It was the 1980's and as the person responsible for licensing our names, Fruit of the Loom and BVD in the Far East, I found myself attending a meeting with the top management of each of our licensees in Japan.
We sat in a semi-circle in a rather large, ornate room
in the offices of one of the licensees. The conversation was entirely in Japanese, however I did have an interpreter. Unluckily for me, instead of seating him next to me. they sat him far across the room from me
Which did me no good whatsoever.
... I did, however, have the good fortune of understanding some Japanese.
The meeting droned on and really was quite boring. Suddenly I became aware that my kidneys were signaling me..."Hey Robert-San, time to visit the urinal." I thought if I ignored it, it might go away.
It didn't. It got worse. I began to frantically look around the room for a bathroom door...None to be seen!! I furtively glanced at the man next to me, At some point I would have to ask him.
He was a very dignified, conservative looking man, "not one" I thought," to joke around with." Probably the President of his company, one of our licensees. I had to be very careful how I spoke to him. Japanese are especially sensitive to perceived insults.
My need for the bathroom grew more acute by the minute, I considered my options.
My interpreter sat too far away to be useful. I needed to speak to "Mr. Dignified, the President". I took a deep breath, turned to my right and spoke.
er..ah...benjo nay? with what I hoped was a pleading look. "Where is the bathroom?" The pres. looked at me startled. His face at first voiced displeasure then slowly..he began to smile, then broke into a loud guffaw, laughing so hard tears came into his eyes.
Where you learn that word "Benjo"? he asked me earnestly, between loud bursts of laughter. The other men in the room began to question the man next to me. WHY WAS HE LAUGHING SO HARD.? When he explained,
including the word "Benjo"...They, began to laugh loudly.
Then the man next to me finally repeated his question.."Where you learn that word?
I explained that years ago when I was in the Navy, my ship was based in Japan and we often went out for beers when off duty.
A light went on in my friend's eyes. "OH HO" he almost screamed, " YOU LEARN FROM BARTENDER!!...BENJO MEAN SHITHOUSE.. SLANG TERM...CORRECT WORD IS OTA ARI
My face turned a bright pink, I ran for the ...ota ari and finally was able to overcome the embarrassment of the moment. The President & I became good friends and we went to dinner every time I visited Japan. His company also became one of our largest licensees...socks, I think.
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