What I learned last week

The other day The Man went to a wake, as I mentioned previously (wearing very old shoes). It was for the father of the guy who was his best friend at university, many years ago. I think he had only seen this guy once since they graduated, and we practicing greeting somebody in a restrained way before he left. He was afraid he'd see his old friend and be overcome with joy and break out into cheerful, rude greetings without thinking, and that would be inappropriate at a wake. (He told me later his behaviour was impeccable but his attire somewhat inadequate.)

As he was getting ready I asked him how much money he needed to take. You always take money to wakes and funerals in Japan.

He told me. I checked the envelope containing cash he'd just got paid for a job, and said,

"Well, how about that for good timing! There are some nice new bills in here."

"NO!" he said. "No new bills!"

"Eh?" I said.

I thought that in Japan you always had to give new bills. I'd been all ready to start ironing if we didn't have any.

"Not for a wake," he said. "For funerals and weddings, yes, but you shouldn't give new bills at a wake. It makes it look like you were ready for it."

So that was what I learned last week. There are occasions in Japan when giving crisp new bills is a bad thing.