"All temporary?" he asks, gesturing to chandeliers and carpets as I give the tour of the Library, which houses one of the largest collections of current English books in Tokyo. For gaijin like me who struggled with sudden illiteracy, wandering grocery store aisles with pockets full of cash in this credit averse city, the Club feeds the hunger for a glimpse of People. In return for chairing the Library committee I am guaranteed the selection of magazines on loan at the New York Society Library, my old haunt.
After we choose from among three on-site restaurants I point out a Smoking Room. While the lunch crowd is all Japanese, which has become typical, portions are American size and require silverware. The guys are happy that our event is called Sudoku Fun Day after experiencing the US Sudoku Championship last year. "Imagine 2,000 people quietly working puzzles together!" G-san said. "It was too serious." Of course, the grand prize in Philadelphia was $10,000 while we might offer as much as 10,000 Yen.
When G-san steps out for a smoke, K-san suggests we set the age of participants from eight to 88. We agree to have three categories of participants: Junior (8 to 19), Beginner and Expert. Then he tells me he has a degree in engineering. For 16 years he worked freelance for Nikoli Puzzles. A bike commuter, he has become a familiar face to the patrolmen who see him pedaling home after midnight. With the New Year's family celebrations over, K-san was looking forward to leaving the next day on a ski weekend with the staff.
The men speak English perfectly but they are more comfortable communicating in their own language with the Club Librarian. Every remark begins with hai, technically "yes" but in truth "yeah, I get it, I hear you." When asked about culture shock in Japan, I reply that it took me a while to adjust to living in a city where everyone is polite and prompt to which one gaijin remarked, "They are only polite to your face." For a native New Yorker like me, that works.
As of today we have 20 sign ups for Sudoku Fun Day, all gaijin, and one-third in the Junior category.
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