Being efficient is great. But have you ever heard of a public telephone company being 2 hours early? Not me! And so for them to come that early was.....a surprise! Michael had organised the afternoon off to be here for the appointment as he wanted to check where the best internet signal was in the house as we've had some problems with our wireless routers etc (the earthquake-proof doors don't allow the signals through too easily). Anyway, at 11am, the doorbell rang. I opened it and there stood a "Handy Manny" (kiddi show character) with his hipster tool belt and a wide wide grin bowing saying hello. I tried to check what time the appointmnet was for. He spoke no English. So after some signing and bowing and not being successful in our communication, I invited him in while I phoned Michael. I explained to Michael that the guy was already there and asked him if he had a colleague who could ask the NTT guy in Japanese if he could come back at 1pm. No colleague available. Hmmmmmph! Phone down....the start of a marvellous show of charades. Guess what I'm trying to act out. So I pointed at the phone lines and showed him that I (self pat) had no ("X" arms in front of my body) idea (head pat) about these things (pointing at the telephone and computer) and that my husband (pointed at the ring, gestured a taller man) was coming (brrrruum with imaginary steering wheel). At first the NTT engineer didn't make much eye contact with me, but he soon realised that it was going to be his only way to understand me was to watch me make a fool of myself. But he got it. "Hi! Hi! Hi!" (meaning Yes! Yes! Yes!) Yeah! I then tried to explain that NTT had told me (touch to lips and pat myself again) that NTT comes here (point to the floor) at 1pm (wrote that down on paper). Told him that husband (ring) was still at work (Minatu-ku (an area in Tokyo he would know) and that he was going to drive (brruum; steering wheel) at 1pm (point to note). "Hi! Hi! Hi!" He did get it but it was getting exhausting and he wasn't making any moves to leave despite "understanding" my predicament. Then, he phoned his headoffice and rattled off in Japanese. They put on a guy who could speak some English. I told him the situation and he said I should just let the NTT guy get on with it as it was standard work and he knew what to do (ie indirectly saying they didn't need Michael). I said that Michael wanted to be there and that he had made arrangements to have holiday in the afternoon especially for it (and that our appointment was actually only for 2 hours later).
Well, to cut a long story short, I let the NTT guy start with his job and they agreed he'd wait until Michael arrived (who was on his way by then).
The NTT guy did a good job, and ended up leaving before Michael arrived on the condition that he'd return the same day if there was a problem.
Michael walked in 10 minutes after he left (after being in the car about 45m coming from work asap). Well, he was pleased with the result.
But the only hitch was that the security alarm was somehow disrupted during the NTT guys job and next thing we had a visit from the security guard company. Urgh!
Anyway, won't bore you with more details. It did get sorted and we now have internet connection throughout the house.
In the afternoon, we took Josephine for a routine check at a dentist. I found a dentist who could speak some English online and had made the appointment earlier this week.
All went well, but there are some interesting differences!
The dental practise is very OPEN PLAN! That means, you can sit in the reception area and watch a show! In front of you are 3 dental chairs next to each other. All of them occupied with Japanese gentlemen/women trying to dislocate their jaws in an effort to open wider. "AAAAHHH!" is what you hear. "ZZZZzzzzzZZZZ! SSSSHHLLLLLUUUGH!!" is what you hear. "HELP!" is what you think!
Before making a trip to a dentist or doctor, I usually try to explain to Josephine what she can expect and what they will do and what she should do. It usually helps. Well, my previous explanations were a joke! Josephine was asking "Mamma, do I have to do dat!?" I had to control my jaw from not dropping down to my knees! :-)
Anyway, she had found 2 little ants ("Squishy and Rusty" she named them) and in order for them to co-operate and STAY in her little hands, she squashed them a bit. "Rusty" never moved again. "Squishy" was shaking one little leg uncontrollably. After her brutal attempt to control them, she loved them tenderly in the palm of her hand. They came with her to the dental chair and were her fwiends. All went well. Despite being really concerned that Josephine may be put off dentists for the rest of her life, I can now only say that the dentist was SOOO patient, very kind and gave her all the time that she needed. She had all the nurses around her saying how cute she was and how good she was etc. My girl!
