Originally Posted by
valve bouncer
I have never had someone refuse to speak Japanese to me or not realise I was speaking Japanese to them. I'm not doubting it happens, it has just never happened to me.
Once, on a Northern Line platform at Kings Cross, a Japanese businessman asked me for directions. He was really struggling. He needed to get to the Circle Line, but few English people would have recognized his pronunciation of those words. I did him a favor and gave him directions in Japanese. He happily set off in the right direction. I got on my train. The doors closed.
That's the moment when he suddenly realized "Gee. That guy's English was easy to understand... Hang on. Did he speak to me in Japa...." I'll never forget the look on his face. I felt like
Charnier looking out at Popeye Doyle. Priceless.