Neo Tales

I am a song-writer, an author, coming out with my first book Eternal Dreams.

[Ron Killings @RonKillings]

I loss my dad yesterday😞 losing a loved one is painful, losing a parent is a different kind of hurt😔 “ He was my hero “ Please take a minute and tell your parents or loved one how much you love them. I love you Aaron Killings❤️🙏🏾

[Neo Tales @NeoMiniTails]

@FadeAwayMedia Is anyone actually shocked by this?

[Samurai Shiba @SamuraiShibaJP]

In Japan, there is an ancient rule of politeness.

When someone offers you something, you refuse. Three times.

"Would you like some tea?"
"Oh, no, I couldn't."
"Please."
"No, really, don't trouble yourself."
"I insist."
"I'm fine, thank you."
"Please, have some tea."
"...Well, if you insist."

Four offers. Three refusals. Then tea. Everyone knows the rules. It's beautiful. It's been working for centuries.

My coworker Uchida is the most polite man in Japan.

On his first trip to America, he stayed with a family in Ohio. On the first night, the host mom asked if he was hungry.

He said, "Oh, no, I'm fine." Refusal number one.

She said, "Okay!"

And that was it.

There was no second offer. There was no dinner.

(In Ohio, if you say no, they believe you. Nobody had told him.)

At 11 p.m., starving, Uchida crept into the kitchen and bit into an apple from the bowl on the table.

It was wax.

Two years later, his company sent him to Georgia. He told me he had learned his lesson. This time, he would be careful.

He was not ready for Miss Loretta.

Miss Loretta is 81. She has lived in the same house in Georgia since 1967. She has fed every human being who has ever walked through her door. She has been undefeated since the Johnson administration.

He walked in. She didn't even say hello first.

LORETTA: "You want some sweet tea, baby?"
UCHIDA: "Oh, no, thank you." (Refusal one. Polite.)
LORETTA: "I'll just get you a little."
UCHIDA: "No, no, please, don't trouble yourself." (Refusal two.)
LORETTA: (already pouring) "It's no trouble at all."
UCHIDA: "Really, I'm fine." (Refusal three. Now she offers once more, and I accept. The ancient system.)
LORETTA: (sets down the glass) "There you go."

(She did not offer a fourth time. She skipped straight to delivery.)

UCHIDA: "...Thank you."
LORETTA: "You hungry?"
UCHIDA: "Oh, no, I ate on the plane." (Refusal one.)
LORETTA: "I'll fix you a plate."
UCHIDA: "Please, it's really not necessary." (Refusal two.)

Fried chicken arrived.

UCHIDA: "I couldn't possibly." (Refusal three.)

Macaroni and cheese arrived.

UCHIDA: "Miss Loretta, I really am full." (Refusal four. Outside the system now. Uncharted territory.)

Biscuits arrived.

He told me that was the moment he understood.

In Japan, every "no" brings you one step closer to "yes."

In Georgia, every "no" brings you a biscuit.

So he panicked. He changed strategy. He thought: if "no" makes more food appear, then "yes" must make it stop.

UCHIDA: "Yes! Yes, this is perfect, thank you, I have enough."
LORETTA: "Oh, good, you like it! I'll get you some more."

There is no word that makes it stop.

Peach cobbler arrived. With ice cream. Uchida had not been asked about the cobbler. Nobody is asked about the cobbler. The cobbler simply happens.

Uchida says he sat there, sweating, eating, bowing between bites, while an 81-year-old woman stood over him like a referee, saying "Eat, baby, eat," and patting his shoulder every time he swallowed.

When he finally stood up to leave, he bowed very deeply.

UCHIDA: "Thank you for the wonderful meal. I am completely full."
LORETTA: "Well, take some home."
UCHIDA: "No, really, I—"

He flew back to Tokyo with a pound cake in his carry-on.

At airport security, the officer pulled his bag, unzipped it, and stared at an entire foil-wrapped pound cake.

OFFICER: "Sir, why do you have a whole cake?"
UCHIDA: "I tried to say no."
OFFICER: (long pause) "...Was it a grandma?"
UCHIDA: "Yes."

The officer zipped the bag closed, handed it back, and waved him through. No more questions.

Before he left Georgia, Uchida asked Miss Loretta why she never accepted his refusals. Not once. Not even the polite ones.

She laughed and patted his cheek.

"Honey, in this house, 'no' just means you're being polite. And you don't have to be polite here. You're home."

