It has been a tough week. I am not talking about the wonderful experience of riding sardine cans full of people. That might even be fun sometimes if some sweet young thing would snuggle up agin' me, but I always get middle-aged or older salarymen who seem to lose any fear of foreigners when it comes to getting within smooching distance.
I am not talking about trying to walk down a sidewalk without being hit by a self-centered, negligent fool on a bicycle. Nor am I talking about watching someone dawdle in 7-11 closely examining the final item of a 37.5 item purchase + bill paying until they see me start to move to the register with my single item and then rush to get there first. And I don't even consider being a victim of vehicular assault while attempting to use a crosswalk unusual.
No, I am not talking about the folks here. I am talking about the comment I read that some lady from overseas left on a photo on flicker. Seems a fellow had unknowingly committed a faux pas while doing bird photography and was approached by a birder and gently admonished. The comment read something like "I have been to Japan and was treated very politely. It is good to see that the good manners extend to animals too."
I would like to put my head in an oven, but all I have is a microwave. How is it possible that people can lose all common sense when it comes to things Japanese. Really, I do not believe the woman could possibly be as silly as her comment. How do the dolphins of Taiji feel, I wonder?
Been here too long.
Saturday, July 24, 2010
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I dunno. We have plenty of mind boggling stupidity here. It's idiot season, where people who have no shame in their lack of knowledge or common sense blabber all over the place!
ReplyDeleteBut seriously, if you do come Stateside, consider the Pacific Northwest- lots of space to hike, plenty of waterfalls, lakes and rivers to boat on. Portland light rail is not as extensive as Tokyo's, but there is usually a seat!
"How is it possible that people can lose all common sense when it comes to things Japanese."
ReplyDeleteI have often wondered this as well. It's like a sort of psychotic break with reality which is highly selective. In fact, if I crack this one, I think I deserve a Nobel prize for psychology.
I identified with every single thing you mentioned at the beginning of your post. It's amazing that those things happen several times a week (especially the rushing in front of me at shops with a huge basket of stuff when I have a thing or two). Ugh. I want to go home, too.
Yeah, when random comments on Flickr are setting you off, you've been there too long.
ReplyDelete@Edie: I actually lived and went to college in the Pacific Northwest (eastern Washington) and often dream of going back. It's huckleberry pickin' time now isn't it?
ReplyDelete@Orchid64: I had a woman let me go in front of her once when I only had a few items. It was in 2006 when I near Kajigaya station in Kawasaki. The only time...
@Justin: Yes, but the thing is, if I did go home, I am afraid I'd hear those kinds of things in person all the time---at least for the first 2 minutes of conversation, before they got bored with Japan. Then I'd have to talk about Mel Gibson or Paris Hilton or something.