Scaring the Natives (Part II).
Nov. 2nd, 2009 03:30 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sechan19On my first full day in Kanazawa I decided that I fancied doria for lunch, and with the unending downpour of rain I didn't want to hunt for it. So I made for a nearby shopping center and looked for their restaurant road. In a shop delightfully located on the eighth floor and boasting a gorgeous view of the surrounding autumn colors, I sat myself down by the window and waited for the waiter.
He arrived quickly, if furtively, with a glass of ice water, and an apologetic smile. "This menu's only in Japanese," he murmured (perhaps to himself).
"Oh, that's quite alright," I told him.
"My goodness, you speak Japanese!" he exclaimed. "Oh, I'm so sorry. That was terribly rude of me!"
I assured him that it was quite alright. It was a safe enough assumption to make, after all. Although it was an assumption and therefore dangerous. (As I discovered myself quite recently.) I appreciated his apology, though. It was sweet of him.
He took very good care of me throughout the meal, and when I was finished and went to pay we had another brief exchange.
I asked if it was alright to pay with a 10,000 yen note (the equivalent of about $100... well, not right now, but you get the idea).
"Of course, it's fine," he said. "Boy, you sure surprised me earlier. Your Japanese is so good!"
"Not at all," I declined. But then, mindful of Tomono-sensei's previous shock, I tacked on a brief "but thank you very much for saying so."
Playing against type sure is turning out to be a lot of fun.
Full accounts of my travels in Kanazawa to follow. Stay tuned...
He arrived quickly, if furtively, with a glass of ice water, and an apologetic smile. "This menu's only in Japanese," he murmured (perhaps to himself).
"Oh, that's quite alright," I told him.
"My goodness, you speak Japanese!" he exclaimed. "Oh, I'm so sorry. That was terribly rude of me!"
I assured him that it was quite alright. It was a safe enough assumption to make, after all. Although it was an assumption and therefore dangerous. (As I discovered myself quite recently.) I appreciated his apology, though. It was sweet of him.
He took very good care of me throughout the meal, and when I was finished and went to pay we had another brief exchange.
I asked if it was alright to pay with a 10,000 yen note (the equivalent of about $100... well, not right now, but you get the idea).
"Of course, it's fine," he said. "Boy, you sure surprised me earlier. Your Japanese is so good!"
"Not at all," I declined. But then, mindful of Tomono-sensei's previous shock, I tacked on a brief "but thank you very much for saying so."
Playing against type sure is turning out to be a lot of fun.
Full accounts of my travels in Kanazawa to follow. Stay tuned...
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Date: 2009-11-03 12:23 am (UTC)You need a cape or something. Or maybe a theme song. You could carry around some little speakers and have it play as you wander through the streets of Japan. And a catchphrase. Definitely need a catchphrase.
-B
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Date: 2009-11-03 02:02 am (UTC)I'm surprised to hear the waiter apologized, and said "that was rude of me." I really wouldn't have expected that. I'm curious, was it just sort of a basic 「失礼しました。」 or did he say it like he really meant it, like he truly understood that it was rude of him to assume? (Not that I can really blame him, to be honest. How many times have I assumed a Japanese didn't speak English?)
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Date: 2009-11-03 06:42 am (UTC)The waiter did say 失礼しました, but there was nothing basic about it. It was stated pretty emphatically, repeated at least once, and sandwiched between statements like 申し訳ありません and 恥かしいです. He was honestly apologetic about it, although - like you - I completely understood why he made that assumption, and I didn't mind it.