Category Archives: Daily Sketch

しつこい でんわ(電話)

 
A Persistent Caller

A few weeks ago, the telephone rang at around 8:30 pm.  I answered the phone, and the man on the other end asked, “May I speak to Mrs. Chang?” I asked, “who is this?” and the man said, “(something, something) fire department.”  I figured this man was a solicitor, since they’re the only ones who call asking for “Mrs. Chang.”  My parents never want to talk to salespeople, so I told the man, “I’m sorry, but she’s busy and can’t talk right now.” 

The salesman persisted and said, “Then can I speak to your dad?”  I told him, “he’s busy, too.”  The salesman wouldn’t give up, so I asked him to wait and went to ask my dad. Continue reading →

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Tokyo short stories (Clean subways, safe streets)

I was surprised how clean the Tokyo subways and trains were.  I imagined graffitied boxcars with the faint smell of urine, like you see in TV shows about New York.  The streets are very clean despite the fact it’s almost impossible to find a trash can.  And it feels safe to walk the streets at night.  Even in paradise Hawaii you definitely have to watch out.  It’s disheartening to see that disparity coming back home.

東京ストーリー
(奇麗な地下鉄、安全な通路)

 東京の地下鉄の構内やその車両はなんてきれいなんだろうと驚きました。私は、テレビに映し出されるニューヨークのように、かすかに尿のにおいのする、落書きされた車両を想像していたのです。通路は、ごみ箱を見つけることが、ほとんど不可能にもかかわらず、大変きれいなのです。それに夜でも安心して歩けます。パラダイスといわれる、ハワイでさえ、明らかに注意していなければならないのです。ハワイに戻り、その違いを見て、私はがっかりしました。 Continue reading →

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Tokyo short stories (Origin Bentoo)

Many a late night, I ate Origin Bentoo near the train station.  They’re open 24 hours and serve set meals and side dishes.  For example, they have hamburger steak and tonkatsu set meals.  They have side dishes like potato croquette, which you buy by the piece, or vegetables, which you buy by the weight.  There’s even a little scale for you to weigh it on.  It may not be high Japanese cuisine, but it beats most eateries we have in Hawaii.


東京ストーリー(オリジン弁当)

私は、夜遅く何度も駅の近くにあるオリジン弁当へ行きました。その店は24時間営業で、定食とおかずを売っています。例えば、定食は、ハンバーグーステーキやとんかつなどがあります。ポテトコロッケのようなおかずは、一つずつ買い、野菜は重さで買います。お客さんが自分で計れるように小さな計りも置いてあります。それは高級な日本料理ではないと思いますが、ハワイにあるほとんどの飲食店をたたきのめします。 Continue reading →

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Tokyo short stories (Hyaku-en Store)

There is a seven story building in Tokyo where everything is 100 yen.  It has everything from decorative fans to snacks.  Because we were on a tight schedule, we only had half an hour to shop.  I managed to go through all seven floors in 28 minutes.

百円ショップ

東京に、すべての物を100円で売っている7階建てのビルがあります。 飾り用の扇子からスナックまで何でも揃っています。私達は過密スケジュールでしたので、買い物時間が30分しかありませんでした。私は28分で、何 とか7階全部を見て回ることができました。

とうきょう ストーリー(ひゃく えん ショップ)

 とうきょう に、すべて の もの を、100 えん でうって いる 7かい だて の ビル が あります� Continue reading →

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さいあく(最悪) の たいけん(体験)

 
My Worst Experience

When I was little, my mom and sister and I would go with my dad when he had business trips to the mainland. 

Once, while my dad was working, my mom took us to an amusement park.  I wanted to ride the merry-go-round, but since you had to buy a ticket for it, my mom wouldn’t let me. She said I could watch it though, so I stood near the ride.

