Conversation One {on the street in Japanese}
Me: *rushing to cross the street*
Italian Man: Excuse me!
Me: *turning, still half-running* Huh?
Italian Man: It's me! Don't you remember me?
Me: *pulling out earbud* Uh...
Italian Man: No, remember? We met! Where was it you're from?
Me: Um, America?
Italian Man: *kissing my hand* America!
Me: Yes . . .
Italian Man: Do you live nearby? May I have your phone number?
Me: *glancing back at the traffic light* I'm kinda late, sorry!
Italian Man: Ah, another time, then!
Me: *racing away*
Conversation Two {at school in English}
Me: On my way to work today, an Italian man stopped me.
Yuko: Oh?
Me: He mistook me for someone else.
Yuko: Really?
Me: Yeah, and he kissed my hand and asked for my number.
Yuko: Ah, nampa.
Me: What?
Yuko: Nampa. He was date fishing.
Me: Nampa?
Yuko: Yes. He pretended to not know you. Japanese men do it too.
Me: That's what he was doing??!
Yuko: What, you didn't know?
Me: I'm from a small town!
Yuko: Ah-ha-ha. That's why.
And so, today being PTA,
I was expected at school to present myself to the parents.
So, of course I overslept and missed my bus.
{I almost could've expected that to happen.}
But I didn't expect to learn such an interesting word today.
Nor a new way to get a date.
...
If the traffic light doesn't save me next time,
I'll just pretend to have a husband.
Geez, Bryn, hurry up and marry me, okay?
We could avoid situations like this if you would. Gosh.
{Crowd via Matt Lew}
{Informed Doggy via Madzooka}
Oh my goodness!!!! I am so glad you are safe!!!! You sure are racking up some interesting stories from Japan. Please be careful and stay safe. We really like you and want you back!!!
ReplyDeleteLove, mom
Awesome story! When I was in Italy we tried really hard to ignore the Italian men on the street. But once we turned back because a man said, "Excuse me! You dropped something!" When we looked at him he said, "My heart!" and put his hands on his chest. Oh gosh. :)
ReplyDeleteHaha! I love those! Except mine were old gross men. I think I had that happen 3-4 times in Tokyo, and average of about one every two days while I was there.
ReplyDeleteAh, good times. I think they are funny. Good luck with "date-fishing".
I am beginning to want to find some fishers around here. But alas, the Mountain of Eagles is a very small pond, and it seems to be drying up, and in stead of doing anything about it the fish-men flop on the drying ground and perish or bury themselves in the mud to disappear all together. Poo poo.
Haha, brilliant! And kind of nerve-wracking at the same time, lol. I wish Bryn would hurry up and marry you too. ;)
ReplyDeleteBelieve me, marriage will be the only thing on his mind once he comes home. Take it from one who has been there. :) And I get to see the culmination of my marriage planning madness next week! よくがんばって待ってみたら全部は必ずよくできるよ～ ^^
ReplyDeletehahaha, yeah. Italian boys will kiss any pretty girl :P I ran into some in France!
ReplyDeleteI'll trade ya!!!! hahaha Just kidding. Don't worry about me. I'll fight any nampa-ers away from Bryn. Maybe if you wore a CTR ring on your ring finger.... That last picture you have of the black dog looks like dog we grew up with. She was bron the same day as Bryn. The picture makes me VERY happy.
ReplyDelete