Loading ...I was considered an ‘expert’ in condenser/feed water plant systems , and my colleague was the Japanese in-country water chemistry representative for the major American company designing AC generating plants . We had been invited to tour a generating station in the north of the country , about this time of year and were to be treated to a Binto?/Bento? Box lunch in the plant engineering office . The office was laid out in typical Japanese fashion – rows and columns of engineers’ desks , all facing the manager’s desk and a divan next to it , with a low coffee table in front of it . That was where we as guests of the manager were served our box lunches in beautiful polished wood boxes , compartmentalizations inside – with chopsticks .
The engineers – about 50 to 70 of them had already had their lunches brought from home , and would normally have a post-lunch nap at their desks , but today was different ! They would be entertained by two Gai-Jin (foreigners ) fumbling with chop sticks as we ate . All eyes were upon us as we opened our special boxes . All I can remember about the contents were two enormous hothouse strawberries in the dessert compartment that I am sure cost about $10 each (in 1983 dollars ) . ( I had seen cantaloupes in a grocery store which were over $20 apiece there in winter !) . Anyway , both my colleague and I were adept at using chop sticks , so the Gai-Jin clown show was not to happen that day . You could see the visible disappointment , as the engineers lost interest in us , and put their heads down on their desks for their customary naps .
Maya – an amusing incident with that colleague in Japan
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