That's how you do it!
OK, Roe, why don't we talk about your first job. (OK) Yeah, tell us
about your first job.
You mean my official full-time first job, talking about!
Yeah, sure. How about that?
OK. That was right after graduating university. I became a salesman.
Oooh, salesman! Nice. (Yep, salesman) What were you selling?
I was selling nothing. (Nothing) Nothing. Well, basically I was
selling a membership (OK) So, that's, it's not something people
can see or visualize, but it's like just membership, so.
Was it like a membership to a country club?
Yeah, actually a private resorts and golf clubs
Nice. Was this in Japan or in the US?
In Japan.
W ow. What was the best thing about your job?
Troubles! (Laughter) Cause I have to knock on people's houses
Oh, wow, it was door to door
Exactly without any appointments and membership costs 5 million yen. Starting, starting costs.
5 million yen to start (Uh) and you must have been in very rich neighborhoods.
No, actually we just go to any areas. We just stop off at a station and we start from there.
Really. Were you successful?
It's a long story but to be honest with you, (yeah) how many memberships
do you think I sold in a year?
Wow, I don't know. I will take a guess. In one year, maybe one, two a week,
so my guess is, I don't know, a hundred.
One!
One! One!
Can you believe it!
So you must, so you remember the lucky person? Probably still remember that person
And you know what, the person who bought my membership, (uh-huh) is who? My father.
Ooh, that's a tough job.
It was rough, really. It was really rough.
That's a lot of rejection, every day. No, no, no
I know, I mean if you think about it, that's natural though, I mean 5 million yen. (Yeah)
and I can't really show the place, cause I can't take the person to the place.
(yeah) all I can do is show the picture and speak (yeah) and that was right
after the bubble economy bursted, (yeah) so nobody had really, nobody had money, so.
Wow, man so were you depressed? Were you sad?
Um, it was very interesting. It was hard to motivate myself. The people would call the
police, and call me like a robber (really) Yeah, yeah, cause I had to like open the gate
and run to the door and stick my leg so that they won't shut the door. (seriously) Yeah,
that's how you do it. Door to door sells.
Wow, that's, that's a tough job. I don't think I could do a job, what's your job now?
What do you do now?
I am, I work for Yokohama city and I am in a place called Yokohama Convention Bureau
(uh-huh) it's a city job.
OK, so the Yokohama Convention Bureau (Yeah) OK, so you deal with foreigners, naturally
cause it's in English.
And travellers and visitors and what have you
Do you like your job now?
Interesting! (Yeah) Like I said I meet talk to about over 2,000 people a day, so it's
kind of tiring though.
Wow, 2,000 people a day.
About 200 people an hour. My office is at the station. Yokohama station. Right out of
the gate of the JR, so people are going to stop by.
You, that's a lot of talking. You must be tired of talking.
I am tired.
