And So It Begins

I got to Japan yesterday….

My buddy and I go into Universe grocery store last night to get Chu Hi (a delicious malt beverage with a kickass alcohol content). Some little girl about 3 or 4 with her dad is standing next to me. He smiles and nods and I say “Howdy” which is my usual greeting to Asians because they have no idea what it means and that just amuses me on some level. The little girl comes running up to me and I screw my face up into a funny look and I say, “booga booga booga.” She instantly starts shrieking at the top of her lungs terrified beyond all reason and hauls ass back to dad to whom I instantly start bowing to and saying “gomemasai sumimasen”. (I’m sorry. Excuse me) But my friend and I and start laughing and are completely unable to stop. We beat a hasty retreat but no matter where you were in the grocery store you could hear the kid’s ear splitting screams. I completely forgot that to the Japanese American people appear extremely tall, and to the kids we are giants.

I feel like it was the perfect start to my visit.