Rental Person Who Does Nothing

November 13, 2023
This meditative debut from Morimoto reflects on what he’s learned about work and life from his “rental person” service. In 2018, he tweeted that he was starting a project in which he would show up for clients at designated times and places but would do virtually nothing once there “except give very simple responses,” charging only for travel and the “cost of food/drink (if applicable).” Requests began pouring in; Morimoto describes accompanying to dinner a woman who was tired of having men pay for her meals, listening to another woman who hadn’t come out to her friends talk about her girlfriend, and greeting at the airport a student hoping that a friendly face would mitigate the grief she anticipated upon returning to Japan for the first time since her grandmother died. Lamenting work’s outsize role in people’s lives, Morimoto reveals that his sister killed herself after “she didn’t get the job she wanted.” In serving as a rental person, Morimoto intended to push back against the notion that an individual’s value is tied to their productivity: “people have a value even if they do nothing.” The client anecdotes amuse and provide unexpectedly perceptive insights into the nature of work and individuals’ self-worth under capitalism. This is worth seeking out. Photos.

June 1, 2024

Morimoto grew tired of the boss who told him he contributed nothing, so he decided to embrace that status and started his "Do-nothing Rental" service via Twitter. Filling a unique niche, he promises to do nothing other than be there for his clients. With this innovative concept, he asks whether someone who does nothing still has value in society. The answer, of course, is yes. Morimoto's services include accompanying people so they won't be alone and serving as a motivational force for those needing impetus to clean their house, engage in work, or deal with problems. One endearing story centers on a client who asks him to simply "bump into my dog on a walk and make a fuss over him." Narrator Kevin Shen captures Morimoto's do-nothing vibe perfectly. The author's writing style is somewhat detached, and Shen carries that over to the audio. It isn't that his narration is dispassionate, but it models Morimoto's nonjudgmental, low-pressure vibe. Though the print version contains some photos, Shen's spot-on narration more than compensates for the lack. VERDICT Morimoto's quirky debut perfectly captures the idea that what may be nothing to one person could be full of meaning for another. A charming, tender memoir.--Christa Van Herreweghe

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