Recently I was lined up to register for more Japanese lessons (I suspect this will be fertile ground for blog entries – stay tuned). I was standing behind this non-Japanese guy who was there to register his four year old half-Japanese son (who is no doubt operating at a much higher level than I am on the foreign-language front). He also had his other son, about one, in tow.
I kind of zoned out, as one does when one is standing in a line moving at glacier-like speed. At first I wasn’t really paying attention to the guy talking until I realized that he wanted me to hear what he had to say.
Guy (to woman near back of line): Oh hi – how are you?
Woman: Good. Where’s your wife today, she didn’t bring your sons to register?
Guy: She works on Saturday.
Woman: I see.
Guy (to his four year old son): That was Mayumi. Do you remember her from the organic market we went to a couple of weeks ago?
Son: Hmmm…
Guy (to his four year old son): You know, the organic market we went to?
Guy (to his one year old son): Do you see Mayumi over there? We saw her at the organic market.
One year old: ????
Guy (to four year old son): Mayumi brought her son to the organic market. Maybe he will be in your class.
Okay already. We all get it. You go to organic markets. Good for you.
You know, go to your organic markets, drive your Smart Cars, compost your dog’s doo doo, but try, please just try, to be less smug and sanctimonious about it. People like him are less about being environmentally friendly and more about trying to make sure everyone knows that they are morally superior to you and me by pointing out all their efforts to “out-green” the next person. It might be good for the planet, but bad for those of us stuck in line behind you.
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2 comments:
Hi! Great post... hilarious... was he for real? ;)
Thanks for visiting my blog!
He was as serious as a heart attack.
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