Specials

by Pa Rock

Menu Board for Burgers at a Restaurant in My
Neighborhood

Cultural Explorer


A young man buzzed my apartment twenty minutes ago telling me that he had "specials."  He had a very pronounced oriental accent, so I didn't try to quiz him over the intercom as to what the "specials" were.  Japanese velvet paintings or handguns, I didn't care.  I was doing the dishes, and it would be a pleasure to take a break and visit with someone, even if his goal was simply to relieve me of some yen.

I buzzed the young man in and minutes later he was standing at my door holding a delicious looking try of sweets.  He was selling packages of three rice cakes (500 and 550 yen per package), pound cake (600 yen) and assortments of jellies (3 for 600 yen).  I bought a package of the the rice cakes, which he assured me were flown in direct from Kyoto.

The fellow was wearing a UCLA tee-shirt.  When I commented on it, he told me the shirt was a "gifto" and that UCLA was in Los Angeles.  (If a person pays attention, he can learn something every day!)  The young man went on to visit my neighbors.  Now that I had allowed him entry, the whole building was his oyster!