I think I need to meditate more. Or maybe I don’t.  Normally the below conversation would have driven me a little mad. Instead, I laughed because it seems to happen a lot in Japan.

(Dialing Citibank Visa)

(Press 2 for English. Press star 1 for lost or stolen card .. I press *1)

(Conversation with Japanese call center agent identifying myself and that card is stolen, I mean .. Lost)

"Have you reported this to the police?"

(Bewildered) "Why would I do that?"

"Because it is the cautious thing to do"

"Have you cancelled my credit card?"

"Yes"

"Were there any charges on it since my last purchase"

"No"

"If someone found it, would they be able to use it?"

"No"

"Then why would I report it to the police?"

"Because you should. It is the right thing to do"

"Well I can’t as I am getting on a plane and I will be gone all week"

"Perhaps you can do it when you are back"

"Why would I do that? I have never gone to the police to report a credit card loss, ever"

"Because you should, it is the right thing to do. They will take down the details in case someone finds the card"

"Ok. Sure. That is what I will do. When I am back in a week, I will go to the police and report that my old, cancelled credit card that no one can use is stolen"

"That is good. Thank-you"

"How long till I get my new credit card?"

"A week"

“And I should still report it even though I have a new one coming and it will be here before I get back?”

“Yes”

"Ok. Thanks. I will do that."

I got off the phone and shook my head, then laughed.

Can you imagine walking into a Toronto police station to report a lost credit card? They would laugh you out of the station.

I bet anything though, if I did go into our local Koban to report this, I would quickly have 6 policemen swarming around me, 2 on the phone and 2 on walkie talkies trying to find someone who speaks English and all of them willing to help. Unlike in Toronto, they don’t have a lot of other things to do. Not like there is any crime happening ….

I live on Mars.