(This is one of those “No way! That didn’t really happen, did it?” stories you might hear while breaking bread)
Even when busy, it seems like people still manage to put a pocket of time aside for catching up and checking in with those who are trustworthy enough to have disagreements with.
“So, this kid is maybe in the 6th grade of elementary school and the teacher does something you wouldn’t want to believe.”
“Wait a minute…I’m eating.”
“No, it’s not like that. You’ll actually like this.”
“Okay, go ahead, I’m listening.”
“So this proud and angry young teacher starts talking about national identity, purity, and all that other bullshit. Then he brings up Okinawa, as an example.”
“An example of colonization? Sacrifice for a national cause? Aren’t the people down there not really considered part of the ‘J-Team’?”
“Hang on and just listen.”
They both take another bite of whatever it is that they were eating.
“Okay, so this teacher starts lecturing on how Okinawa was polluted by foreigners and how there are now all of these halfu kids running around. And then he asks one of the children to stand up. ‘You see? This is what I am talking about.’”
“This is how urban myths get started…”
“Wait, it gets even better.”
“I’m not really enjoying this…got anything to drink?”
“Here you go. Okay, so the kid was okay, but happened to tell ‘Papa’ about it. ‘Papa’ asked one of the teachers at the school, where he happens to work from time to time, to help him return the favor by passing along a message to Angry-sensei…”
“Mmm. This stuff is pretty good. Can I have the last one? Thanks.”
“The teacher was asked to tell Angry that he was mistaken. The kid he called halfu…that kid's father fits that description of halfu and is looking forward to discussing this matter, for the sake of education and all that. Wouldn’t want to make a mistake, right?”
“Wow. What happened when they finally got together to talk shop?”
“Well, they never did get a chance to hash things out. Apparently, Proud-Young-n'-Angry-sensei turned out to be pretty smart after all; he somehow managed to get a transfer to another school…halfway through the year.”
“Never heard of that happening before.”
“Funny that. Here, try one of these. My wife really knows how cook.”
“Okay, one more… then I’ve really got to go. Been good catching up with you.”
“Any time.”
(If you've got a little time, the first line of the song starts with, "When we grew up and went to school, there were certain teachers who would hurt the children anyway they could...")
Highest respect to comments given by people who've watched the clip to its end.
Highest respect to comments given by people who've watched the clip to its end.
He's lucky that boy's father didn't beat his ass...very severely. I woulda. Not cuz he's wrong or write but because he assumed apparently that a beating would not follow.
ReplyDeleteSome people never know how lucky they are that the people around them aren't 1% ers.
Agree.
ReplyDeleteThough Papa didn't fault the young teacher for his pride, he did seem a bit annoyed at the initial remark the teacher made toward the child. At the same time, the father was also impressed (as well as a little relieved and disappointed) at how the problem seemed to take care of itself.
I had never seen that video - come to think of it, those days we did not have tele-vision yet. Very Hitchcocky-touch to it, no?
ReplyDeleteI actually enjoyed watching Hitchcock's stuff that was required material for a course with the idea that everything he did was deliberate. He made films that could actually be read...and I don't remember ever feeling insulted by his work.
ReplyDelete