A MEMORY, OR HOW TO PREPARE A LOBSTER

This memory comes from a very early time in Japan and shows some of the adjustments that a gaijin (foreign devil) had to make in day to day life. This memory comes from a friend but has stuck in my mind since then. It is a great example of how the Japanese viewed us and simplified our adapting to their culture and tastes. The memory is from a restaurant, on a nearby peninsula (Shimabara) and took place after a bike trip of some of our colleagues. Time to eat. Well it was not quite that easy. Although there may have been signs for restaurants, they were not in English, nor in any form of writing that we could readily translate.

The procedure was to look for a place with plastic food displayed on dishes, in their window. You then found one that displayed the type of food you might want. You entered, were bowed to a few times, then seated at a table and presented with menus. That you also did not have a hope of deciphering. At this point you summoned a waiter or waitress and after a few more polite bows, they followed you outside where you pointed out what you wanted from the plastic models in the window. Everyone placed their order and settled in comfortably, to await their new and exotic taste of the day

Ahhhhh, finally the food has arrived everyone leans forward in anticipation. Our friend is rubbing her hands and salivating. She had ordered a lobster. Well indeed it did look exactly like the lobster in the window. She, though, had expected that it be cooked. Well it wasn’t! As fast as a lobster can move it made a break for freedom. With its claws banded shut, that was not very fast. Probably it would have taken it about five minutes to sprint for the side of the plate. Frantically she is signalling for the waiter. He arrives and she is crouched on her chair pointing at this creature from the deep. The waiter, now, comprehends what her problem is and promptly takes care of the issue.

He picks the lobster up by it’s head and tail and with a loud crack, breaks it in two and dumps it back on the plate. With a deep bow he turns and walks off. Now what do you do? Well I guess you just suck it up and chow down! Another memory for all time.