How do you really feel?
Tokyo’s Kabukicho neighborhood is an “eclectic” part of the city. Within Kabukicho you’ll find Tokyo’s densest concentration of pubs, bars, and hostess and host clubs, With Kabukicho being located between SoraNews24 headquarters and the Shinjuku Station rail hub, our reporter Yuichiro Wasai couldn’t help stopping and staring when he saw this man on the Kabukicho streets. His elaborate kimono attire already made him stand out, as Kabukicho’s hard-drinking/modern-living atmosphere doesn’t lend itself to the sort of refined traditional venues and events to which one would wear an elegant kimono. What’s more, this man wasn’t headed anywhere. He was standing there on the sidewalk holding a sign that said, “I will continuously compliment you.”
The fine print explains that this isn’t a completely free service, as it requests “nagesen” or a “tip,” of the sort given to street performers, in exchange for the compliments. There’s no set fee, though, and you render payment after receiving the compliments, paying the man, who introduced himself as Sado Place, whatever amount you think his words were worth. His sign also lays out his credentials, saying that he’s complimented over 5,000 people at Tokyo Tower, and that he’s been featured on radio stations. Yuichiro decided to take Sado Place up on his offer, while half-expecting he’d get some sort of pleasant but surface-level praise like “Wow, you’re so handsome!” Before turning on the compliment faucet, Sado Place had two questions for Yuichiro. First, he asked him what kind of work he does, to which Yuichiro told him he writes articles for our website. Sado Place then asked about Yuichiro’s hobbies, and he said that he likes doing martial arts, with jiujitsu being his favorite, but that he doesn’t have as much time to do them.
And with that, it was time to let the compliments flow! Ah, yeah, I can see that! Sorry if this rubs you the wrong way, but at a glance, you don’t look like a guy who gets all smiley, but as soon as you start talking, I can tell you’re really a nice guy. I’m pretty shy myself, but I feel really relaxed talking with you. You’re the kind of guy who can get along with anyone, I bet. You said you’re a writer, right? Writers have to do a lot of listening and learning, and I can tell you’re really good at that, and it gives you a real easy-to-talk-to vibe. I get the sense that you’re always taking into consideration who the person you’re talking to is, and thinking about what would make them happy. But you still have a rock-solid sense of yourself. I got that impression right after we started talking, and then when you mentioned that you’ve studied jiujitsu and other fighting techniques. Your mind’s not running all over the place all the time. You’ve got a really strong inner core, and that’s something that’s easy to see. So when you combine that with being the kind of person who wants to make people smile, to make them happy through their writing, it’s really amazing.
So how did Yuichiro feel after hearing all this? He said, “It Feels soooo goooood…” In less than two minutes, Sado Place had put on a master-level demonstration of how to make someone feel good about themselves. Having just meant moments before, naturally the only things Sado Place can genuinely comment on appearance and general atmosphere. But rather than just complimenting facial features or fashion sense, he’s able to connect his first impressions to what’s going on in someone’s heart and mind, getting a glimpse of the goodness inside a person. So instead of skin-deep niceties, he did hit the nail on the head in that Yuichiro.
Complimentary Humor
I received a compliment today as I boarded the train.
The conductor said, “first class rear, standard front.”
Two senior lady friends meet for lunch. “What did you do to your hair? It looks perfect, like a wig?” “It is a wig.” “You know, you could never tell.”
The wife was pleased to have her husband refer to her as an angel to his friends. She asked coyly, “How do I remind you of an angel?” He explained, “She is always up in the air harping about something.”
Two young men were in earnest conversation on matters regarding the fairer sex. “How could you be so deceitful as to tell Miss Woodley she was pretty?” S. Clarence. “I wasn’t deceitful at all.” replied Charles. “My dear man, said Clarence, “you don’t mean to say you think she is actually pretty?” “Of course not,” replied his companion. “What I told her was that she is as pretty as she could be.”
September 24th Birthdays
1992 – Colene Garcia, 1962 – Nia Valdaros, 1941 – Linda McCartney, 1978 – Keri Lynn Pratt
1936 – Jim Henson, 1958 – Kevin Sorbo, 1999 – Eddie George, 1995 – Ross Matthews