Scaring the Natives (Part I).

[sechan19]

An amusing exchange took place between myself and a gaggle of middle-school boys at the Ishikawa Prefectural Museum of History today.

As I walked past the group, thinking to myself that it was time to hightail it out of the building now that the school groups were starting to show up, I overhead a voice say, "Hey there."

I turned around and found myself looking back at a pack of fourteen-year-old males, who were all grinning and shuffling and punching one another on the shoulder. The boy who presumably had called to me sketched a little salute and said, "Hello." I sketched one back, saying "Hello" as I did. This put them all into a little frenzy of excitement.

So I decided to be evil.

I walked straight up to the boy who'd called me, saying (in Japanese) "Do you speak English?"

"Oh my god, she's fluent!" one of the boys standing next to him exclaimed. (He used the same tone of voice one might employ to express the realization that someone was radioactive.)

"Uh, one more time please," the first boy asked, somewhat sheepishly.

I repeated my question.

"No, I don't speak English," he said.

"Oh," I said. "Your pronunciation of 'hello' was very good, so I thought you did."

This set off another frenzy. "Oh my god, she just praised him! What's he gonna do now?"

The boy expressed his thanks, then noted that it was strange to be complimented by me. I relented then and apologized.

"You boys have fun now," I admonished.

"We will," they chorused back to me, as I headed for the exit. (Because it's best to make a quick escape after teasing the wildlife. ;>) I suspect they'll all be talking about it for days.

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

Your legend will live on for years (or months, or days) to come, as they recount the days they came face to face with a gaijin who spoke Japanese.

And Part I implies that there's a Part II. Are you disrupting the local culture over there in Kanagawa? Think of the Prime Directive, darnit.

-B

[reteva.livejournal.com]

I know not of this "prime directive" of which you speak. Heh.

[lordameth.livejournal.com]

Wow. That was brilliant. You must make a great teacher.

[reteva.livejournal.com]

You know, I suppose that I did go into teacher mode a little bit. That's a really good observation.

[docjeed.livejournal.com]

Continuing the work of generations of femme fatales before you, I see. ;-)

[xianpu.livejournal.com]

haha, nicely played! That reads like my daily life, or the lives of people I know who teach in schools here. Props to you for engaging them for a little while, I'm sure they loved it. :)

[reteva.livejournal.com]

Oh, I'll bet that does read like your daily life. I imagine you must have stories in spades. =) I really do enjoy the kids, you know? They're usually willing to express what they're honestly thinking about us, and their frank curiosity is heartening to see. (It sure beats some of the dirty looks I get from little old ladies from time to time!)