（日本語版は前回）
Although I live in Hyogo pref., I'm 100% Osakan when it comes to udon.
I LOVE udon that is very soft.
And that's why I wasn't intereted in Marugameseimen udon shop
for a long time after it opened in my town.
However, on a hot summer day, I walked and walked looking for
a place where I could eat curry and rice, and couldn't.
And at last, I went into Marugameseimen thinking that
udon with curry would do. It was my last resort.
It turned out that udon here wasn't too thick or strong as I had imagined
from the shop name Marugame, the name of the hometown of thick and strong
Sanuki-style udon noodles.
It was only mildly Sanukiish.
Like sushi in the US, Sanuki udon is localized to become softer in Osaka
so that Osakans appreciate it.
It was a good news for me.
Now, the first day of every month is what they call
"Day of kama-boiled udon," and they sell kama-boiled udon
at half the usual price: a mere 145 yen.
Personally, I have no interest in kama-boiled udon.
When I eat udon, it always has to come in dashi soup,
so this discount doesn't do me any good.
But one day, when I went to the shop for lunch, the place was
unusually crowded and people were waiting in line.
I thought about it and realized that it was one of those
days of kama-boiled udon.
I joined at the end of the line.
Before me was a mid-age couple.
I couldn't help hearing what they were saying while we were waiting,
and from what I heard, I understood that the husband was a
first-time comer and wasn't there on his own will; it was his wife's idea.
His wife's intention was to order two kama-boiled udon and perhaps some
tempuras, keeping the cost of lunch for the two of them under several hundred yen.
Waiting in line, the husband gradually understood what his wife was planning
to feed him, and what his planned lunch cost.
And behind him, also waiting in line, I directly felt the husband's private psycological activities,
such as;
1) recognition of the knowledge of Marugameseimen and its Kama-boiled udon program, and
2) surprise that grew stronger moment by moment.
I had fun.
The husband's voice grew louder toward the end of their waiting period,
especially around the point where he learned the acual price of kama-boiled udon on that day.
I'd like to hereby write down their conversation word by word
while visualizing the actual length of each pause he put between each set of dialogue.
The wife's responses were always quick and in a bland tone.
Here we go:
3
2
1
Husband "145 YEN!?!?!?!"
Wife "Yep."
Husband "Are you sure!?!?!?!"
Wife "Yep."
Husband "Is it, really, 145 yen?"
Wife "Yep."
Husband "That's it?!"
Wife "That's it."
Husband "・・・Are you really really really sure about that!?"
Wife "I AM sure. There. It says so on that thing."
Husband "Oh........."
Husband "Wow............"
I have so far never seen a person who was making a confirmation
with such intensity.
I wonder if he enjoyed his udon.
If he did, it would make him really happy.
I really hope that God made him enjoy his udon