I’m BIG in Japan….

… Well in someone’s lounge room when they get back from their holidays in Australia.

I got out of the surf yesterday morning and was waiting for two mates of mine to come in.
I stood there on the beach with my board standing next to me, and watch the beach walkers, locals, tourists, kids playing and lifeguards making themselves look ‘pretty’.
A Japanese couple took photos of themselves and then the lady walked over in my direction. Oh here we go.
“Scooze me! Scooze Me! Photo? Photo?”
“Ah, you want me to take your photo, ok,” I said. I had done it many times before. (I seem to have one of those faces that people must find comforting, because I am ALWAYS get asked for the time, directions to somewhere, or if I can take photos).
“No, no,” she said, then gestured that she wanted her photo taken with ME!
“Oh ok.” How embarrassing.
So there was me, my board and her on the other side while her partner took the photo. I smiled, said ‘hurry up’ in my head, and watched the beach walkers, locals, tourists and kids all stop and stare at us. I think they probably thought that I was some pro-surfer or something – which I am definitely not!
“Thank you, thank you,” she said politely, thanking me for the photo.
“No worries, enjoy,” I said, thinking ‘thank fuck that’s all over’.
But no.
Now it was his turn to have his photo taken with me…
When it was all over, I felt a little embarrassed, but they were stoked about it and probably made their day.
It was little effort to help them out and I'm sure when they go back to Japan, they will be showing all their friends back home that they met a ‘real surfer’…