The Conversation (Part 2)

"Oh family stuff? Something happen with your family? Did someone die or get sick?..." asked Alan.

"Alan." I yelled at him. "You can't ask him that... "

"Why not?" asked Alan. "He just told me he's going to Taiwan to take care of some family stuff ... that usually means someone's sick or they died."

Oh good lord ... does this guy have Asperger's????

"But I don't think he wants to talk about it ..." I replied annoyingly.

"On that's perfectly normal. People get sick and die all the time... that's part of life..." replied Alan.

Oh Jesus Christ, I thought to myself...

Jerry is standing there in TOTAL AWKWARDNESS for a few seconds then just leaves...

I pulled Alan aside and explained to him that Jerry didn't want to talk about it, which was evident from his mannerisms and the way he spoke. (Actually, I wanted to yell at him for not knowing this, since he's lived in Japan for almost 10 years but decided to save that for another day.)

Alan, being an American totally didn't see that.

(To be honest, I didn't either for a long time. We as Americans pretty much will tell anyone, even strangers, all of our family secrets.

When a friend came to visit me in the US a few years back, he was amazed that I got into a conversation with someone at the supermarket checkout about how she hated her daughter's new husband. Asians would never air that sort of "dirty laundry" to someone they just met.)

Anyhow, I found myself explaining some basic tenets of Asian life .. that sometimes people here, UNLIKE Americans don't like to talk about all the crap that's going on in our lives ....

"Hmm I guess that explains why my neighbor stopped talking to me after I asked him if he got LIPO since he suddenly slimmed down... " he replied.

I laughed ...

"I don't think you can ask that sort of question in the US either dude... " I replied. "Maybe in Korea but nowhere else."

Alan is silent for a few moments. ...

"Thanks, John" he finally replied.

"No problem, man." I said back to him.

Alan walks back into the main office and approaches Jerry again at his desk and apologizes.

I felt pretty good after that ... "Damn, John.." I thought to myself. "Your good deed for the day."

Literally about 2 seconds after I think that ... Alan walks to the center of the room and makes an announcement... and my good feeling turned into PURE TERROR...

"Everyone... PLEASE LISTEN. JERRY IS GOING BACK TO TAIPEI NEXT WEEK BUT DOESN'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT. SO -PLEASE- DON'T ASK HIM!!!"