So... one of the most irritating things about Japan to me is that they still don't consider the woman as an equal when it comes to banking... EVERYTHING is in Chris's name and I am fortunate enough to have a card, but I am unable to do anything at the bank without Chris by my side...
Another thing you need to know - Japan is a cash based society - most places don't take credit card and there is no such thing as a "check" - they rely on bank transfers through the ATM or cash. For Nicholas's soccer, we needed to organize a bank trasnfer which would allow for a monthly deduction from the bank.
Chris signed the paper and is was promptly returned to us - he signed it again and I took it back to give to the woamn - who STILL wouldn't accept it because it "wasn't the same signature" - OK... now I'm getting frustrated and I say to the nice little lady, well, we don't sign our names the same EVERY time... and if I bring him in and sign it in front of you, will you then accept it?? Perhaps... is the answer I got.
So weeks later, when Chris was available, we trotted off to the bank with the form. Chris let me do the talking which really through the woman for a loop and I said "he needs to sign this paper in front of you so you will accept it." She got up and ran off to a room somewhere in the back... she returned and had Chris sign his name again - looked at the computer and then looked back at him as if confused... it appears that the first time Chris signed for the bank.. he didn't put an S. in it, as in Christopher S. Hudson... and then on these cards he was! She LITERALLY put her finger over the "S" to confirm that YES, INDEED it was the SAME!
Now, it just went downhill from there. He had to sign and resign this paper 6 times! Plus he then had to sign the carbon copy as well - it reallyu got to the point that Chris and I were laughing out loud. Very Ugly American, I know, but COME ON! So, wehn it was all said and done, she gave the papers back to me and I said, you can't keep them and submit them so they will be accepted??? She ran off to the back room again, and came back and said she would keep them.
Fast forward one week, and we get a call from teh bank... apparently they are now sending us BACK the form because it needs to come from the business we are trying to pay! SO now I'm sure they won't accept it when it comes back because you can see from the picture above how crazy it looks!
Needless to say, we are now just planning on paying cash for Nicholas's soccer!!! Some times they are so efficient, but this is just nuts... my dry cleaner told me that everyone here has a stamp they use to sign - which I find even funnier, I could steal anyone's stamper and buy anything all over town! But I guess when your name is only two characters, it's much easier...
I'll have to let you know how this one turns out!
