going to stop at Beth's house and you can pick me up.
Mom: How do you think I'm picking you up?
Mom: Find the bus monitor.
Mom: I can't come get you.
Greer: I am going to take another bus home, the bus monitor told Beth to show me how to get home.
Greer: By taking a bus route
(Greer actually means the subway, not a bus.)
Mom: Did you get on the wrong bus?
Greer: I don't know. I think I just missed my stop.
Mom: How are you getting home?
Mom: Make sure bus monitor knows you don't know your way around.
(I could see Greer not wanting to "inconvenience" the bus monitor.)
Greer: Train
Mom: Do you have money?
Greer: Beth is lending me.
Mom: Is she going to help you buy a ticket?
Greer: Yes
Mom: Do you know your stop?
Greer: I get off at yogihachiman.
Mom: Yoyogi uehara
Mom: C1 on the Chiyoda line
......
Mom: Did you see my message about your stop?
Greer: Yes
Mom: Message me on the train and when you get to the station.
Greer: Ok
Greer: On train
Mom: Going to Yoyogi uehara, right?
Greer: Yes
Greer: What exit do I get off on?
Mom: Yoyogi uehara
Mom: C1
Greer: K
Greer: Arrived
Mom: Do you know how to walk home?
(She should. We've walked this many times.)
Greer: Will use map to get home 
(So, no, she did not know how to walk home.  But the iPhone map brought her.)

Greer's friend Beth didn't just help her buy her ticket.  She also rode the train with her because I don't think she trusted Greer to know where she was going (maybe because I had to tell Greer the stop three separate times - this is the stop we ALWAYS use).  But Greer did experience her first subway ride without a parent and she made it home safely.  I liked the part where Greer thought I could just come pick her up.  Never mind I had two non-English-speaking plumbers in the house.  There's the small detail that I don't have a car (and even if I did, would I be able to drive it to where she was?).  Maybe Greer will emerge at the end of this adventure having gained some (more) life skills.