Another form in the mailbox.

I never seem to be home when packages arrive, so I often see the mailman’s special slip telling me he’ll be back. This one was a little different, though. It was from the Kuroneko takuhaibin (courier) service.

Essentially, these forms are the same. They tell what time they tried to deliver and give instruction on how to arrange redelivery. But the courier services, who offer speedy delivery, allow you to phone the courier’s cellphone to arrange a convenient time directly.

Printed in very careful handwriting underneath the courier’s phone number, was “I don’t speak English.”

The courier made a follow up call and left a message on my machine. In addition to giving the basic information about my package in Japanese, he added ” I dontu speeku Engrish. I’m sorri.”

So this morning I must call the terrified courier and persuade him, in Japanese, to deliver my box. I hope I manage to be an acceptable ambassador for my English-speaking clan.