A Japan funny...

It's been a while since we've had a Japan funny.

S and I went to Ginza over the weekend to a Parisian shop that sells scented candles, sprays, burning oils, etc. Basically smelly things. S wanted to find a "cedar" scented oil that he had once bought and really liked. S is a good customer. He bought 2 candles and the cedar oil. As expected in Japan, the sales clerk dutifully wrapped each item in layers of bright white tissue paper, folding the edges with crisp precision and securing them with a golden seal. I swear only someone who has practiced origami since age 5 can wrap items with such zeal. She even scurried to find us some pine-scented potpourri she offered to add for free as a special service. To wrap everything up (literally), she carefully packaged our items, now unbreakable even if dropped from the top of Tokyo Tower, and inserted them into the daintiest little shopping bag for transport to our bleak-smelling home.

We got home, opened the package, and realized that our clerk had been so busy wrapping she had forgotten to put the cedar oil in the shopping bag. S was of course in a rage. "Merde! I don't care eef every-ZING eez WRAP-- I just want zees zings for which I PAID!" I called the shop and explained our situation, and listened to the woman apologize profusely for the mistake in her most humble Japanese... and ONLY IN JAPAN... she offered to mail us the cedar oil, along with a complimentary gift. One day later, we received both items, and a letter:

"Thank you for coming to the shop for the other day. I'm sorry that I was not able to pass the commodity to you. It was our mistake. I'm very sorry. I send 'CEDRE OIL' to you, and I present 'CEDRE SACHET' to you. Please use it.

Thank you, come again."

Only in Japan, I tell you. Only in Japan...