...so what was I saying?

Oh yeah. I've actually been doing other things than watching DVDs and movies, but looking at the last few posts you'd never know that.

I've had a few really nice evenings out. After FF Ted, Allan & I went to Samarat, an Indian restaurant I've eaten at far too many times. I had a fine evening of taking the piss, and I'm sure the other two did too.

And as I was saying I went to an English style pub. A woman I know called Kazumi was having a birthday, so it was an occasion to get together with quite a few of the people I know in Tokyo. Met a couple of new people, too. The evening wasn't even dampened by it being "Poetry Nite" at the pub. This seemed to be a license for every gaijin hippy in west Tokyo to come and caterwaul on the tiny stage. A pity it wasn't "Mime Nite".

Then last night Mari's friend Kaoru had a birthday party. Totally scrumptious food and beer was had a place called TY Harbor Brewery (so natch the beer was good). It’s a pity that one has to keep one eye on the time for last train at an evening like last night.

Then last weekend my school had its Cultural Festival. This is like a school carnival, but there are more shows and performances by the kids. At least more than were ever done at my high school. Mari came along, which caused a minor stir among the students. I’m pretty much the only foreigner many of them have the chance to talk to, and so often things that I do take on a larger than life interest for them. For my Japanese girlfriend to come to the festival it was like a minor Hollywood celebrity had graced them with her presence. There were usually about 5 girls just standing to the side trying to get a look at Mari, and saying things like, “I can’t see her face”, and “She looks like a model”. When I left her alone for a minute, a braver girl immediately began asking her how old she was, are we married, where did we meet, etc.

It was all a bit much for poor Mari. I’d warned her that she was likely to generate some interest, but she wasn’t prepared to be scrutinized so much in public. It’s a strange feeling to be talked about by people (even 12 year olds) as if you’re not really there.