I love by the book Japan. I came to by the book Japan in the first place so I could get a job, learn Japanese, and bring the light of Jesus to a dark culture.
Can I say here that American culture is dark, too...
I lived in BTB Japan for six years while our children were young. There are MANY good things about living in Japan. It's very predictable. People try to do what they think you want. Sukiyaki, Te-maki zushi, tempura, Sashimi, Kimchi, Kojima, and cow tongue, Etc...
I came back to BTB Japan in 2001 because we loved it, and wanted to do more mission work here.
I love by the book Japan.
I choose to continue to live here because Kojima is in BTB Japan. But today chaos,
almost broke out twice in BTB Japan. Firstly, I SAT IN RESERVED ON THE EXPRESS TRAIN. Let me explain why. The express train leaves ahead of the slow train. There are always seats on the express train. The seats have little folding trays like on an airliner, so you can do actual work. It takes marginally less time to get from Kojima to Okayama, the next and final stop. AND, actually more crucial for me, it was the first train leaving after I arrived at the platform. The problem was not the money. Yes it is more than double, but I have conquered the little sneaky devil in me and I immediately get out my ticket and money and place it in plain view and prepare my mind to pay. Somewhat grudgingly because it is not twice as wonderful as the slow train. It would have to be a cute lady conductor who took my money, printed out my receipt with her little FedEx machine, and with great humility and apologeticalism, informs me that it is her duty to humbly inform me that, due to no fault of my own, but due to JR's placing of the reserved section where I happened to sit, I have unfortunately ended up in the reserved section. OH MY, not the RESERVED SECTION!!! Hello, there are empty seats everywhere and NO MORE STOPS. This is not like I am in first class and am going to get free champagne without paying for first class!!! We are almost halfway there now and I have all this important high-level work to do. But, I, remembering how much I love BTB Japan, do not protest. I do not impinge on her WA, or harmony. I simply put away my stuff, fold up my tray table, and haul a few meters to the non-reserved car. I smile. I am happy.
I proceed to the eye doctor, who by the way is excellent. I wait longer than usual, but get my perspective restored seeing so many people so much worse off and the dedication of care-givers pouring their lives into cherishing their loved ones. The surgeon says the right eye will also be difficult, but no more so than the left.
I head to the admitting reception are to ask a question I pretty much know the answer to.
Are you being admitted?
Not today, but I have a question.
Yes?
Well, I was admitted back in May and I filled out all these papers. I will be admitted in October for the same procedure and I wanted to ask if maybe you have the data stored in your computers and if I really need to fill it ALL out again???
EVERYBODY fills out ALL the paperwork EVERY time.
I see, but I thought that since it is so recent and the exact same surgery by the same doctor...
EVERYBODY fills out ALL the paperwork EVERY time.
I see, but it is eye surgery and my eyes are really bad and it is a lot of writing for a foreigner, and....
I know it is inexcusable, but ... EVERYBODY fills out ALL the paperwork EVERY time.
I regret that I troubled you by asking this selfish thing.
CHAOS AVERTED!!! So I head to Starbucks, where the coffee is awful, but the muffins, the cookies, the cinnamon rolls...AND at this Starbucks, the sugar thing is not caked up making extraction of sugar impossible like it is at the Starbucks near the station. The little things.
Starbucks would have to be 550 Yen, exactly the same as the upgrade to NON-RESERVED EXPRESS.
Then I go to the fancy machine to pay my hospital bill and it is 200 Yen!!!! Two dollars for a pressure check, a very cursory vision check, and a quick consultation with the surgeon.
As I ride home on the slow train, I ponder my life in Japan and I rejoice.
At home, Sandy tells me she looked more carefully at my California hospital bill and sees that the room charge for ONE NIGHT is more than 10,000 dollars. it was kidney ICU, so ...
And then finally, just because it happened the same day, I get a bill from more than a year ago, I guess, form the hospital that almost killed me trying to get a bunch of stones out of my left kidney. For 530 Yen. or about 5 dollars and 30 cents. I smile.
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