Ｔｈｅ Ｙａｍ Ｍａｎ ｓｈｏｗｉｎｇ ｈｉｓ ｗａｒｅｓ．
夕べはニューヨークから来たお客様とろーびーでお話ししていました。彼が日本に来てからのカルチャショック「日本人は礼儀正しい！」とか「ゴミ箱はないのに、道が綺麗！」など。まあ、ニューヨーク人と比較したら、誰でも礼儀正しく見えるだろうと思いながら、しかし、考えてみると、アメリカのお店のスタッフの礼儀正しさの一部は確かに、チップをもらうため、つまり、フェーク。日本人はチップ関係なくても、礼儀正しいところは、感心します。そして、ゴミの事は確かです。アメリカでゴミ箱が置いてあっても、ポイ捨てが多い。そういうアメリカと日本の違いは不思議だね…
と話しながら、外から「や～き・いも～」が聞こえてきました。私が焼き芋屋さんに慣れているからなんと思わなかったけど、彼が「えっ、それ何？」ってびっくりしていました。焼き芋屋さんでヤム芋を焼いているよと、説明したら、「という事は、ザ・ヤム・マンか！」
せっかくでしたから、二人でザ・ヤム・マンを走って追いかけて、アツアツの焼き芋を買いました。久しぶりで美味しかった！
Last night, I was chatting in our lobby with Eric, a guest from New York City. He was talking about some of the culture shock he's had since coming to Japan. "Japanese people are so polite!" and "Even though there aren't any garbage cans anywhere, there is hardly any litter around!" Well, compared to New Yorkers, pretty much anybody is going to look 'polite'. But I have to say, one thing I am always impressed by is that back in the States, if a waiter or shop staff is being friendly, it's often because they are hoping for a tip. In Japan, the politeness is authentic. And Eric was spot-on with his garbage observation. In the States, despite there being trash cans on practically every corner, a lot of people still litter. How can the cultures be so different?
Anyways, as we were rambling on about the cultural variety, from the street we heard the "Ya~ki imo~" chant from the 'yaki-imo' vendor. I have become accustomed to hearing his song, but Eric on the hand stopped and said, "Hey, what's that?" I explained it was a vendor that cooks yam-type potatoes in the back of his truck and drives around our onsen town in the winter selling them. Eric said, "So, it's the Yam Man?"
Needless to say, the two of us ran outside and chased down the Yam Man for some hot baked yams. My first of the season, it was pretty darn good!
