For Nekochan(And everyone else, of course)

Chitose story I posted on the 12th ASA Field Station page

In my favorite Ramen shop they had a cricket that using to "sing" all the time. It was a big joke because of my poor language skills, I would always ask, "What is that" in possibly the worse Japanese they had ever heard. They would always politely answer "Kuriketto(san). I never could remember the name so every time I went in, I asked the same damn question. One night they paid me back by not serving me until I could remember the name of the Cricket. I guessed everything from Benjo to Yakatori but no joy. It was all good fun and they gave me something to eat when they saw I was not going to remember it. Not long ago I heard a Cricket chirping and I started laughing. My Grandson asked "What is so funny?" Well, Along time ago.

Another one..

One day I started drinking very early, maybe 6am or so. I, for some reason, had a fair amount of money and also had the next day off. It was a good day, met some friends at the Blue Chalice, Bar Amys and of course my home away from home, Bar Ronnies. About 1 am or so I thought I would waste a little money on something to eat. The only problem was that i seemed to be so drunk I had a hard time walking. So some of my good friends, I think Mike S was there, helped me to the ramen shop with the Cricket. Bar Cricket. "Bring me some Ramen!!" I said. They did. A nice steaming hot bowl of Chitoses best. As I readied my sticks and started to eat, I suddenly went to sleep. Boom!! Face plant in the Ramen. Ramen went all over hell, on the table, the floor, my hair, my shirt, maybe a 9 on the scale of 10 for food disasters. Just as quick as I went to "sleep", I was awake. I mumbled "Gomen'nasai" gave them a few 100 yen and ordered another bowl. Table is cleaned up, floor is ok and a o-shibori took care of my face. "Bring me some more Ramen!!
They did. Some one propped me up and I was good to go. Boom!!! I did it again!! this time the bowl wound up on my head, noddles streaming down face, looking like a noddle wig. I failed to see the humor in the situation but I heard it was a funny sight. Papason seemed to be in bad mood and also failed to see the levity of the event. One more time... This time I did not face plant the noddles.....I knocked the bowl off the table, shattering it in a jillion pieces. I was still hungry but they said they were closing and asked us to leave.

Ramen House is on the Left

LOL!

Great stories! Crazy Gaijin...whatcha gonna do!? Just close the damn place! lol
I love the picture! There are still places/alleys in Japan that do not look much different from that.
I have to use chopsticks to eat noodles. Sometimes I'll buy those yakisoba noodles here in the supermarket. They aren't as good as real yakisoba, but they aren't bad for instant noodles at 99 cents. But they aren't very good unless I use hashi.