The Power of Positive Speech

It already seems to me that ages have passed, but one week ago I was still in Japan.

  

My last evening on Tokunoshima we had a farewell party, Takaichiro san with his family, little Haruki kun included, two coworkers and me. First thing when we entered the restaurant, Kazutoshi san ordered a hose from the beer kegs to our table. Since they didn't have one we all pitied the waitress, but we kept ordering beers one after another and when next moening I boarded the ferry I was ready to enjoy my trip with a mixture of hangover and seasickness. The weather was gloomy, like always when I leave Tokunoshima. true, it was only my second departure, but it's two out of two for the bad weather.

 

I was seriously thinking to open one of the bottles of shochu that Takaichiro san gave me for present and stone myself to sleep all the way to Okinawa, a 10 hours trip. Luckily I opted for a normal, hangovered sleep, to wake up a bit later when we stopped at Yoron island and the first thing I saw was two pairs of big eyes intensely staring at me. Yay, two tons of cutness on the mats near me! I gave them cookies, they gave me tangerines. And we became friends. We played all the way to Okinawa and I was a bit sad when the girls waved me goodbye.

 

 

In Naha I spent all the night drinking and making new friends (and some enemies) and I didn't miss my flight next morning. I fell asleep the moment I sat on the plane and in Osaka the stewardess had some troubles to wake me up. Probably I was repaid for her troubles by my beloved karma when I wanted to get my ticket for Seoul. The stupid machine for auto check-in didn't want to give me my ticket. I was sent to the human check-in that looked quite the same as the automatic.
"Sorry, we can't sell you the ticket for Korea."
"What the fuck do you mean you can't? You already sold me the ticket, now you just have to give it to me!" I was drunk, so I really said it like this, fuck included.
"It's a one way ticket and to go to korea you need a return ticket."
"But it is a return ticket, Seoul Osaka Seoul!"
"But you need a ticket for your next destination if you want to go to korea. Do you have the ticket for your next destination?"
"Well.. I mean.. Uh, no, I don't have it."
"Then we can't sell you the ticket."
"But my ticket is already paid..." No, this won't work, she completely overheard me the first time. Think fast, you drunk idiot! OK, let's try a crazy one. "Why can't you sell me the ticket?"
"Because you don't have the ticket for the next destination. Koran Immigration will not let you in the country and our company will be held responsible for letting you on board."
"Oh, that! But I have my ticket for my next destination, I go to Nepal next week!" I said it without blushing and looking her straight in the eyes.
"But you said that you don't...."
"True, true, you see, I don't have a paper ticket, I have only an online reservation, that;s why I said I don't have it." Again, no blushing, big friendly smile.
"Than everything is OK, just wait a moment and I will give you your ticket. Can I have your passport, please?"
I gave it to her, still with the big smile, but I really wanted to punch her. Not for the mess, really, I know it's a matter of idiotic rules and laws. What ticked me in the end was the fact that while all the time of our argument she was talking about "selling" me the ticket (that I bought in December), she finally said "give".
Another two hours of sleep on the plane and once in Seoul I immediately started drinking again. Mase few friends, one sure enemy and arrived home two days later, completely burnt, so tired I couldn't even sleep.
But one thing I could: I ate half kilo of homemade kimchi for dinner!