Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Japanese Lesson


“How come your penis is so big?”

This was asked by my school friend, Tetsuya, in Japan, when we were bathing together at his house. We were both nine years old.

I had become pretty fluent in Japanese by the fourth grade, but I still didn’t know enough to explain circumcision in America. I gave it my best shot.

“Well, they cut it when you’re first born, so it’s just more ‘out there,’ you know, than yours. They do it in America, anyway, to newborn baby boys.”

Tetsuya was horrified. “They do not! You’re lying!” He even went to ask his mom (tattle on me, was more like it). She confirmed what I had said, with kind of an embarrassed smile on her face.

He was still horrified.

Now that I’m older, I realize male circumcision would sound just as horrifying to the Japanese as female circumcision sounds to us as Americans.

If you ever have the occasion to use the term ‘big penis’ in Japanese, say okii chin-chin (oh-kee cheen cheen) and see how impressed your listening audience will be!

10 comments:

mr jp said...

haha , tell that to Prince Gomolvilas ... he doesn't support circumcision. I think.

Michael DeAntonio said...

Circumcision is inhumane and barbaric and medically unnecessary.

Prince Gomolvilas said...

Circumcision sucks balls!

quin browne said...

my ex insisted our boys be cut... i thought it silly. even before he was 'trimmed', however, two nurses were changing jarhead's diaper... they looked at each other, then over to me, and one said, "he's going to make some woman very, very happy"

not what you want to think about when your kid is a day old.

now what you want to think about when your kid is 24, either.

Lori said...

Yeah, I think I do prefer a circumcised penis but I'm a girl so...

the Constantly Dramatic One said...

I like it circumcised too....

Cheryl said...

My friend once taught me how to say "Who's your daddy?" in Cantonese, but I've forgotten, so it's good to have a new scandalous phrase in an Asian language.

the Constantly Dramatic One said...

Hey Cheryl, I'm South East Asian.

"Aku gersang"

That means "I'm horny". Thats for the first lesson. For next time, we shall do more then that.

the last noel said...

You're getting into the "cut" stories, too, eh?

movindowntheroad said...

I'm glad I'm female. And glad I have daughters. GAH.!!!!!

http://movindowntheroad.wordpress.com/