OUR HAPPY LIFE

WE NOW HADEVERYTHING WE WANTED- WE WERE TOGETHER, WE HAD JESSICA, WE HAD A LOVELY HOME AND WE COULD PLAN FOR THE FUTURE. HOW SWEET IT WAS TO WAKE UP TOGETHER, GET MARTIN OFF TO WORK AND START MY DAY. NOW, MY DAY CONSISTED OF CLEANING, COOKING, TAKING CARE OF JESSICA AND GETTING READY FOR MARTIN TO COME HOME. IT MAY SOUND MUNDANE, BUT MANY REALLY NICE THINGS HAPPENED TO MAKE LIFE MORE INTERESTING. FIRST OF ALL WAS FUMIKO. SHE WAS OUR NEIGHBOR. SHE WAS MARRIED TO HENEI, AND THEY HAD 4 CHILDREN, KATSUMI, MIOKI, COTSUMI AND ANAKI. FUMIKO'S FAMILY HAD BEEN ON THE ISLAND FOR MANY GENERATIONS. THEY LIVED IN A TRADITIONAL JAPANESE HOME, WITH OPEN WINDOWS, RICE PAPER WALLS, AND BAMBOO MATS ON THE FLOOR. IT WAS A ONE ROOM HOUSE WITH A KITCHEN OFF TO THE SIDE. EVERYONE LIVED IN THE ONE ROOM, AND TOOK BEDDING OUT AT NIGHT. THERE WERE WONDERFUL LANTERNS, AND THE GARDEN WAS JUST HEAVEN. (THE ISLAND WAS SO SMALL, THAT EVERY TINY BIT THAT COULD BE WAS PLANTED WITH SOME KIND OF PRODUCE) IT WAS SO INCREDIBLE, AND I WAS IN LOVE WITH HER HOUSE. FUMIKO WAS A TINY JAPANESE LADY, WHO SPOKE PASSING ENGLISH. SHE IMMEDIATLEY MADE FRIENDS WITH ME. I WAS SO TOUCHED, I WAS AFRAID THAT I WOULD HAVE NO FRIENDS OVER THERE. WE VISITED EVERY DAY- MOSTLY FUMIKO WOULD COME OVER AND THEN TAKE ME TO HER FRIEND'S HOMES TO MEET THEM. THEY WERE ENCHANTED WITH JESSICA, AND ALL OF THEM WANTED TO CARE FOR HER. AFTER A WHILE, FUMIKO INVITED MARTIN AND I OVER FOR DINNER. THAT NIGHT, WE SAT AROUND HER TABLE, IN TRADITIONAL STYLE, ON CUSHIONS ON THE FLOOR. THE TABLE WAS COVERED WITH JAPANESE DISHES, AND WE HAD CHOP STICKS FOR CUTLERY. WE HAD THE CENTER OF THE TABLE, AND THE REST OF THE FAMILY SAT AROUND US. THEY HAD INVITED OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS, AND I WAS SO NERVOUS THAT I WOULD MAKE SOME KIND OF MISTAKE AND EMBARRASS MYSELF. I LEANED OVER AND WHISPERED TO MARTIN, "DON'T DO ANYTHING STUPID. MIND YOUR MANNERS, AND DON'T EMBARRASS ME. BETER YET, JUST SIT THERE, SMILE AND EAT." I THEN WENT BACK TO USING MY CHOPSTICKS WITH A SURE HAND, AND DIDN'T EVEN DROP A BITE. THE MEAL PASSED WITH GOOD CONVERSATION, AND EVERYONE WAS SO POLITE, AND SEEMINGLY IMPRESSED WITH OUR KNOWLEGE OF JAPANESE CUSTOMS. WHEN THE MEAL WAS OVER, I CROSSED MY CHOPSTICKS OVER MY PLATE, AS I SAW THE OTHERS DO. THEN, I STRAIGHTENED UP, AND LET A HUGE BURP GO! HUGE BURP! BELCH!- EVERYONE GOT A HORRIFIED LOOK ON THEIR FACE AND IMMEDIATLEY DROPPED THEIR HEADS, AS IF THEY WERE PRAYING. I LOOKED AROUND IN CONFUSION, AND FUMIKO SOFTLY SAID, "JODIE-SAN, PLEASE TO COME TO KITCHEN." SHE TOO, HAD HER HEAD DOWN, AND WOULD NOT LOOK AT ME. I WENT WITH HER, AND I SAID, "FUMIKO, WHAT'S WRONG?" SHE SAID, "JODIE-SAN, IT IS VERY RUDE TO BELCH AT THE TABLE! YOU HAVE LOST FACE WITH EVERYONE." NOW, LET ME TELL YOU THAT THIS IS ONE OF THE TOP TEN MOST EMBARRASSING THINGS I HAVE EVER DONE. I BEGAN TO STAMMER AND COULD HARDLY BREATH AS I EXPLAINED TO HER THAT I THOUGHT IT WAS A SIGN OF APPRECIATION TO BELCH AT THE END OF A MEAL IN JAPAN. I THOUGHT I WAS COMPLEMENTING THE HOST AND HOSTESS. I JUST BROKE DOWN AND STARTED TO CRY. SHE SAID, "WELL PERHAPS IN CHINA THEY WOULD APPRECIATE THIS, BUT IN JAPAN WE DO NOT! BUT YOU HAVE MADE AN HONEST MISTAKE, AND ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS GO IN THERE AND