My longest time working in any field, 27 years worth, was in the high-tech (computer -related) industry in Silicon Valley. I worked for a U.S. disc-drive manufacturer for four years and was responsible for the company’s Japan sales subsidiary. I started during the initial start-up stage of the sub, when we were building its business infrastructure for a full operations office. I received an e-mail from our Japan office that I was scheduled to conduct an U.S.-Japan phone interview at 5PM with a candidate for our product distribution department in Japan. His name was Pink. Wow, I thought to myself. We sure have done a good job of hiring open-minded, competent people who truly took our company’s intolerance for prejudice to heart. The young man called me at 5PM sharp. Speaking in English with a Japanese-British accent (just use your imagination as to how it sounded), he introduced himself by his legal name and said, “…but I go as Pink”. Though ‘almost’ any question by the employer is not a taboo in Japan, I always practiced U.S. labor law, and did not ask him how he acquired that nickname. It is only appropriate to say that he passed the interview with a flying color!
Love of Pink’s life, adorable Chartreuse at age 2
A week later, I visited our Japan office and met Pink in person for the first time. He had a photo of an adorable little girl on his desk. Noticing me looking at the photo, Pink said, “This is a picture of a love of my life. Her name means chartreuse in English/French (chartreuse is a color precisely halfway between green and yellow). He continued, saying he literally lived for Chartreuse. There wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do for her. Chartreuse was born hearing-impaired (not totally deaf) and attended a special private school. She was at a stage in which she needed a very specialized hearing-aid, designed for little ears, which sold for US$30,000. Pink’s wife had devoted much of her time to tend to Chartreuse’s needs, so she could have the same life-activities as other girls. With a big smile, Pink stated that Chartreuse was his ‘high maintenance’ girl. I was touched by such an uncommon, public display of affection by a Japanese man. Do not judge a man by the color of his name!
Over a short period of time, Pink and I became very good friends. One day, Pink asked me why I never asked him how he got his nickname, when everyone else did. In Japan, it is customary and traditional that during 6th, 9th and 12th grade, before graduation, students are taken for an overnight trip. Youths think and plan until the date of their trip. Pink was one of them. On the night before the trip, graduating 9th grader, Pink,was packing his luggage and could not find the new pajamas his mom supposedly had bought him. She had forgotten all about it. His mom asked him to go to bed and she would hurry to the local department store, which was open till late.
Pink elaborated… “The following day at the inn, it was time for bed. Boys and girls were separated in different rooms. After lots of horsing around, the boys started opening their luggage to pull out their pajamas. As I opened my luggage, I saw a bright pink pajama set with a note from my mother saying, ‘At the store, these were the only pajamas in your size. Aren’t you glad they do not have any patterns? Your classmates won’t even notice.’ To have the upper-hand, I wore the pajamas and acted as if there was nothing wrong with this picture. For a minute, everyone stared at me. There was not a sound. Then in unison, the boys pointed at me, laughed aloud and chanted, ‘pink, pink, pink…’. I joined them and laughed too, showing that I agreed that it was hilarious and frankly, I didn’t care. Hence my nickname, Pink!”
I had the pleasure of meeting Pink!’s wife (former amateur opera singer), his parents (both retired educators, turned artists: father, an exotic Japanese potter and mother, a traditional Japanese linen weaver and indigo-stain dyer), and the love of his life, Chartreuse, when I was invited to a Japanese family meal at his home. A year later, when I was stationed in Tokyo as an expatriate, to reciprocate, I invited Pink’s family for a Persian family meal… kotlet with Fae’s twist! (Chartreuse made a couple of small kotlets, the size of her 2 year-old hands).
Wonderful story! What a fascinating life you are leading Fae!
Before retiring, I had a jet-set or rather rat-race life. Having said that, I had the blessing of making the acquaintance of many people from all walks of life. To my good fortune, I am still in touch with most of them. The ones I lost track of are finding me on Facebook… believe it or not, one happens to reside on exactly the same street I currently live on when we found each other. It’s a small small world!
Fae, I love your stories!! this one was very funny! Your recipe sounds very Yummy too.
)
Thank you, Fariba. Writing them brings back memories… link them to food, even better!