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Wherein UltraMom and Heather become Better Acquainted with UltraGirl’s Family and UltraBob makes a Bad Translation

Yokuska and the Suzuki house is about ½ hour away from Zushi where the UltraKids live. Tomoko was already there from the morning’s activities. The first thing we noticed when we arrived at Tomoko’s parent’s house, right by the front step was Motoji’s pond. We had heard about it, but mere words cannot do it justice. A painted jack-o-lantern sign proclaimed “Welcome”. The sides of the pond in rugged mountain shapes had been painted green, blue, brown and white to resemble the mountains in Idaho that Motoji had seen a couple of years ago. Delicate yellow and white flowers bloomed in outside crevices. There were some goldfish in the pond, but it seemed they had been dying, so Ubob was asked to install an aerator to see if that would help. All in all, quite an impressive sight.
Inside the house, we were shown into the living room where we sat on the floor around a low table. I really liked the heated carpet we sat on. At the end of this room is a large, comfortable room where the Grandmother lives. She is Motoji’s adopted mother, is @93 years old, and is amazing. The only concession to aging she seems to have made is impaired hearing. She wore no glasses and remembered very clearly the gift of a candle I had sent her several years ago. After a few minutes, she retired to her room, and later we could hear her laughing loudly as she enjoyed her favorite TV program.
Having a conversation with Motoji and Yuri was a bit challenging for Heather and UltraMom as we speak about the same amount of Japanese as they do English: little to none. Ubob helpfully translated, as we talked about the wedding, our families, and exchanged compliments. Tall, beautiful, red-haired Heather made quite the impression, and Yuri asked Ubob to tell her something. “She wants to tell you,” he began, “that you have a gigantic nose.” Heather, rather taken aback made a shocked face, whereupon Yuri hit Ubob both physically and with a torrent of Japanese. When he could stop laughing he explained, “She actually said to tell you that you have a tall nose. In Japan that is a compliment.” Heather took in in stride, even when UltraBob carried the joke around for the rest of the evening (actually rather beyond that). “Heather, watch out for that doorway. Make sure there is room for your gigantic nose to fit through. “ and so on.
Upon our request, the UltraKids showed us UltraGirl’s old room, up several flights of stairs and more recently, UBob’s office. The walls were still decorated with old rock posters from UltraGirl’s teenage years. We also saw the small room off the stair landing where Ubob stayed for awhile when he first moved to Japan. Apparently the room now contained a lot of storage items that weren’t there when Bob lived there, but viewing the cramped little space, Heather and I couldn’t help thinking of Harry Potter’s closet under the stairs. Motoji made a point of telling Heather that when she got married, she could come to Japan on her honeymoon and stay in UltraGirl’s old room. UBob was outraged: “She should have to stay in the Harry Potter room first. It’s only fair!”
Tomoko’s cousin, Yukiko was also there. She and her husband, Makato live right next door. She is the daughter of Karate Uncle, whom I did not get to meet. When Ubob first came to Japan, this brother of Yuri’s did not approve of the young American dating his niece. Ubob, not proficient yet in Japanese names, dubbed him “Karate Uncle” because of his Black Belt Karate status. I believe now they have established a truce, though UltraBob says they always get into a heated (thoroughly enjoyable to him) discussion at the annual New Year’s Day gathering. Yukiko is also a black belt Karate master and operates a massage shop. Though she didn’t speak much English, she was very friendly, as was her husband. They presented Heather and me with very nice gift boxes consisting of scarves, decorative coin purses and ornate toothpick holders w/mirrors. Also at the Suzuki house a lot was a neighbor who was doing some remodeling on the house. I can’t remember his name, but he was an employee of Karate Uncle who owned a business that did that sort of thing.
Heather and I brought out the gifts we had brought: a Yellowstone Park magnet for Grandma, some candy and scented lotion for Yuri, an electronic BlackJack game for Mitsuhiro, and his favorite country apple-scented Bath & Bodyworks lotion for Motoji. There is a funny story associated with Motoji’s gift. One year I sent a Christmas package and include gifts for Tomoko’s family. I hadn’t know her very long at that time, and I had her parents’ names mixed up. As an afterthought I included a tube of apple lotion for her mother, whose name I thought was Motoji. The real Motoji, not her mother, but her father, loved it! Ever since then I try to send some of his favorite lotion when I send a package.
We went to one of the Suzuki family’s favorite restaurant. I asked the name several times, but can’t remember it now…maybe Aiya? It was a traditional Japanese restaurant, and we sat on the floor around a low table. Heather and I had some delicious tempera; I know Ubob had tuna sushi, and I can’t begin to describe what everyone else had. Everything I tried was delicious and unusual. Heather continued to impress Motoji by accepting the beer he offered to buy her, and each time we saw him after that, he made sure to offer her one. They always raised their mugs/bottles and toasted with what sounded like “CompEye!” Motoji and Yuri, as it turns out, are about 10 years older than I am, but you could never tell it by looking at them. I can’t remember for sure what age Motoji turned on this particular birthday; somewhere in the mid-60’s I think.
On the way back from the restaurant, Motoji rode in the front seat of the car with UltraBob, and Heather and I rode in the back. As they chatted in Japanese, Ubob would occasionally translate for us. Once, after Motoji has talked for quite a while, Heather wanted to know what he had said. Ubob, weary of acting as go-between just said, “He told a funny story. When I stop talking, laugh.”, which we obediently did, and Motoji seemed pleased.
Okay, a fun, eventful day, but stay tuned kiddies! Tomorrow UltraMom and Heather are going into Tokyo on the train!

UltraMom

UltraBob, UltraMom, Heather, Yuri, UltraGirl, Mitsuhiro, Motoji

UltraBob and Grandma

Motoji’s Idaho Mountains pond