quist
11-01-2005, 07:25 PM
Hi all,
I have a couple of stories related to recent editorials I would like to share.
One is my own chivalrous assitance of tiny asian girl story. I was taking a group of students studying English at my university to a day trip in downtown LA. One high-school girl wore low-healed pumps with no socks or stockings. By half-way through the day, her achille's tendons were rubbed so raw they were practically bleading. Being ever the trooper, she stayed quiet until she just couldn't walk anymore. I should have strangled her for not asking for a ten minute detour to buy some socks, but she just looked so cute and helpless, dang her. Luckily she only weighed probably like 80-90 pounds, so I ended up giving her a piggy back ride for the rest of the day. I felt like quite the white night. My own niece, who is 10, probably outweighs her by 30 lbs, so I am sure to check her shoes before we go on any long walks. :)
The other story concers visiting some of my ex-wife's nephews in Kagoshima. I played Street Fighter 2 with them. I was 22 at the time and the oldest of the brothers was old enough that I didn't feel that I had to lose to him on purpose. We were pretty even initially, but once I used my favorite characters and learned his style, I beat him with relative ease. His little brother looked very impressed and they had a short converation I didn't understand. My wife translated it for me later.
Younger brother: Wow, he is really good. Do you think he can swim, too?
Older brother: Of course he can; Americans can do anything.
That never ceases to be funny to me for several reasons:
1. My mad street fighter skills didn't seem to impress my ex-wife at all.
2. Why should swimming impress a kid who grew up on an island.
3. How did he make the leap from nintendo to swimming in his mind.
4. I was 22, just entering grad school on borrowed money, never had a real job, and spend less on rent than most of these people do on dinner, but I apparently had this unknownst to me talent to do anything simply because I was American.
So, there you have it. I am Captain American. That is kind of like Captain America, but much cooler. I can do anything, which of course includes swimming. Oh yeah, I almost forgot, I can eat $100 dollars worth of food a day in Japan without even trying. The line forms here ladies . . .
Cheers
I have a couple of stories related to recent editorials I would like to share.
One is my own chivalrous assitance of tiny asian girl story. I was taking a group of students studying English at my university to a day trip in downtown LA. One high-school girl wore low-healed pumps with no socks or stockings. By half-way through the day, her achille's tendons were rubbed so raw they were practically bleading. Being ever the trooper, she stayed quiet until she just couldn't walk anymore. I should have strangled her for not asking for a ten minute detour to buy some socks, but she just looked so cute and helpless, dang her. Luckily she only weighed probably like 80-90 pounds, so I ended up giving her a piggy back ride for the rest of the day. I felt like quite the white night. My own niece, who is 10, probably outweighs her by 30 lbs, so I am sure to check her shoes before we go on any long walks. :)
The other story concers visiting some of my ex-wife's nephews in Kagoshima. I played Street Fighter 2 with them. I was 22 at the time and the oldest of the brothers was old enough that I didn't feel that I had to lose to him on purpose. We were pretty even initially, but once I used my favorite characters and learned his style, I beat him with relative ease. His little brother looked very impressed and they had a short converation I didn't understand. My wife translated it for me later.
Younger brother: Wow, he is really good. Do you think he can swim, too?
Older brother: Of course he can; Americans can do anything.
That never ceases to be funny to me for several reasons:
1. My mad street fighter skills didn't seem to impress my ex-wife at all.
2. Why should swimming impress a kid who grew up on an island.
3. How did he make the leap from nintendo to swimming in his mind.
4. I was 22, just entering grad school on borrowed money, never had a real job, and spend less on rent than most of these people do on dinner, but I apparently had this unknownst to me talent to do anything simply because I was American.
So, there you have it. I am Captain American. That is kind of like Captain America, but much cooler. I can do anything, which of course includes swimming. Oh yeah, I almost forgot, I can eat $100 dollars worth of food a day in Japan without even trying. The line forms here ladies . . .
Cheers