Rental Person Who Does Nothing: A Memoir

Description

***Now an International Bestseller!***"Distinctively Japanese musings on meaning & connection." — ObserverI'm starting a service... available for any situation in which all you want is a person to be there. Maybe there's a restaurant you want to go to, but you feel awkward going on your own.Maybe a game you want to play, but you're one person short.Or perhaps you'd like someone to keep a space in the park for your cherry blossom viewing party...Shoji Morimoto was constantly being told by his boss, "It makes no difference whether you're here or not," and that his presence contributed nothing to the company. Morimoto began to wonder whether a person who "does nothing" could still have actual value and a place in the world. Perhaps he could turn "doing nothing" into a service? With one tweet, Rental Person was born.Rental Person provides a fascinating service to the lonely & socially anxious. This book details thousands of his true-life adventures:° Accompanying a divorcee to her favorite restaurant° Waving goodbye to a client from the train platform° Sitting in the courtroom during a client’s trial° Supporting a client during a difficult surgeryRental Person is dependable, nonjudgmental & committed to remaining a stranger, & the curious encounters he shares are revelatory about both Japanese society & human psychology.In Rental Person Who Does Nothing, Morimoto chronicles his extraordinary experiences in his unique line of work & reflects on how we consider relationships, jobs & family in our search for meaningful connection & purpose in life.°°°Shoji Morimoto was born in 1984. He began his Rental Person service in 2018 & has since been hired more than 4,000 times. He’s been profiled by many media outlets worldwide & has written several books including Rental Person Who Does Nothing, which inspired a Japanese TV series. Morimoto lives in Japan with his wife & son.