Uchida has been back in Tokyo for a year.

He has changed.

When a coworker visits his desk now, he offers them coffee. They say no, the polite Japanese way.

He doesn't ask again.

He just brings the coffee.

The whole office is very confused.

He says it's the most Southern thing he knows how to do.

[Neo Tales @NeoMiniTails]

Since when you can’t set up a doctor’s appointment two weeks in advance. Sir, I’ve set up appointments months in advance. Psychiatrist and therapists tend to have even more open schedules nowadays so it’s unlikely this appointment couldn’t have been made in advance and made it easier on himself and his job.

[Neo Tales @NeoMiniTails]

Then I don’t ask if I can leave, I tell my boss that I am leaving due to an emergency. He asked and then said he understood when the boss quoted the policy.

And if it was something like that, he’d likely call in sick.

There’s a big difference between an emergency or urgent situation and letting your boss know compared to passively asking to get off early then saying you understand. That’s a passive agreement that you will do your job.

[Neo Tales @NeoMiniTails]

One to two weeks if possible so that the job can accommodate you and you don’t have to stress. Most jobs have their schedules set up for up to 2 to 3 weeks in advance, but they can also schedule someone to work your schedule or just not have you scheduled for that day… or if you need the pay, schedule you for a different time of the day.

[Neo Tales @NeoMiniTails]

Yes there are doctors who provide same day appointments, but why would you not have enough respect to set it up so that you’re not interrupting your workday and job. Those same places may also accept walk ins rather than appointments. It’s very realistic to set an appointment for a future date and let your boss know. Most jobs have schedules set up at least 2 weeks in advance. Most doctor’s offices will allow you to schedule in advance.

[Neo Tales @NeoMiniTails]

Happy Friday Eve Y’all.

AI stories all start and end the same. AI be like, “We were having dinner when the entire family laughed at me and said I don’t do anything beneficial to the family. I didn’t say anything. I finished my broccoli quietly, stood up and left.

One week after I left, I had 30 calls and texts about why there wasn’t food in the fridge. A month after I left, grandma who died 10 years ago was now roaming the neighborhood because no one picked up her meds. Three months after I left, my parents divorced because that morning text that dad used to send never got sent because I wasn’t there to remind him to say he loves mom when she wakes up. There was no food in the house and the monthly budget somehow was over by 6x the normal amount while grandma was still roaming the neighborhood. The entire family was begging me to come back.

I moved into a condo in upper west side of California, fridge full and showing them what I did not do. And what I didn’t do was sit around and be disrespected. Sometimes it’s not what you say, it’s what you do.”

Then there will be comments about how encouraging that story was and how proud they are of the imaginary person in that story. Lmao

#ThursdayThoughts

[Chucky Town 🔪 @TownOfChucky]

CHUCKY creator DON MANCINI has responded to Nicki Minaj’s Chucky AI tweet:

“¡IMPOSTER! CHUCKY IS PART OF THE BLUE WAVE THAT WILL WASH AWAY ALL THE CORRUPTION” 🔪💙

[Don Mancini @RealDonMancini]

@NICKIMINAJ IMPOSTER. CHUCKY IS PART OF THE BLUE WAVE THAT WILL WASH AWAY ALL THE CORRUPTION

[FADE @FadeAwayMedia]

“I have no aspirations to become a movie star”

“I don’t want my name on a bottle of alcohol”

“IM A PRO WRESTLER”

- Randy Orton

#WWERAW

[Neo Tales @NeoMiniTails]

@FadeAwayMedia I don’t know who he is. It’s a smart way to get people to talk about him though.

[Neo Tales @NeoMiniTails]

@grok @Abhishek060722 @grok choose one based on both economy and also the Worldview of the Presidents? Base it also on who seems to have kept most of their promises?

[Neo Tales @NeoMiniTails]

@Auriel_zy You were right in your reaction. It’s still your house, your bed, and everything. As an adult, I guess I assume people would know that you don’t want people having sex in your guest room where others will stay when he moves out.

[Neo Tales @NeoMiniTails]

@luireigns Why would anyone choose to have lower pay?

[Aaron Rupar @atrupar]

Obama: "I am old enough to remember when a president wearing a tan suit was a major national controversy. They were very upset. And I know I looked good in that suit."

[Neo Tales @NeoMiniTails]

@venkymama100 Tyrannitar, Volcarona, sneasel, Mimikyu.