No... I am not talking about the time (100% true) I rode my bicycle around Ohtawara-shi, Tochigi-ken, Japan where I lived (Zuiko Haitsu was the name of the apartment building) while wearing a T-shirt that had a fairly visible rip along the side. While I sure as heck didn't see it, apparently a plethora of Nihonjin (Japanese folk) did. The next day, pushed into my mail slot were three brand new T-shirts: Blue, white and grey.
There was no not attached to it indicating who it was from, so I couldn't even thank them for their generosity. More importantly, I couldn't ask them where the heck they bought the shirts!
After a year in this place (It's now July of 1991), I have yet to find a shop in this place that sells clothing in my size. I'm hardly a giant (mental giant, perhaps). I'm 5-11 & 3/4" and 175lbs. My shoes are 30cm or a size 10-1/2 US. But, nowhere here have I been able to find clothes! And yet, one day after seeing my ride my bike around town with a rip in my shirt, someone goes out, buys me three shirts and drops them off at my place! In one stinking day. That means it has to be close. Nertz.
Despite the introduction to this blog with that story, that's not what I meant when I said the Japanese like to dress me up. Nope. They like to dress me up in something outrageous and then take pictures of me. Why? Perhaps to show everyone that all gaijin (foreigners) are idiots aka baka (mostly true by my reckoning)? Perhaps to have something to do after a dinner invite rather than talk - which would be tough considering my crappy Japanese language skills, and their crappy English-language skills (though that isn't true about everyone, of course)?
Click HERE and see for yourself.
I don't know what's more bizarre 20 years later: Me actually doing stuff like that or the fact that these people had the costumes in their home already?
Somewhere wondering whose pantyhose that was,
Andrew Joseph
Today's title is sung by John Fred & his Playboys WITHGLASSES
PS: Obviously I was a willing participant in playing Mr. Dress-up, but I do believe alcohol may have been involved.
