この歳になると
冠婚葬祭…
殆ど…葬祭…
親戚とは疎遠なんで…
そんな今年
うちの相方が久々結婚式に招待されました
おばちゃんも…と言われましたが…
色々(出費）考えて辞退しました
で！？
(*´-ω・)ン?
最近のお祝いって？
何ぼ（金額）くらいが…相場？？？
これまた…思案
お祝いとなりゃ
やっぱり…奇数よねxxx
ん～～～
親戚でも友達でもない
しかし
立場上？ってのもあるし…？！
○万円…出すことにしました
（って言っても…うちの財務省は…相方です…）
Please , I'd rather do it myself!
What's your favorite classic?
If I ask this question , most people will think I'm taking about a famous book or movie.
But how about TV commercials?
There are some commercials that people never forget , and they even have famous lines that live on and on.
I remember one such commercial
from my childhood.
It still makes me laugh when I think about it.
A woman and her grown daughter are in the kitchen.
The daughter is cooking , and the mother is trying to help her.
It's obvious that daughter doesn't
want any help , but the mother is just being nice.
Finally , the daughter loses her temper.
She turns to her mother and says in an angry voice , "Mother , please , I'd rather do it myself!"
The mother's face has a shocked and very hurt look.
This is an aspirin commercial.
After the daughter yells at her mother , she takes two aspirin , and she feels much better.
She's friendly and kind to everyone in her family , including , of course , her mother.
Does this sound like the kind of commercial that would become a classic?
Maybe not , because it's so simple.
But it's also unforgettable and people loved it.
Why was this commercial so amusing?
For one thing , the situation and the acting were exaggerated , which made it funny.
But I think that main reason for its popularity was the line "I'd rather do it myself!"
Haven't we all been in a similar situation before?
Somebody is trying to help us and is being very kind , but , actually , we don't want their help.
We really want to say , "Please , I'd rather do it myself!" , but we can't.
If we did it would be rude and we would probably feel guilty.
So in this commercial , we can experience the pleasure of someone actually saying what we would like to say but can't.
And we don't have to feel guilty.
Sometimes Americans who have lived in Japan a long time find themselves in this kind of situation.
We're often treated with great kindness , like important guests in a foreign country.
This can be wonderful when you first come to Japan.
At least it was for me.
My "hosts" did almost everything for me , like finding an apartment and opening a bank account.
I was grateful because at the time I couldn't speak Japanese and I needed the help.
But some long-term residents take pride in being able to take care of themselves.
After all , "self-reliance" and "independence" are typical American values that many of us are taught from childhood.
We may feel uncomfortable if other people try to do too much for us.
It feels good to be able to buy your own train ticket , order in a restaurant , or communicate in Japanese.
If someone tries to do these things for us , some of us may want to say , "Please , I'd rather do it myself!"
I remember one situation when I felt like this.
A friend and I decided to take a taxi together even though we were going different places.
When the taxi driver topped to let her out , she stayed in the taxi and explained to him in detail where I was going.
I really wanted to tell him myself!
It seems a little silly now when I think of it , but I guess my pride was hurt.
I suppose the next time I find myself in a situation when I feel like saying , "Please , I'd rather do it myself!" , I should just take a couple of aspirin , relax , and appreciate the kindness of strangers and friends.