# 302

My doctor wears slippers. Dark blue Duke University slippers.

Back in the States, if my doctor greeted me in slippers, I'm pretty sure I would have left the medical clinic rather quickly. But in Japan, slippers are a sign of respect. And, here at this medical clinic, everyone (nurses, doctors, patients, everyone) wears slippers inside the office.

Unfortunately, as I quickly found out, if you have size 8 1/2 wide American feet, you don't fit in the small complimentary slippers. You have to walk around in your socks. Your worn-out, threadbare, inappropriate, not-laundry day socks.

Foreigner faux pas, #302.

So, here I sit in front of my new doctor. I'm trying to act as poised and sophisticated as possible, but it's a little difficult. My throat is throbbing, my body is aching and my non-pedicured tootsies are peeking out the numerous hosiery holes.

"Any questions?" my doctor asks me after the diagnosis of strep throat.

"Yes," I said. "I have two questions. One, where do I pick up my prescription for penicillin?" I attempted to clear my throat. "And two--more importantly--in your professional opinion, where's the best place around here to go sock shopping?"