Us

Out a while back with a group of Japanese people, I realized the conversation had been focused for too long on Irish food, because one of them had lived in Ireland when she was a kid and we were reminiscing about scones and Pancake Tuesday and other Irish delicacies and traditions, stuff we probably hadn't thought about in years, and then explaining them to the rest of the group.

I could see the others were getting bored, so I turned the conversation to Japanese food, saying:

"Irish food is great, but I don't think Ireland's food culture is anywhere near as advanced as Japan's."

I really think so too. Japanese cuisine is one of the most sophisticated in the world. I love Japanese food. Where would you be without your udon and your soba and your sushi and sashimi and your nabe and your shabu shabu and your miso soup and your tofu and your ajitsuke and all the rest of it?

Then one of the other Japanese people there, who I like as a person and respect professionally, says bluntly, "I hope so."

It sounded at once dismissive and arrogant, and whether it was intended that way or not, it became my lasting memory of that night.

I bumped into her today and we shared a lift and talked about the weather.

"It getting a bit warmer now, isn't it?"

"Yes, especially in the mornings. It's been such a cold winter," she said, smiling.

But she wasn't finished her sentence. She added two more words: "for us."

Posted by Setsunai at January 31, 2006 11:01 AM