Some names have been altered to protect those that like peni$ butter.
There are two versions of this story. The way I remember it originally told and the more enhanced version directly from the source. Either way both have been retold numerous times and received a few laughs.
Myles' Version
Although I don't recall the details precisely, the original story was told to me by Anthony over a few drinks. I do remember bugging Mr.Shobana numerous times about it over the next 2 years. Even after Anthony had left Japan.
Anthony goes to see Shobana at the Shiyakusho (city hall). He wants to ask for a reference letter. Anthony had ordered a large number of natural peanut butter jars from one of those overseas ordering companies with Mr.C from Texas.
He was trying to sell it to me and other people because he had so many. I thought he was joking at first. It was like he was an snake oil salesmen the way he was harassing us trying to sell it. I wasn't about to give him $12 for a glass container full of some "organic" peanut butter. I thought he must be joking. I can buy peanut paste or something similar at the dollar store. I don't care if its the best PB on earth I'm not paying $12 a jar!
Good luck selling your snake oil to someone else.
 |
| Organic Peanut butter. Too much money for my blood. |
So when he goes to see Mr.Shobana, and he tells Mr.Shobana that he had bought a large number of peanut butter jars and asked if Mr.Shobana wanted to buy one.
Mr. Shobana responded "Peni$ butter? What is peni$ butter?", Anthony laughs and tells him, "Peanut butter". Mr. Shobana continues, "What is this peni$ butter, tell me what it is". Anthony thinks he is playing with him so he said "You know very well that its peanut butter and not peni$ butter'. Mr.Shobana is trying to be straight faced and says "Where does peni$ butter come from? I'd like some of this peni$ butter". Anthony is pretty sure Shobana is messing with him and says "Don't say that, you know very well its peanut butter". Mr.Shobana, "I have an interest in this peni$ butter". Anthony, "Don't say that again". Shobana, "Peni$ butter". Anthony "I want a reference letter please and I'll give you some peanut butter".
Anthony's Version
I bought about 12 large jars of peanut butter, I think they were 12oz, each jar was quite large. It cost $120 so it was a major cash outlay on some peanut butter, but I had to do it because I knew that I wanted the natural stuff. You can't get good peanut butter in Japan. The only "peanut butter" Heiwado or Seiyu (grocery stores) have is a little tub of whipped and fluffy peanut spread, really sweet. There are those pre-packaged pb sandwiches at the combini's (7-11) though - those are pretty great. But I wanted to get some natural pb so I ordered it through this company that imports American groceries.
It arrived and I was thinking I'd better get rid of some of this peanut butter. I had packed it on the bottom shelf of my kitchen cabinet (I was lucky to have that cabinet - I begged for that from Shobana when I saw I had no furniture). I'm not going to give away all this expensive imported pb like a chump so I offered to sell a jar to a few ALTs (English Teachers), and I think Brendon and maybe Adam took me up on the offer. But that left me with a lot of peanut butter to eat on my own.
 |
| Whistling kettle, almost like that. |
He didn't actually do anything but I felt like he deserved a taste of some proper peanut butter so I gave him a jar. You know, cultural exchange and all. And he got all embarrassed and started saying "what is this?" pretending he didn't know what peanut butter was. So I told him "It's peanut butter" and he says "Ah, pennis butter" in that Japanese way of pluralizing, so I said "yeah, pennis butter". So he just takes that and runs with it, like he's thinking "this Canadian wants to correct my pronunciation? I work 12 hours a day and he calls me out to his lavish apartment to look at his f*in air conditioner. I don't even have time to go to my daughter's dance recital." But he's a good natured fellow so instead he just says "Peni$ butter?" and that's how it all started. From that day on, every time I saw Shobana he would say "Thank you for the peni$ butter".
Nothing like the creamy brown!
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Other funny stories from this blog
http://memoirsgaijin.blogspot.ca/
My blog about everyday life (not Japan related)
http://eyethroughtheglass.blogspot.ca/
My Youtube Channel (makes no sense just like my blog)
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