They Just Love Me In This Country

A disheveled foreign woman walks into a Japanese nursery half an hour late with her screaming baby in tow. Actually, the baby is riding in a giant sized American bought SUV type stroller that's wheels alone are about the same size as the average Japanese stroller. This stroller was bought by a naive pregnant woman who had no concept of what it would mean to carry such a stroller up 5 flights of stairs during Tokyo rush hour. This stroller was a big giant mistake. However, should the big one hit Tokyo, I'm convinced that this stroller will be the only thing left standing and that counts for something I suppose.

Anyway, back to the screaming baby. (All conversations have been translated into English)

Nursery teacher: Oh hello! We didn't think you were coming.

Woman: Yes I'm sorry. The baby is dirty. I'm sorry. (Woman is trying to apologize for the baby's dirty feet and knees which she had no time to clean but this is as far as she can manage in her crappy Japanese)

Nursery teacher: Oh! Why are you crying baby ?

Woman: He is not happy. I cleaned his face off with mosquito repellent tissues. It was an accident. I'm sorry. (Understandably, the woman had gotten mosquito repellent wipes confused with regular facial wipes, a mistake that anyone could make.)

Nursery teacher: (while casting a quick quizzical glance in the direction of the foreign woman). Oooh... that's too bad. By the way, we noticed you hadn't paid yet for last month...

Woman: Oh yes, the paper (referring to the fee statement)  you gave me was dropped while I was walking. I do not have it. The place that is was dropped, I do not know it. I'm sorry.

Nursery teacher: Oh, well I can give you another.

Woman: Yes thank you. I'm sorry

This could go on for quite a while longer so I'll just cut it off here. You get the picture.

Comments

[L.]

I was that woman! She was I! We are her!

We used to get notes like, "You ran out of diapers, so we had to borrow diapers from the cubby of (lists half a dozen kids` names here) so we kindly ask that when you bring diapers, you bring extra to replenish the others` supplies."

When my daughter was 4, she was playing "hoikuen" with her doll one day, and I heard her say, "Your mama is always the last one to pick you up -- kawaaaaaaaai soooooooooo!" Gee, um... no idea where she had ever heard THAT!

[Denise]

I guess it happens to everyone. I think I'd be crying if I had mosquito wipes all over my face!

[lulu]

Oh, I work in a kindergarten and trust me that is nothing... I hope that you are having a better day with Nico today!

[gleek]

gomen nasai!!

two words that can make just about anything "ok" in japan.