Views of Japan

Just dropped in to Seven Eleven to get some lunch. While waiting to be served an elderly woman (maybe in her late 80’s), back bent like a banana from working in the fields, turns to me and says, “You have no right living in Japan for what your people did to us, especially in Hiratsuka. You killed my family, innocent people, hard working farmers. You aren’t welcome here.” 

I thought to myself, oh here we go again. While thinking of something to say in response however, the girl at the register (who knows my family), said to her, “He is from Australia, he’s not an American.” 

The old lady turned to me, looking hard and long at my feet (!) and said, “You still don’t belong here, go back to Europe.”