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and he had spent his first 18 years in the United States.
Those who have at least some English facility seem to lose it rapidly the moment the conversation threatens to veer towards serious issues, meanings, feelings.
My host in Northern Honshu constantly plagues me with questions like:
—Is Philadelphia bigger than Miami?
—What is the capitol of Virginia? (pronounced whieuginia).
—What is the biggest city in Virginia? Today he ventured more deeply:
—Who collects garbage in America?
With him, at one time or another, during my three weeks with his family, I have tried:
—Are you a Buddhist?
Hmm. That’s difficult. I don’t think so.
—Do you think Reagan is good for the U.S. and the world?
I don’t know. I am not for him and I am not against him.
—Do your neighbors want Reagan to run again?”
I don’t know. Maybe. I think so.
I have tried reaching for safer ground:
—What is the meaning of the tea ceremony?
No meaning.
—I mean, why is it done?
Old J apanese custom.
Yesterday a local tea house put on the tea ceremony for my benefit. An elderly gentleman sat next to me and guided me through it in relatively creditable English. Afterwards we talked.
“Does the tea ceremony have a religious significance?”
“No. No significance”
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