When I first started living in Japan, I could hardly speak any Japanese. I had a beginner’s dictionary that I carried with me everywhere. I would use it to help me make very simple sentences.
One day, I was standing downtown, in front of a department store. I wanted to find a bookstore. I knew the question pattern, 「~はどこですか。」 I looked in my English-Japanese dictionary for “bookstore”.
“Hon-ya-san.”
OK! I approached an older woman nearby. I plucked up my courage (勇気を絞って) and asked her, “Hon-ya-san wa doko desuka?”
She answered me in Japanese, pointing across the street, but I guess it was clear from my expression (表情) that I didn’t understand what she was saying.
So she took my hand and gestured for me to come with her. I said, “No, that’s OK!” But she didn’t stop. She led me across the street, through the arcade, and when we came to the entrance of the bookstore, she pointed to it, smiling. “Koko!” I understood that word. I said, “Domo arigatou gozaimasu!” That was a word I had learned to say. She smiled and walked away.
That was over 30 years ago, and it’s still one of my nicest memories from my early days in Oita. I wonder if she remembers helping me so long ago? I remember!