Onward, whoever you are

Met some new coworkers, a married couple, with whom I shall be parting company in about a week or so. Such coincidences: it turns out they've been set up in our old apartment. I hope they don't mind the left-over drool in our old pillows which (we suspect) have been recycled.

The better half of the pair has a name that one generally associates with your less reputable cinematic endeavors; her name was known before her arrival, and there was much speculation about what she might be like. It turns out she's from North Carolina, and (at least for her first few days) is in the habit of bringing The Holy Bible (English Standard Version) to work with her. She seems like a nice person, but looked a little withdrawn, and I can understand why. Besides the usual new-on-the-job jitters, the foreign workforce here is more or less rampant with liberalism, not to mention living in sin, homosexuality and the tolerance thereof, and the use of the Lord's name in vain.

Upon inquiry, apparently, she revealed that they're here in the hopes of joining a mission sometime in the future. I find that sort of activity a bit distasteful when it's done in some parts of the world, but in Japan I think I feel a bit sorry for would-be missionaries. There's not a lot of spiritual leverage to be had around here. In places less well-off, sure, maybe you can trade some basic necessities for pious devotion, but in Japan the best you can manage is a free English lesson or two, which doesn't afford quite as much persuasive power as food and medical care.

"Bless us, O Lord, for this grammar lesson we are about to receive, and the bounty of the subjunctive conditional."

One of my fellow elitist liberal coworkers (he has an upper class background, so he's actually elite and not just pretend elite) is waiting for the moment to pounce on this poor girl, asking her how she'd feel if some Arab came round trying to take away her Christian culture, etc. I found myself preaching restraint. I must be getting soft in my old age.