Fruition at Last

[Below is the paper I composed for my Writing class.  Please let me know any thoughts if you have any.]

Does anyone actually read fine print? Sure, we may skim through it, but we don’t usually direct the analytical eye to scan each sentence as if there was a bomb hidden somewhere in the text. “What? That can’t be right.” I say to myself. I made sure I spent over $100.00 to get the free shipping. I intentionally spent more than I intended on, so I could save $20.80 on shipping. I certainly didn’t need a 72 inch black oak long bo staff. My rationalization; or more accurately myself justification, figured it would be like getting it for free. Clearly, I should have read the fine print.
The sun is shining on my face. It’s a constant reminder that despite the warm light gently soothing my skin, it is 20 degrees outside. Utah is nice this time of year, if you’re into freezing temperatures drinking the life from your body. Or if a gentle breeze makes you contemplate igniting your thick puffy clothing on fire in the hopes that it would return feeling to your appendages. I’m sitting in a bustling airport, awaiting my flight home. My company sends me around to different states, doing contracts for the government. I bounce back and forth every 2 weeks. It’s not exactly crowded, but there are enough people where you can have a conversation with someone nearby, and everyone isn’t clinging to your every word. Airports have an incredible amount of activity at any given moment. My situational awareness tells me that the overall mood of the terminal is calm, patient, but still slightly anxious to be on their way. To my front, a beautiful strip of mountain stretches from one side of my vision to the other. Planes are crawling around, while extending walkways ease transitions from spacious terminals to elbow bumping plane seats. My mind is lassoed back to earth by the feeling of heat on my lap. Don’t be alarmed, no one is sitting on my lap. My laptop is quietly reminding me that my battery life is slowly draining. I check the battery… 55%. That should last me until my plane boards. I re-orient my attention to the most troubling situation at hand. I’m down a measly $20.00. A week ago, I ordered some martial arts gear over the internet. The company is called E-Bogu, and they’re based out of Los Angeles, CA. They specialize in Japanese martial arts equipment, uniforms, and weapons.
I’ve been training in the martial arts since I was 16. I started off doing Okinawa Karate. We learned basic Japanese during classes, and I began to take an interest in the language and culture of Japan. After some research on the language, I decided that it would be a good investment of time and resources to learn another language. I once heard a joke that goes like this: “What do you call a person who only knows 1 language? An American.” I became bound and determined not to become one of these people. A person who is fluent in 2 or more languages and familiar with the culture of both can be an excellent bridge between them. Initially, I started off on Rosetta stone, a popular (albeit expensive) program that uses pictures to help you retain the knowledge. Eventually, I moved to audio tracks, which were more versatile and convenient. I could listen and practice while working or driving. For three years, I studied Japanese independently. But never once during those arduous three years did I hold a conversation in Japanese. This misfortune was not by my doing, but as fate would have it, I knew no one who was actually of Japanese descent, or that spoke any more than counting 1-10.
I review my email once again, trying to make sense of my current debacle. I was curious on why the company decided not to forget the shipping charges, so I decided to give them a call and investigate. I break out the cell phone and Bluetooth. A familiar tone conveys that the Bluetooth is connected, and I dial the number. Have you ever noticed that there are three tones while dialing a phone call? The tones are arranged vertically, lowest tone from the left and highest tone on the right. It is indeed possible to by chance play “Hot cross buns” while dialing a phone number. This time, it sounded reminiscent of “Mary had a little lamb”. A dial tone ensues, and three rings follow. A pleasant young lady answers the phone, “Hello, thank you for calling E-Bogu, how may I help you?” Her voice is soft and curious, as if she was genuinely intent of helping whoever needed her assistance. Now to the casual American person, they wouldn’t notice much in regards to ethnicity or accent. But I suppose I don’t fit that category. I immediately noticed that she had a Japanese accent to her English. A small flutter in my stomach emerged, and my heart rate quickened. Suddenly I decided to relish the opportunity to have my first conversation in Japanese. Not only would it be my first conversation to a real person, but a native Japanese person. I instinctively answer her, with what limited vocabulary I have.

“Yes, hello. How are you?” I say, with wavering confidence.

“I’m well. How about yourself?” My stomach feels like a flock of birds taking off.

“I’m good.” I respond with mechanical precision.

“So you speak Japanese?” She must notice my rough American accent!

“Yes, a little. But I’m not good yet.” I try to be humble and respectful.

“No, you’re very good.” At this moment, hot blood is rushing straight to my head.

“Thank you very much. My name is Scott. It’s good to meet you. “

“Good to meet you to, Scott. My name is Kikuchi Atsu. How may I help you?”

(By now, my knowledge of the language is exhausted. I know how to hold a basic conversation, to include greetings, introductions, asking directions, and basic things of that nature. I certainly don’t know how to ask why I didn’t get shipping free. I decide to switch to English.)

“Well, that’s about the extent of my Japanese. My question for you is why my order did not have free shipping. My order was over $100.00 but I paid $20.00 for shipping.”

“There are exclusions to the promotion. Your one item is exceptionally long, so we don’t cover that item. Sorry for the inconvenience. Is there anything else I can help you with?”

“No ma’am, thanks for your time. I appreciate you clearing up my situation. Have a good day!”

Once again, my mind came flying back to my body. For the duration of my short conversation, I completely forgot that I was sitting in a slightly crowded airport terminal. I’m still awaiting my flight, and still basking in the sunlight. I’m surrounded by the bustle of busy men in sharp suits, reviewing tight schedules on their PDA Blackberry phones. A man nearby double checks his Itinerary; making sure he is in the right area. All these people, each in their own little world, are completely oblivious to my brilliant moment in time. I’m sure that some person, eyes bouncing from one person to the next, would see no difference in composure between me and everyone around me. Little do they know; I’m brimming with excitement. I just successfully had my first conversation in Japanese.
What could be so special about such a trivial occurrence? For 3 years, I’ve studied Japanese several times a week. I had a diversified learning approach, using varrying methods and programs. I’ve most certainly spending entirely too much money on books or software. Never the less, a culmination of countless hours and effort had come to fruition at long last. This moment in my life would re-kindle my love for Japanese, and for learning any language. I later go on to study Arabic for the Army. Some say that all things happen for a reason. Perhaps they do. But some others think that some good can come from any situation, and that’s exactly what happened here. Maybe I should have read the fine print, but I would have never had this pivotal moment in my life. The feeling of seeing years of effort transforming into pure bliss for a single moment is something that I will never forget. I know that my love for languages will continue to burn, and my passion for experiences such as this one will drive me forward.
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Jargon:

Karate: Martial art primarily involving self defence, fighting, and Kata (forms)
Kendo: Japanese Martial art involving bamboo swords. Similar to fencing.
Bogu: The armor used in Kendo. Covers body, hands, face, and waist.
Bo: A wooden staff used for self defence. Sizes range from 3, 4, 5, & 6 feet.
Okinawa: A island in between Japan & China. Culture influenced from both.