I love Japan for their services, however, Japan is really all business but good business. Here’s what happened…

About two weeks ago my eletronic dictionary that I got September 11th broke. By “broke” I mean that it didn’t turn on. I thought it was the batteries so I went and got some and put them in (the right way + -> +; – -> -) and nothing happened. So not knowing anything about Japanese warrenties, I let it sit on my desk for about a week until I finially decided to go back to Yamada Denki, the store I got it at, and ask for another one.

So at the Yamada Denki I handed them the dictionary and said “broken I think” and they obviously thought I didn’t put the batteries in right, so they proceeded to change the batteries and nothing happened. Convinced that it was broken, they took it in and filled out the “broken” paperwork. I stumbled over the info they needed, but eventually filled out the forms correct and then they put into their “fix” bin. They told me that they were going to send it to Cannon to get it fixed and then have it sent back. “The total amount of time would be around a month is that ok?” they said, “ok desu” I replied. I was stricken with grief. A month later I’d be gone, somewhere in Honshu fretting over some Kanji or Word without a dictionary to help me. Alas I walked out in somber spirits.

One week later…

So I’m sitting in a coffee shop with my friends awaiting a call from someone who was to meet us there and the phone rings. The number was 110 something (i.e. not a cell phone that usually starts with either 090 or 080). I answered the phone and someone came on in super fast Japanese that I couldn’t understand at first. I went into my usual “you got the wrong number” thing, but she persisted. Eventually she slowed down and said the basics:

YD: “is this 080… … …?”
ME: “Hai”
YD: “Are you Weeraa Jooshua?”
ME: “Hai”
YD: “This is Yamada Denki desu” she said.
ME: “Eh? Yamada Denki? Ohhhhhh! (*Excuse me) the Dictionary!, (Excuse me) but, how is it?” (realizing how much a fool I was)

YD: “Finished desu!”
ME: “Oh (excuse me) I see! I’ll drop by tomorrow and pick it up… (excuse me)”
YD: “Hai! Ok that is fine”
ME: (Excuse me) Thankyou… (excuse me) Thank you for calling.

*Excuse me or Sumimasen (すみません）is an useful expression that Japanese people use a lot for all situations. In this case, after realizing how much a fool I was, I used Sumimasen to emply that I was sorry for not realizing that it was Yamada Denki calling about my dictionary.

So, of course, I forgot about it Sunday when they called, but today I went and got it. When I went to get it I didn’t have my papers, but my phone number was good enough I guess. They ended up giving me a new one and the one week wait was just Yamada Denki waiting for the Cannon Company to just say “ok give ’em a new one.” At least that’s what I think.

Anyway I got a brand new Cannon Wordtank C50 that’s good to go… I don’t have to worry about standing there at some Subway sign wondering what “あぶない” means.

Thanks Yamada Denki for all the help!

~J out

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