05/16 - Full House

Whatever happened

to predictability?

The light is waiting

Today started off as a normal workday, but by the end of the day I’d done something I never had before. Which I think is the sign of a good day, whether the new thing you tried out went well or not. At least you had a new experience. That’s why I’ve enjoyed so many days here in Japan. Everything is new, and you aren’t sure what exactly will go on, which makes both positive and negative experiences fun.

After work I went with my coworkers Simon and Aykut to a bar near Ikebukuro station, and two other teachers, Tim and Luke, met us there. We had a couple beers, then headed to the same izakaya we’d been at the previous Friday for some food and a couple of cheaper beers.

Luke took off early, Simon headed home, whereas Aykut, Tim and I took the train back to our area together, but decided to make one more stop. There was a really local-looking bar with interesting signs that we’d passed everyday, and even poked our heads into earlier in the week. We decided to give it a try.

Inside, it was very small, and had just one small table of people and a bunch of old men sitting at the bar. They welcomed us, and sat us at three really comfortable stools at the bar. Soon we were drinking beer or soju, and I was having “a chat” with the old man next to me. He seemed really nice, but some of what he thought was English I’m pretty sure was not any language at all. He did crack me up when he pulled out a pen and said, “This is a pen.” From my experience this is a common joke for old men to make (I’ve heard it on three occasions now), as it was a commonly taught phrase in English lessons here at one point, and is almost never useful. That’s what one of my old students in Vancouver once told me anyway. Aside from informing me that his pen was in fact a pen, he also told me the gentleman sitting next to Tim was a professional, when I gestured towards to the guitars sitting next to and around the bar. Not long later, the pro got up and started playing some music. He was pretty incredible. Seemed like he was a classically trained guitarist, who also really dug old English rock songs. Really old. After a couple of tunes, a guy walked in looking super stressed, chose a song, took a shot, belted out his song in Japanese with the guitarist accompanying him, took a second shot, then sat down at the bar and looked incredibly relaxed. He sure had his recipe to unwind down pat.

Then Aykut, who has a degree in music, as Tim kindly told the staff in Japanese, was invited up to play. He said he can’t play guitar, but he’d play piano. All of a sudden a sheet was lifted and a small piano revealed. So Aykut, true to his word, got up and played for the bar. After a few bars someone from the bar said “jazz-u?!” He played very well, with the pro guitarist looking over his shoulder the whole time.

They asked if either Tim or I wanted to sing next. Tim had no interest, but I figured why not, so I looked through the book of English tunes. I don’t think any of the songs on offer were release past about 1970. Most of them I had no chance at singing, but I did find a favorite of mine, “Stand By Me”. I headed up to the microphone, and to my surprise, was followed up by our bartender with a guitar, and another employee who sat behind a v-drum kit. They began to play and suddenly I was fronting a full band for the first time in my life. I am a terrible singer, but with the help of the microphone/effects and singing quite low, I pulled it off. Both Tim and Aykut told me they thought I was good. Something that has never been said after I’ve sang.

I was really happy, until the band decided to just kick right into the next tune. The guitarist just pointed and said sing. So I sang “Get Your Kicks On (Route 66)”. Or more accurately I bumbled through the lyrics and just said the song title in an appropriately American accent at the right times. They still loved it.

If today’s haiku sounded familiar it’s because it’s all from the lyrics to theme song of Full House. Why? Because the bar we were at is called Full House! I found it especially amusing this week because at work, just a couple days before we went to the bar, a student gave an introduction where she had to share one interesting thing about her. Of all the things a 20ish year-old Japanese girl could say, she chose to share that she loved Full House. I told her that I had been to San Francisco and seen the house they show as Danny Tanner and the gang’s in the opening credits. Boy was she impressed. Luckily, the folks at Full House were even easier to impress!