We took our time one morning, sleeping, playing on the computer, watching TV. It was about 10:00 am before we got in the car for a quick drive to McDonald’s for breakfast. Fortunately, it is not far away – as breakfast is done serving at 10:30 am there. This is a rare treat for us, so we were really looking forward to it.
As we were waiting for our tray to arrive, I looked at a booth just vacated across from us. A young couple arrived. She put her purse on the table, he put his hat there and they left to get in the order line. They were gone for about seven or eight minutes. Could this ever have happened in America? Maybe. Would this ever happen in America? Doubtful. Should this ever happen in America? Not today.
It was a really busy morning there, yet no one went near the booth or more to the point, no one went near her purse.
In Japan, the woman in the family often carries “the” money for the month’s groceries, bills, etc. Often times it is a considerable amount. Yet, on this day it appeared that neither party seemed a bit concerned that possible valuables, identification, keys, etc. were left unattended.
There is still a great measure of trust here. Most people would just never consider touching or taking what is not theirs. It is nice to see, albeit – a little scary the first time you observe it – if you know what I mean.
Not something anyone would do in the US, but after reading Todd’s book I realize that Japan is possibly the only place on the planet where people feel safe enough to leave a purse on the table and simply walk away from it. WOW!
This would really never happen in America. There have been times on a flight where I’ve stayed on the plane during a connection. If I have to use the restroom, I put something on my seat so the boarding passengers know it’s taken. I’m so nervous the whole time thinking that someone is going to steal my stuff! I loved this aspect of Japan. So many people, but they are so respectful of each other. Here’s my question: Does McDonald’s breakfast in Japan taste better than here in the states??
We all enjoyed breakfast and it was so very similar. I like the fact that all restaurants here serve hand wipes to freshen your hands before eating. Wish we had that service in U.S.