Lost In Translation

It's not often you see the open sky.  

The days and the weeks went by and you wouldn't even realize it.  So consumed with the daily life of working and cooking . . preparing dinner.  I said to Mrs. Rogers, "I need a Japanese wife (to cook and clean for us)."  She responded, "You don't want a Japanese wife, honey, you need a Filipino."

So . . As I was saying, the days would be consumed with work and household responsibilities that I didn't even realize we were so land locked.  Everything was cement and tall buildings.  The laundry hanging outside on the verandahs and the futons hanging over the balconies were still so novel !!!  Iseveral months went by and I wasn't missing home.

Then . . . one night as I was going up the outside stairway, I saw the full moon.  "Jayme, come quick !!!" I summoned the boy as soon as I entered the apartment.

On another occasion, we were on our way to Yuichi's house for the weekend.  Yuichi was with us.  We had just arrived at Kodaira station and passed what is now a Mos Burger.  We were entering the big bicycle pathway, a wide open space . . And there in front of us was a big beautiful blue sky.  "Nice sky!," I declared.  And Yuichi . . . Responded . . . "Who?"

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We were talking with Dr. Nakajima.  Yuichi wanted to confirm that Nakajima Sensei had attended the same university as Dr. Kurihara.  "See," he exclaimed,  "you never listen to me!"  "I listen to you," I said, "I just don't believe you!"  Dr. Nakajima laughed.  

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"Like Bob," he would say.  "What is like Bob?"  He would never answer.  This went on for days.  "What is like Bob?"  If he tried to answer that question, perhaps I didn't understand his reply.  I don't quite recall any reply, he seemed deep in thought about it.  Was there something about Bob that was disturbing him?  Of course I talked to Bob periodically, but there was never anything to feel threatened by . . . Then finally one day, he came to the apartment at Suginami-ku with a light bulb for the kitchen light . . Now I recall his reply . . "We must remember like Bob."  Of course, Bob would have a better memory but what did we need to remember??  We needed to remember to buy a light bulb !!  

Teaching a Japanese the correct pronunciation can be a lot of fun 

Actually (ack tree)

Light bulb (like bob)

Jamaica (jah my kah)

Drink (dwink)

Really (reah ree)

---------------------all about Bob ---------
I'll show you

I suddenly thought of this attitude that drives me . . perhaps is responsible for the depressive feelings of inadequacy !!!

I made alot of moves in my life driven by that motivation.  Like going to Japan and hooking up with Yuichi 

Boyfriend Bob aggravated me so much, I said to myself, I'll show you I'll live here (together, we were in Japan but he was loving it too much)

He said, "youll probably meet a business man." Yuichi wore a suit and tie to work every day and I was able to say you Bob "I got my business man"

: )