The Secret's Out

You've surely figured out by now that this won't be a daily blog. So here's an update since my  last (first) (only) post.

I got my new JP cell phone.  It only took about an hour and a half.  That's not counting my two-hour exploratory visit earlier in the week when I picked out the actual phone and "reserved" it so that "all" I had to do was bring in my boss, the account holder, and have her pay for it. 

 So Boss Lady and I return to the Docomo store to complete said transaction.  We of course are immediately recognized by the Young Lady who helped me pick out the phone.  We are invited to take a seat at YL's desk. YL immediately dials up the company's English translator and presumably explains that we're there to get the reserved phone.  Then YL passes the translator to me.  I confirm that, yes, I am there to pick up the phone.  They want to know if I've brought the account holder.  Yes.  Pass translator to BL, who shows her Alien Registration and confirms that she is the account holder and that she is here to pay for the phone.  BL passes back to YL.

(BTW, before passing a telephone, it is polite to take the mouthpiece and swipe it on your sleeve so that you wipe off any unwanted germs which may have fallen from your mouth.  Young Lady is also obliged to do this.)

It must take double or triple the time to say something in Japanese than in English, because they talk for several minutes. Swipe and pass to BL.  Go over calling plan etc.  Swipe and pass back to YL.  YL fills out a form.  Swipe and pass back to BL.  BL signs form.  Swipe and pass to YL.  Talk talk talk. Swipe and back to BL.  YL goes and retrieves the actual phone and presents it to me for inspection.  Yes, it is the phone I picked out. 

Apparently it is offhandedly communicated to BL that she has Cell Phone Points, does she wish to use to purchase new phone or apply to monthly phone bill?  Use for purchase.  On it goes.  Swipe pass, swipe pass.  Finally the credit card is presented and the slip signed.  The translator confirms that the transaction is complete.

Exhausted and grateful, we all rise and bow multiple times to each other, repeating "arigato gozaimasu" (thank you very much) and exit the store.