Business negotiations, Japanese style

Our air conditioner and hot water system have packed it in, so after a few phone calls back and forth between our caretaker, landlord, the translating company and Daikin Air, I was told a service person would come around this afternoon so could I please stay home. OK, no problem.

At 3:00 this afternoon I get a phone call from Daikin Air. They are very busy today so they can't come until tomorrow. What time would be suitable?

Well we didn't get showers this morning, and Craig didn't have one yesterday either. So really, today would be suitable. But OK, first thing tomorrow would be great.

What time tomorrow morning?

9:00.

Until what time?

Huh? What do you mean until what time, I'll stay here as long as it takes you. How long do you expect it to take?

Maybe one hour.

OK. So 9:00 until 10:00 then. (Although I've caught on to what's really going on now... I'm in the middle of another one of those Japanese cultural experiences.)

And what other times would be suitable?

Bingo, I knew it. Sigh. In the afternoon, 1:00 is fine.

Until when?

Sigh. Any time from 1:00 is fine.

OK then. We will see you at 1:00 tomorrow. Thank you.

Well I'll say this much. At least a service person will show up at 1:00 tomorrow (which would not be guaranteed if this conversation was happening in Australia), and at least they called at 3:00 instead of 5:30. Right. I'm off to the park then.