Mina san.
Mina san.
Who the heck is Mina san?
I immediately thought it was happening again.
Aging is happening. I got it. However, it is still embarrassing and awkward to forget someone's name. My instant name retrieval...well, sometimes, it's just not so instant anymore.
A few months ago, I totally blanked on my friend's husband's name. While I was speaking to her. Yeah. Not so good.
"Great! Yeah!" I said to my friend, "I am so excited you can come to the BBQ! Can't wait to catch up with you and...and...and...and..."
Oh my. What's his name?
It's on the tip of my tongue. What is it?
Is it Alvin? No.
Bob? No. Think. Think. Think.
Charles, David, Ed, Frank, Gus, Harry, Iago, Justin, Kaleb, Lamar, Napolean, Olaf, Parker, Quigley, The Name-That-Won't-Be-Named?
No. No. No. No. No. NO!!!
Say something! Well, you got to say something now. Anything.
"Can't wait to catch up with you...and....and...your Big Daddy-o, your better half, Mr. Beau, Mr. Man Big Guy, Mr. Manly Beach, your ol' Spousey Spouse...Oh, you got to go? OK, see you later. Give my best to El Capitan..."
And then there was the unexpected mother meet-up in Aisle 2 the other week. Could not recall her name in time.
"So great to see you," I said, "Oh! You! You Hot Mama You!"
Mina san.
Mina san.
Mina san.
Who the heck is Mina san?
I immediately thought it was happening again.
"Mina san, " I said to my Japanese friend. "You said that Mina san can come to your house tonight, right? Mina san?"
"Mina san," she repeated.
Mina san, I said to myself.
Mina san.
Mina san.
Mina san.
Think. Think. Think.
Mina san.
Think. Think. Think.
Who is this mysterious Mina san? I don't remember a Mina san.
"Do I know Mina san?" I asked.
"Of course," my friend said. "You know everyone."
"Do I know Mina san?" I asked.
"Of course," my friend said. "You know everyone."
"Really? I know a Mika san, Maya san, Momo san and many Miwa sans..."
"Just a moment...."
"I know Kuniko san, Aiko san, Yuko san and Kiko san..."
"If you just let me explain..."
"I know a Caden, Hayden, Aiden and Jaden. A Kirsten, Kristen and Kyrsten..."
"Now you are just showing off."
"Ed, Ted, Ned and Fred. Nouki, Cookie and Snooki."
"C'mon."
"Laura, Lori, two Leighs and a Mori."
"What did you put in your coffee this morning? If you just slow down..."
"A Gordon, Jordan, Bourden, Riordan. I know Shaquille O'Neal. Captain and Tannille."
"What? Now, I know that you don't know the Captain."
"A Condi, a Bondi, a Cody, a Roti..."
"I know for a fact that two of those names are restaurants...."
"But I have to admit it. I can't remember Mina san. Who's Mina san?"
"I have been trying to explain. Mina san is not a person. Mina san means everyone."
Huh. What now?
Mina san is not a person named Mina? I did not know that.
Mina san means everyone?
OK, then.
Konnichiwa mina san!
Well, I may know a lot of Hot Mamas now and my Japanese language skills are clearly terrible, but there is some good news: when needed, I can still rock out the rhymes.
"Just a moment...."
"I know Kuniko san, Aiko san, Yuko san and Kiko san..."
"If you just let me explain..."
"I know a Caden, Hayden, Aiden and Jaden. A Kirsten, Kristen and Kyrsten..."
"Now you are just showing off."
"Ed, Ted, Ned and Fred. Nouki, Cookie and Snooki."
"C'mon."
"Laura, Lori, two Leighs and a Mori."
"What did you put in your coffee this morning? If you just slow down..."
"A Gordon, Jordan, Bourden, Riordan. I know Shaquille O'Neal. Captain and Tannille."
"What? Now, I know that you don't know the Captain."
"A Condi, a Bondi, a Cody, a Roti..."
"I know for a fact that two of those names are restaurants...."
"But I have to admit it. I can't remember Mina san. Who's Mina san?"
"I have been trying to explain. Mina san is not a person. Mina san means everyone."
Huh. What now?
Mina san is not a person named Mina? I did not know that.
Mina san means everyone?
OK, then.
Konnichiwa mina san!
Well, I may know a lot of Hot Mamas now and my Japanese language skills are clearly terrible, but there is some good news: when needed, I can still rock out the rhymes.
