Thursday, June 11, 2009

Postcard from you-know-where

I came this close to finally having a cubicle-quad mate. Closer than you think. So close the Sec brought her fucking computer and purse over to the neighbouring cube, took one look at my white ass, spun around on her kitten heel and took off for the hills. I had just sent an email to a colleague telling him that I was getting a potential new friend too. Guess not. I can't tell you where she went but I can tell you that the cube is still empty. This has happened twice now. I am officially in omiyage-less purgatory hell.

In other news, I ran into that Professional who wants to pimp my ride buying a card in a bookstore by the office. He gave me the typical I-am-way-hotter-in-my-mind look and showed me the traditional Japanese card, asking if I knew what the kanji said. "Marriage" I parroted and his face positively BEAMED at me, I think I might even feel some sunburn coming on as I type. "However do you know how to read that?" He asked and I just smiled my dumb gaijin smile and told him that shock horror and surprise, I can read fucking Japanese. You'd think I had just converted my undergrad degree into one in rocket science from the way he was looking at me. I then considered a) telling him my blondness is deceiving or b) I knew the kanji because I hoped (batting my eyelashes so fast I could take off at this point) it would apply to me some day. very. soon. Then I kept my mouth shut and promptly said goodbye.

And on a sweet note, a Professional via his Sec brought me a slice of expensive chocolate cake (this is the way into my good graces for future reference). I have been doing a lot of work for him as of late (never even met the guy once of course) and always at a breakneck pace. His Sec emailed me in the middle of completing something, to see how far it was from being finished, which technique I adore by the way, so I sent her something back along the lines of working.on.it.right.now. She then came over about half an hour later bearing expensive hotel boutique cake to thank me for all the work I have been doing lately for her Prof. I don't usually mind feeling like a bitch, but it was one of those moments that I felt a little twinge of regret at getting pissed at her when-will-it-be-done emails. Apparently the Prof was too shy to speak English to come with the cake himself, and although she told him I speak Japanese he still couldn't muster the courage (yes, I am still talking about a real grown-up company with adults here). I then felt the need to send her a thank you email after thanking her profusely in person, to which she replied that the Prof often walks by my cube on the way to the smoking room, so could I please try to talk to him? Sure, I'll just jump up and yell whassup when he comes by next.

11 comments:

Lisa said...

It was sweet of him to send you the cake! Now I'm hungry.

Bunni-chan said...

Even thought it does seem a bit juvenile it's kind of cute. atleast the prof wasn't one of those "I too bussy & too good to send this slice of cake types” he was genuinely shy. (^^)

Kathryn said...

You have a smoking room at work! That's so freaken awesome. That'd never happen in Australia.

RMilner said...

It's amazing that grown-ups are afraid to sit near you. I mean, you must speak good Japanese and you're not a 6ft 6in hulking brute (are you?)

jellykelly79 said...

The last line killed me. Nice one!

It's like that at my job too, though. Lots of my coworkers won't talk to me or get white-eyed and run because they "can't speak English". Um, you've HEARD me speak Japanese, so where is the problem?

Corinne said...

I'm way too used to the shock and surprise of people when I can actually read something in Japanese, whenever that happens I say 'and I can use chopsticks too!' hehe.
Your company is so complex, I have this image of everyone in my head, with your little cube like a cage at the zoo that nobody bothers visiting. hehe sorry, hope that's not offensive... at least you got cake!
Maybe you should flash him next time he walks past, that'll show you're giving him some attention for sure...

Green-Eyed Geisha said...

Bunni-chan: It was cute and despite there being nothing wrong with shy people, most of the "shyness" I deal with seems to be a lack of adult social skills!

kathrynoh: Oh there's a smoking room, with a sweet view too. I can't go in there, however, being female and all. There is only one female Prof who goes in there and the rest of us have to pretend we don't engage in such filthy habits. (How was your trip here BTW?)

RMilner: Your comment made me laugh! I'm 5'6 and normal-sized so no, I'm not a hulking brute, well except when I am next to the nipple-grazer guy. And that is more Amazonian than brute I think.

jellykelly: You know they are hearing Swahili when we speak Japanese because they think any language BUT Japanese could be coming out of our mouths.

Corinne: Nice comeback, the beau (with a totally straight face)tells people I'm Japanese when that happens and it always freaks them out a little. Ha, it is like a cage in the zoo. One of these days I'm going to put up some blue tarp and see if anyone notices. (I've tried using some leverage cleavage but it's a no-go.)

Lisa said...

I'm sorry to use you as my source for Japan travel knowledge, but do you happen to know if I can use a Suica or Pasmo card on the Yamanote line?

I have always paid cash for subway/Yamanote tickets and I would like get away from that this time.

Green-Eyed Geisha said...

Lisa, you can use both. If you haven't already got one, I would go for the Pasmo card as you can use it on basically every bus and train line in Tokyo. Feel free to shoot me an email if you have any other questions!

Kathryn said...

We had a fantastic time in Tokyo, didn't make it to any of the host clubs though. We were staying in Kabuchiko so got over the idea really fast!!!

Lisa said...

Ok, thank you!