APOLOGIZE TO EVERYONE. THEY WILL UNDERSTAND". APOLOGIZE? APOLOGIZE? GREAT! HOW CAN I FACE THESE PEOPLE? WELL, IF I DIDN'T APOLOGIZE TO THEM I WOULD NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT FACING THEM, BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT LOOK ME IN THE FACE UNTIL I DID. SO, I DRIED MY EYES, WENT TO THE TABLE, SAT BACK DOWN, AND THEN, I BEGAN MY APOLOGY. "PLEASE FORGIVE ME FOR MY RUDENESS. I TRULY THOUGHT THAT I WAS COMPLIMENTING THE HOST FOR THE LOVELY MEAL BY BURPING, I THOUGHT I WAS SUPPOSED TO DO THAT. IT WAS A TRUE MISTAKE AND I APOLOGIZE FOR INSULTING ALL OF YOU". IMMEDIATELY EVERYONE LIFTED THEIR HEAD AND HUGE SMILES RADIATED BACK AT ME. ONE GENTLEMAN SAID, " WELL MY GOODNESS, I THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO SPIT OUT YOUR LIVER WITH THAT BELCH! GOOD JOB!" MARTIN CRACKED UP, AND SO DID EVERYONE ELSE. THEY WERE NOT LAUGHING AT ME BUT WITH ME. THEN, MY DEAR HUSBAND, MY SWEETHEART LEANED IN CLOSE AND SAID, "GOOD THING I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING TO EMBARRASS YOU-I TOOK YOUR ADVICE AND JUST SAT HERE, SMILED AND ATE. NO, WOULDN'T WANT TO EMBARRASS YOU OR ANYTHING!" I GAVE HIM A LOOK THAT PROMISED RETRIBUTION, AND THE REST OF THE EVENING PASSED WITHOUT FURTHER DIFFICULTIES. IT WAS ACTUALLY A WONDERFUL EVENING, AND I LEARNED FROM IT TO BE SURE I GET MY CULTURES STRAIGHT BEFORE I TRY OUT ANY OF THE CUSTOMS. ANOTHER TIME, MARTIN TOOK ME TO A LITTLE TOWN ONE LOVELY DAY TO SHOP. THERE WERE LITTLE SHOPS CROWDED TOGETHER EVERY INCH OF THE STREET. MOST OF THEM SOLD SOUVENIERS. THERE WERE SHOPS FOR FRUIT, GROCERIES, CLOTHING AND SERVICES. THE OWNERS WOULD STAND OUTSIDE THE SHOP UNTIL YOU PASSED BY AND TRY TO ENTICE YOU TO COME INSIDE AND SHOP WITH THEM. THERE WERE LADIES IN KIMONOS- AND ALL OF IT WAS SO CHARMING. AS WE WERE WALKING BY ONE SHOP IN PARTICULAR, ONE LADY TOUCHED MARTIN'S SLEEVE AND SAID, "HEY BIG G.I., YOU COME IN- SEE WHAT I GOT!" MARTIN SNATCHED HIS ARM BACK AND TOLD HER QUITE RUDELY TO GET AWAY FROM HIM! I WAS SO SUPRISED THAT MY HUSBAND WOULD ACT IN SUCH A RUDE MANNER! I SAID, "MARTIN SEE! HOW DARE YOU ACT LIKE THAT! THAT POOR WOMAN JUST WANTED TO SHOW YOU WHAT SHE HAD FOR SALE! WHAT HAS GOTTEN INTO YOU?!!! HE SAID, "THAT WOMAN IS A PROSTITUTE. SHE WAS SOLICITING ME." WHAT?!!! I WHIPPED AROUND AND BEFORE I COULD LIGHT INTO HER, SHE SAID, LOOKING AT MARTIN, AND POINTING AT ME, "OKSAN? SHE OKSAN?" (SHE WAS ASKING IF I WAS HIS WIFE). HE LAUGHED AND SAID, "YES, SHE REAL BIG OKSAN!" BEFORE I KNEW IT, SHE HAD DISSAPEARED INTO THE SHOP AND SLAMMED THE DOOR. HE LAUGHED "SO, DO YOU STILL WANT ME TO GO IN AND SEE WHAT SHE WANTS TO SHOW ME?" "UH, NO, DO YOU WANT ME TO GO IN AND SHOW HER WHAT I HAVE?" I SAID, RAISING A FIST. "COME ON BABE, WE HAVE HAD ENOUGH FUN HERE" HE SAID, AND OFF WE WENT. WE HAD MANY DAYS, WHEN WE HAD SUCH FUN, WALKING THE STREETS IN THE MOUNTAINS, SHOPPING IN THE VILLAGES, AND LEARNING TO LOVE THE PEOPLE. HALLOWEEN, THANKSGIVING, AND CHRISTMAS PASSED BEFORE WE KNEW IT. SINCE WE WERE OVERSEAS, THESE HOLIDAYS WERE SPENT WITH FUMIKO AND HER FAMILY, AND THE FRIENDS WE HAD MADE. I SHOULD TELL YOU THAT WE DID NOT LIVE ON BASE, AND SO WE DID NOT HAVE MANY AMERICAN FRIENDS. BUT THAT WAS OKAY, THE PEOPLE ON THE ISLAND WERE SO VERY WONDERFUL. MORE TOMORROW, LOVE, NANASEE