Taxi
Today, I got into a taxi. I was in a bit of a rush to make a meeting, but the driver made a small mistake and we got stuck in traffic.
Due to this error, I ran about 5 minutes late. The tab came to 1,380 yen. The taxi driver apologised profusely, and when I tried to pay the bill, he would only accept 1,000 yen. I insisted, but he was unrelenting. We thanked each other, and parted ways.
Now that I have lived in Japan for a while, the line between Western culture and Japanese culture is starting to become blurry. I get the feeling this wouldn't happen in Australia "Whoooops, missed the bloody turn mate! No worries I'll chuck a you-i. Loads of bloody traffic too eh! That'll be $20." But it's getting hard for me to remember.
I think I need a good dose of western culture to set me straight. Perhaps I could find a mechanic to overcharge me, make excuses, fix my car late, and do a crap job. Home sweet home.