It's My Party . . .
...written on 2000-12-11, @ 11:11:31
Tales of Kim's Life in Japan
Mon December 11, 2000
Many moons ago, I mentioned that I was inviting Fred and his mom and dad over to my apartment for lunch. Various things came up here and there and this event was cancelled about three times. Finally, I gave Fred a handmade invitation listing the time and date as Sunday, December 10 at 1pm. Fred told me that he had to work that Sunday, but that he thought his parents could go without him. I took this as a fact, and planned on his parents coming.
I had neglected to look at my own schedule very closely however, and I had to work on Saturday from 2-10pm. That meant I had to do some serious shopping, cleaning and cooking in less than 3 hours, so I was a little stressed.
As the day neared, I mentioned my plans to Manami and Hide at the office. Manami asked me what I was going to cook and I told her. I made the purchases and did the cleaning that I could in advance.
Saturday night I had a strenuous 1 hr and 15 min class with thirty 7th graders (future entry) and I got home at 11pm and stayed up trying to rearrange my kitchen area to accomodate the table and chairs we would use. I got too tired to finish and went to bed.
This of course meant that I would wake up to a mess. I cleaned until the grocery opened at 10am and went to buy some food. I started to mop the floor, but realized I had some greasy cooking yet to do (and we walk barefoot/sockfoot in the house), so I had to put that off.
I kept a keen eye on the clock and tried to calculate the duration of the next step. I was cooking the second batch of chicken at 12:59pm, the time that I should have heard the Takashi's footsteps on the stairs. I finished the chicken and it was 1:05.
Hmm, if the Japanese are one thing, it is punctual. I called Fred at work, but there was no answer. At 1:10 I called the Takahashi's house and my heart sank when Mama-san answered the phone. The following conversation ensued mostly Japanese:
Me: Hello Mama-san! How are you?
Mama-san: Kimu-san! I'm fine, how are you?
Me: Fine, thanks to you.
Mama-san: Your Japanese is so good now!
Me: Oh, not at all I'm afraid, maybe later. :::putting chicken on a dinner platter:: Are you coming to my apartment? :::
Mama-san: No, Katsumi (Fred) has to work.
Me: Ah, that's too bad. He is always busy. Well, I miss you. We must get together sometime and go shopping. Tomorrow is my free day. How about then?
Mama-san: I have to work tomorrow. :::consults with Papa-san::: How about today? Two o'clock?
Me: Yes, that's great! I'll meet you in front of the train station at two. Thank you!
Mama-san: Ok, see you then. :::Click:::
Obviously Fred and his parents thought that with Fred having to work the party was off. I looked at the table at the paper plates, ceramic rice bowls, fancy lacquered chopsticks, the plain white dinner napkins that I had stamped with the same leaf image as the handmade invitation, the cooked chicken, the huge pot of rice, the washed and cut vegetables, and the pineapple & strawberries for dessert.
Hey, maybe they would be hungry when I met them at the station and I could invite them up to my apt. to eat and they would be so impressed at how much I could throw together spontaneously!
I met them at the station and asked them if they were hungry. Nope. Curses, foiled again. I had put the food away but left the table set just in case I could lure them up for a substantial repast.
So we went shopping. I had some specific things in mind and we went to my favorite do-it-yourself store. As we were heading to my apt. Fred called me on my cell phone. I told him I was with his parents and he was very surprised.
I was trying to think of the best way to save face. I knew we were all going back to my apartment, that I would invite them up for coffee or tea, and that they would see the table set for three people. Would they realize it was for them or would they rush off thinking that the second shift of friends was due in soon for dinner?
Up the stairs and inside my apartment we went. Mama-san and Papa-san settled in the folded cusion chairs in the tatami room as I scrambled to make the coffee. They complimented me on the decoration. I showed them the toilet room where their present to me is (the western toilet adapter) and told them a friend had helped me change the vinyl floor in there. I made no move to remove the dishes from the table, but I asked them if they cared for any chicken or perhaps strawberries? No thanks, they said. They were full.
We sat and talked and drank coffee. It was pleasant, but Papa-san was worried about their car parked on the street. If the police find your car parked on the street and not in a parking lot, they will fine you $150. So the visit was cut short this time, but they are coming over next Sunday to visit and bring over a little table for my tatami room.
I think I'll make hamburgers.