Somehow, I got in line and got on the ride, but I didn’t enjoy it, because I knew my mom would be mad. When the ride was over, a man came around to collect everyone’s tickets, but I didn’t have one. Since I was only about four years old, the ticket man didn’t get mad at me, but I felt even worse.Plus, when I got off the ride, I saw a policeman nearby, and I thought he was going to arrest me. Continue reading →

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ピクチャーブライドという映画

ピクチャーブライドという映画をご存じですか。ハワイの日系男性が、日本へ見合い写真を送りました。彼の送った写真は、彼が20代の時のものでした。その写真を見て、日本の女性は、結婚することを決めました。そして、ハワイに来て、初めて、その人が40才の男性だと知りました。しかし、結局、二人は愛し合うようになったというお話です。

 日本の女性は、ハワイにどうして来たかったのでしょう? わかりません。又、あの当時、日本の生活は厳しかったのでしょうか。疑問が残ります。

ピクチャーブライドというえいが

 ピクチャー ブライド という えいが を ごぞんじ ですか。ハワイ の にっけい だんせい が にほん へ みあい しゃしん を おくりました。かれ が おくった しゃしん  は、かれ が 20 だい  の とき の もの でした。その しゃしん を みて、にほん の じょせいは、けっこんする こと を きめました。そして、ハワイ に き て、はじめて その ひと が 40 さい の だんせい だと しりました。しかし、けっきょく、ふたり は あいしあう ように なった という おはなし です。 Continue reading →

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Never Broke A Bone

  I seem to be a magnet for pain. 

I’ve been hit in the head with a baseball, football, basketball, tennis ball, volleyball, tetherball, dodgeball, softball, and other assorted plastic and rubber balls.  I’ve been hit in the back of the head with an aluminum bat. 

When I was four, I was in a car accident and flew into the dashboard of our car. Amazingly, I only needed a band-aid on my forehead.  Around that same time, I fell backwards off the arm of a couch, and hit my head on the corner of a table.  Needed stitches for that one.  I fell while getting into a truck and hit my head on the curb of the sidewalk. 

I was in another car accident when I was fifteen, and got whiplash.  I hyperextended my shoulders in wrestling.  I was also picked up and dropped on my head in wrestling.  And finally, I tore the anterior cruciary ligament (ACL) in both my knees.  Needed surgery for both knees. But at least I’ve never broken a bone. Continue reading →

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起きて、起きて!

 
Wake Up, Wake Up!

I went to California to see my sister graduate with her master’s degree.  My parents and I stayed in a nice little hotel which was very full, because all of the guests were also there to see their kids graduate.  On the morning of the graduation ceremony, I slept in as late as my parents would let me, which was a big mistake.  All of the other guests woke up and showered before me, so when I took a shower, there was no hot water left, and I had to take a cold shower!

起きて、起きて!

 私は修士号を取得した妹の卒業式を見る為にカリフォルニアへ行きました。両親と私が泊まった小さくて素敵なホテルは、とても混んでいました。というのは、すべての宿泊客もまた、子供達の卒業式を見るために泊まっていたからでした。卒業式当日の朝、私は両親が起こしてくれるぎりぎりまで寝ていました。それが大きな間違いでした。他の宿泊客はみんな、私が起きる前に起きて、シャワーを浴びていたのです。それで、私がシャワーを浴びる時には、お湯は残っていませんでした。そして、私は冷たいシャワーを浴びることになりました! Continue reading →

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My method for dealing with telemarketers

At my house, I get a lot of annoying calls from various companies. These are calls from people selling various things, credit card companies, and invitations to change my telephone service. I had a good idea and decided to take action immediately. I decided to answer in Japanese, "I don’t understand English." The caller said, "I’m sorry," and quickly hung up. The success rate is 100%. However, if a Japanese person heard my English-accented Japanese, he would probably burst out laughing. Continue reading →

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Unknown home

I’m an American ronin, the third generation  born away from Japan.  I never though that I would have the opportunity to visit Japan, but recently I returned.  I say return because a piece of you is always there even if you’ve never been there. One day, walking through Japan, we went down a side street.  Suddenly a shrine appeared.  Not so sudden as to frighten, but gentle like seeing a flower blossom unexpectedly.  It seemed to open up from nowhere.  Here, in the middle of the city, it appeared. Something of the old that wasn’t consumed by the new things around it.


未知のわが家

 私は、アメリカ人浪人(さむらい)、日本から遠く離れて生を受けた日系3世です。 Continue reading →

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