THE PRELUDE: From: AnninJapan
5/14/98 22:10
Subject: Zannen desu ne.
Dear Gary, Your stories are always amusing. Although mine are a bit simple I thought you might like the two funny little things that happened today.
The teacher’s room is on the second floor of the building. To one side of the teacher’s room there is a balcony that runs the lenght of the building. When you stand on the balcony (as I often do to smoke a cig.) you look straight into the playground of the adjacent elementary school. I like the vantage point. It is fun to watch them run around the huge playground. Today I was outside with a guy that works in my building. He doesn’t speak any English so we were just smoking and looking at the kids from our perch. The little ones started charging onto the playground and one of them came over to the side of the school yard and in an area kind of hidden off whipped out his little penis and started peeing on the ground. I kinda went, “uhhh—uhhh” and started pointing at the kid to the guy standing next to me. He saw where I was pointing and just started laughing. He had one thing to say in Japanese, “Ichi-nensei”. I shook my head and agreed. We had a nice laugh about it. Why do little boys pee outside? Probably because they can.
Later in the day I was outside again. Two little girls spotted me from the playground and came up to the fence. One little girl yelled in plain English, “What’s your name?” I said, “My name is Ann, what’s your name?” She said, “My name is Kanna” I of course said, “Hi Kanna” She seemed so pleased with herself for talking in English. Her little friend seemed so confused, and they started to whisper to each other. The next thing I know her friend is saying, “What’s     your
       name?” Of course since she had no idea what to say her friend had to whisper each word in her ear as she repeated them. I of course said my name and “What’s your name?” She had no idea how to respond so the friend coached her again. They just stood there grining from ear to ear and waving after the conversation was done. Cute.
I guess one could say I am doing double duty as an English teacher. Junior High school by the fifty minutes and elementary school during the breaks. So much fun in one country. I should be shot for being so happy. Later, Ann THE REPLY
From: Gary Ploski
5/23/98 0:02
Subject: Re: zannen desu ne!
To: AnninJapan
Hi there. gomen ne. I must say that your stories had me laughing quite a bit. Gotta love the boys and their pen icz(as the japanese pronounce it. Pen is, hmmm, could work for some people I guess. Opps, I went there. hehehe. I must say that it’s cool to hear that your having fun at work.
       I’ve been having some mad times at school now cause I’m at a school with a total of 6 classes. 2 classes in ichi, ni, and san nensei! That’s it! No more, no less. I’ve been to some of these classes sooo many times. It feels wierd to see the same students so often. Usually I would see a class once or twice during my vist to the school. weird
       Well, I hope that your summer goes on well enough that you won’t need to buy an A/C for the apt. I can only imagine how hot it’s gonna get. I LIKE THE WINTER!!!! AHHHHHHHHH my body is in denile right now, rather, it wishes it were in … the Nile. hehee. a joke from a looooong time ago. My friends and I were playind Dungeons and Dragons and were at the Nile and had a conversation and someone said “He’s da Nile.” and then we went with it and had fun… but you are probably lost with that one. no worries—- I’ve got my fish and it’s ready to fly! Hehehe. have a crazy day. ciao cito