You Lie! 08/14

Well, today was an interesting day, and while I’m tempted to start at the beginning, as would be logical, I find the need to start at the end. Y’know the old saying “It’s just like riding a bike,” implying that you never forget how to ride a bike? Well, it’s a LIE! I haven’t ridden a bike since I was in the 6^th grade. Tonight, on my journey to the local okonomiyaki shop (it was open this time) I decided I needed practice with bike riding. So, I rode it for the first time. Judging by the reactions of the people, there is nothing funnier than an incredibly large gaijin attempting, and failing, to ride a bicycle. Throughout the whole trip, my hands were shaking, and thus the handlebars, causing me to venture all over the rode. The best was when I tried to turn on to my street, coming home. I was unable to turn and went straight into a wall. I saw this cute little girl laughing her ass off. To make matters worse, in doing so, I ripped the only pair of khaki pants that I own here. Overall, a frightening experience, and one I’m not looking forward to doing again… cause I know I’ll have to.

Today for lunch, Ray and I decided to do what many office workers do: we purchased a small to go lunch at the supermarket, than ate at the office. The choices are numerous and the price is very cheap (I ate my fill for 220 yen). At the office, however, everyone felt the need to come over and see what the large gaijin was eating, and then comment upon how I didn’t get any rice with my meal. You’d think I just committed the gravest sin in all of food consumption. However, I did have a small victory in that they were amazed at how good my chopsticks skills were.

Coming home I turned on my television to be greeted by a children’s show with three guys singing Puff the Magic Dragon in Japanese. Overly surreal.

Finally, I’ve been waiting months to try okonomiyaki. I was told by several that it would be the greatest thing I’d ever have here. To say I was disappointed would be an understatement. For the first time since coming here, I had to suppress the gag reflex, and several times, since I had to eat this giant thing the nice lady served me. That was the bonus. She was the nicest person I met here, and ever though she spoke no English and I spoke only a word or two of Japanese, we were able to communicate as to where I’m from, who my fellow workers are, and where I live, plus what I wanted to eat.