Interesting Little Things

1. A student dropped her cell phone in the hall at school. Upon hitting the floor, the phone exploded into four pieces that shot out in all directions like a technological firework. The girl shrieked and pushed her open hands to her face Home-Alone-style. She bent down and reached for the phone fragments while muttering "No! No! No!" in Japanese over and over again. Cell phones are like babies here. Shatter one and you're no better than a heartless murderer.

2. I have been tutoring two high school students (siblings) for one hour each Thursday night. We chat for an hour, and after the lesson I stay for another hour to have dessert and tea. The mother of the house always peeks her head into the study at the hour's end and asks "May I enter?" (the question seems so strange coming from the home's owner). I always say "Yes, of course!" and she then scurries into the kitchen to prepare the desserts. The desserts are always delicious, sometimes homemade, and always sweetened with good conversation as the mother used to teach English and is very outspoken and intelligent. Two weeks ago, she gave me an entire homemade cheesecake to take home. Needless to say, earning about $45 for each session seems criminal because of how easily and quickly the time flies by, but I continue to show up, week after week, for my evening "work" nonetheless.

3. Col and I went to watch her students at their annual brass band concert. The program said the show would start at 1:30 p.m. When the clock struck 1:30, a long, brain-rattling alarm sounded in the concert hall and was followed by the silent entrance of the band and the conductor. If you are not punctual, you're left behind in the land of the rising sun. It's a fact.
Band members took their places in their seats and rested their respective instruments on their laps with precision. Clarinets? Held in the right hand, bell on the right knee, left hand on left lap. Flutes held with both hands clasped together and rested across the lap. They performed as one would expect such a disciplined band to perform.

4. No one has a big grassy lawn here in Japan. Instead people have gardens. In the spring, summer, and fall, every space of residential land that is not covered with a house or garage is covered with some sort of garden. Unlike a yard covered in grass, gardens help sustain a family with healthy produce, cut back on the amount of fuels used to grow and import vegetables to a certain area/market, and help preserve the mental health of those who manage the garden (gardening is good for the noggin and is thought to help flush the faces of many Japanese with that beautiful octogenarian glow). Lawns serve no significant purpose. If and when I move back to and settle in America, corn will be my grass and tomato plants will be my shrubs. Fuck the neighbors.