There’s something about a sale that seems to cause the women of the house to get excited. Today you could feel the energy from the moment the morning newspaper arrived until Okaasan finally dragged us all to the supermarket. Toilet paper was on sale. An unbeatable price but with a limit of three per customer. So everyone in the family lined up, each with their…
In America, I was respected. I helped lead a successful software company, played in bands and even hung out with the occasional celebrity. If what you drive is any indication of your status, oh how the mighty have fallen! It wouldn’t be so bad if it was only a bike but nothing says “not cool” like a sissy bar, bell, and basket. And apparently, Yumi…
Since retiring, Otousan likes to keep busy around the house “fixing” things. He’s proud of his work and doesn’t hide it – literally. When he heard that we were coming to stay with them in Japan, he got busy and by the time we arrived, wires seemed to be coming out of everywhere, the walls, ceiling, floor… Now whenever we run the toaster oven, every…
It’s not often that I find myself naked in public. In fact, come to think of it I NEVER find myself naked in public. And yet, that’s exactly what happened. Perhaps Yumi’s been in America too long but we were both uncomfortable with the idea of a public bath when her parents suggested it. Our little “mixed” family gets enough attention without running around in…
The ride on the Shinkansen to Nagasaki was quite an experience… especially for one passenger in particular. Okaasan thought that we should turn our seats to face one another. So she flipped the lever and attempted to turn the row of seats 180 degrees, not realizing that the man in the next row was reclining with his head clearly in its path. As the seats…
It seems all the family has come to Hiroshima for Yumi’s grandma’s memorial service. Kogujin-no-ojichan is here (the one from Koji’s wedding who followed me around studying my every move). I call him this because he said he is dark like a kogujin from working all day in the sun. I’m still not used to the fact that no one here seems to have a…
