ENGLISH MADE FUNNY summer program. One day, KelIy saw Taka ⅲ a coffee shop. She didn't know he was Japanese. She thought he was Asian American. Kelly was from the Midwest, in the middle ofAmerica. She had never met a Japanese person before. But she liked Taka's style: the way he did his hair, the way he dressed. She hoped she would see h ⅱ . again. ne following week, KeIly saw Taka again at the same coffee shop.What luck! He was ⅲ line. She got in line behind him. lhis time she decided to talk to him. Hey, I like your shirt. Did you get it around here? ” she asked. "lhank you. I got it in Japan," said Taka. Kelly noticed that Taka had an accent. lhis made him even more attractive, Kelly thought. She also liked the shy way he smiled. "Oh. ls that where you're from?" asked Ke lly. "Yeah," replied Taka. "Wow. What's Japan like? l've never been 30

FALSE FRIENDS "Didn't he say he lived in a mansion? If he's SO rich, shouldn't he take you to nicer places?" asked Lisa. When she thought about it, Kelly did think this was kind Of weird. Wherever they went, they always split the bill. ne summer went by very fast. Soon it was time for Taka tO return tO Japan. They promised tO keep in touch. Over the next year, Kelly and Taka exchanged many emails. Sometimes they sent each Other pictures, tOO. Taka sent Kelly photos Of him and his friends at a restaurant, at a music festival, and at a beach. He never sent her pictures of his family or his home, though. le next summer, Taka invited Kelly to visit him in T0kyo. Of course she said "yes!" KeIIy wanted tO see Taka again. Her friend Lisa was more interested in the manslon. "Finally you get to see this 'ordinary mansion Of his! I wonder hOW many rooms it 33

ENGLISH MADE FUNNY has, how many cars... DO you think there's a pool? Or is that just an American thing? You should bring a bathing suit, just in case. You should probably bring a suit and an evening dress, t00," said Angela. Kelly wished she had never told Lisa about the mansion. Still, she took Lisa's advice and packed a bathing suit. She borrowed a suit and an evening dress from Lisa, tOO. Thinking about Taka's rich life made Kelly nervous. What if she didn't fit in? Taka met KeIly at the airport. He seemed nervous, tOO. And he wasn't driving a fancy car. lhey got on the train. AS soon as the train started moving, Taka began t0 talk. 'l'm sorry my home is so small. I hope you won't be uncomfortable. lt's nothing like your big houses in America. I shared a room with my older brother until he moved ⅲ with his said Taka, going girlfriend this summer.. on and on and on. "I don't understand. Didn't you say you lived in a mansion?" asked Kelly. 34

FALSE FRIENDS living? lnstead of the dying? At least she's not telling me to go to hell, thought Rose. But what could she mean by that? Rose looked to Masa for help. But he didn't offer any explanation. "Come with me," said Masa. To where? "lhought Rose. But Rose didn't have much choice. She followed Masa into a room with some chairs and a coffee table. Ah! lt was the 〃ⅵ〃 g roo 襯 ! ut that's nothing compared tO our next story. Read on to find out what hap- pened t0 Kelly and Taka. KeIIy met Taka at college. During summer vacation, Kelly was working on campus as a research assistant. Taka was a Japanese exchange student studying English in a 29

FALSE FRIENDS 'Yes, a ″ 74 〃 SiO 〃 . A normal, concrete apartment building. Don't you know what I mean? ” asked Taka. America a mansion iS a huge house With many rooms, a swimming POOI, a ten- nis court... " Kelly started to say. Then she stopped when she saw Taka's face. He looked miserable. "No, not like that at all! You thought I lived in that kind of place? Oh no . said Taka, hiding his face ⅲ his hands. risten has a story from her student days. TO this day, it still makes her laugh. Kristen was an exchange student in TO 9. She was pretty and easy-going. She didn't speak Japanese very well. But she wasn't afraid to make mistakes. She had also joined 35

FALSE FRIENDS outside ofAmerica, except for Mexico," said KeIIy. Soon Kelly and Taka were sharing a table at the coffee shop. KeIIy asked Taka many questions about life in Japan, such as: 、 'ls it true that kids have tO go to school on Saturdays? And that summer vacations are really short?" "DO all the school girls really wear those crazy loose socks?" "Have you ever eaten one ofthose hundred dollar melons? ” And: "Do you live in a super tall sky- scraper?" "NO, I live ordinary 〃 24 〃 S / 0 〃 , ' Taka said, in reply tO this last question. Kelly was surprised. She had never heard anyone use the words "ordinary' and sion" together in the same sentence. Kelly had grown up in an ordinary middle-class neighborhood. lt was full of ordinary two- story houses. She didn't know anyone who had a house with more than four bedrooms. 31

ENGLISH MADE FUNNY only mansions She had ever seen were in magazines. Only movie stars in mansions! If you lived in Beverly Hills, however, then a mansion would be "ordinary, ' she thought. Was Japan such a rich country? SO rich that a mansion was "ordinary?" Or did Taka just come from a riCh social circle? But Taka didn't act like a rich guy. He didn't act spoiled. He was nice and down- to-earth. Kelly liked him. rmey stayed together in the coffee shop for an hour. Before leaving, they exchanged phone numbers. next week, Kelly invited him t0 a party. Soon, they began hanging out all the time. They went t0 movies. lhey had picnics in the park. lhey spent hours in the coffee shop where they had first met. Kelly liked teaching Taka about American culture. She liked learning about Japanese culture. KeIIy was happy. Her roommate, Lisa, however, was not impressed. 32