While Mr. Yasu's family are busy surfing the internet, Roberto asked for a photo session with him at the keyboard. Mr. Yasu is intrigue with Roberto's own 'joke' of combining some Japanese, Chinese and his own characters about the joke of "The Most Effective Method -- Japanese Birth Control."
(Photo by Roberto Hernandez)
MR. YASU IS INTRIGUE WITH "THE MOST
EFFECTIVE METHOD -- JAPANESE BIRTH
CONTROL"
On March 24, 2016, our last customers at Breeze Bar of
Palau Royal Resort are Japanese family of 4, who arrive at about 10pm. Last
order is 11:30 and the place will close at 12mn.
At
first, they are not much listening to my rendition of Japanese songs. When I
play “Let It Be” by the Beatles, the father is singing with me. He knows the
lyrics and his diction is good. I played Japanese and American songs
alternatively and they begun to appreciate my music.
I
gave them my song book to look for songs that they like to request but they are
not interested. The other members of the family (the mother and two young boys)
are busy surfing the internet, which is offered free since a few months ago, if
guests will order drinks of at least $10.00 worth.
After
less
than an hour of playing for them, the father gave me $10.00 tip. I
asked him why they can speak English very well and he said they are
living in the USA and comes to Palau and it's their last night in Palau
and will leave early in the morning on their way to Japan. They are just
biding their time before the flight. Later
he asked me about the last page of the songbook where the word “Most
Effective
Method – Japanese Birth Control” is written with “Japanese” or “Chinese”
characters which no Japanese, Chinese or Koreans can read. It’s because I
just
made it up.
Japanese/Chinese Birth Control
Calling the attention of all Japanese or Chinese who found out the most effective method of birth control in the mid-70's.
After the end of World War II, the "Baby Boom" became the trend. Sixty years later, China's population topped the world.
Japan's population was somehow slowed by their citizens getting married at their late 30's or early 40's. And they don't want to have more than 3 children.
China and Japan found out the most effective method of birth control through the characters shown above.
THE ANSWER WILL BE REVEALED ON THE NEXT ISSUE OF MUSIC AND ME (Oct. 01, 2015 -- Palau's 21 years of Independence).
MY JAPANESE FRIENDS WHO ARE ELIGIBLE TO SOLVE THIS METHOD:
1. Michiko Nakamura 2. Satoku Uehara 3. Kuma Katsutoshi 4. Yoshiharu Kurata 5. Takao Anzawa 6. Akemi Tsuji 7. Allen Kangichi 8. Aya Asanuma 9. Bumpei Iwata 10. Gene Nakauchi 11. Gladys Husiro 12. Grace Baconga Otsuka 13. Hiromi Mochizuki 14. Isao Takahashi 15. Oribia Kikinagara 16. Jane Kiki 17. Titi Cabunagan 18. Kikimo Mikuto 19. Guapo Kamukako 20. Pangit Kamukamo 21. Sushi Motto 22. John Masaichi 23. Yuriko Cho Irikidemoto 24. Manabu Hotta 25. Masao Kikuchi 26. Yutaka Taiku 27. Baho Taimo 28. Morton Sawaichi 29. Quincy Kuniyoshi 30. Rholfie "Roy" Eis 31. Santy Asanuma 32. Shinji Chibana 33. Shinji Otsuka 34. Shohei Nakatsugawa 35. Taro Watanabe 36. Motoko Watanabe 37. Michiko Suzuki 38. Rintaro Mita 39. Nao Yasuda 40. Koichi Matsuda 41. Koji Tomita 42. Yoko Tomita 43.
MY CHINESE/TAIWANESE FRIENDS LIKEWISE:
1. Ai Lin Liao 2. Michelle Liao 3. Vincent Chen 4. Ethan Zhao 5. Brad Hsu 6. Carol Hsu 7. Yoyo Hsue 8. Ivan Lau 9. Kung Yi Cheng 10. Lily Dai 11. Tom Tu 12. Steven Chen 13. Joseph Ma 14. Noel Tsao
He
asked me, “What is the answer to this? I cannot read those characters.”
I
folded the paper in the middle lengthwise and folded it another time lengthwise
again at the right side and the word “Sleep Alone” can be read downwards. He is
amazed by the witty, tricky and innovative joke of that kind. I asked him if he
would like to share it to his family. He refused and I told him some memorable
experiences that I encountered especially with Japanese guests including “The
Crying Lone Japanese in March 28, 2008.
A PIANO WITH A VIEW
Roberto Hernandez plays piano at Waves Restaurant of Palau Royal Resort from 6:00-9:00 pm every night except Friday (his day off). From 9:00-11:00 pm, he plays keyboard at Breeze Bar, about 30 meters from Waves Restaurant.
(Photo by: Jaime Guevarra)
MUSIC EXPERIENCE OF ROBERTO HERNANDEZ
(THE CRYING OLD JAPANESE GUY)
Before they go home, I talked to Bilung and said, “I would like to give you a Christmas present. I will tune your piano for free before the end of this year.”
I became very busy and haven’t done my promise.
The next day, God gave me more that I expected.
He didn’t make a mistake. Edgar is just kidding me and maybe jealous.
Source: Chess and Music (Perfect Combination)
The Beginning of Chess in Palau
By Roberto Hernandez
December 2007
To be published as a book in the future
Roberto Hernandez plays piano at Waves Restaurant of Palau Royal Resort from 6:00-9:00 pm every night except Friday (his day off). From 9:00-11:00 pm, he plays keyboard at Breeze Bar, about 30 meters from Waves Restaurant.
(Photo by: Jaime Guevarra)
MUSIC EXPERIENCE OF ROBERTO HERNANDEZ
(THE CRYING OLD JAPANESE GUY)
BEFORE CHRISTMAS 2007, the Queen of Koror, Palau Bilung
Gloria Salii, her husband Carlos and daughter Uroi had dinner at Waves
Restaurant. They gave me $10.00 tip and a glass of red wine.
Before they go home, I talked to Bilung and said, “I would like to give you a Christmas present. I will tune your piano for free before the end of this year.”
I became very busy and haven’t done my promise.
On her
birthday, January 05, 2008, they had dinner again at Waves Restaurant with 3
other guests. I played all their favorite songs. She gave me $10.00 tip, a
glass of red wine and a slice of her birthday cake.
After three
weeks, they had another dinner at Waves and after giving me $5.00 tip this
time, I asked for her telephone number at home so that I can set the date of
tuning their piano. She said 488-6216.
On March
19, 2008 (Wednesday), I saw her at the entrance of Surangel’s Department Store.
I said I will call her on Tuesday (March 25) and will tune their piano on
Wednesday (March 26) which I did. After tuning their piano for 2 hours, she is
ready to issue me a check but I said I promise to tune it for free as Christmas
present. She gave me bananas instead!
The next day, God gave me more that I expected.
While halfway
on my piano playing at Waves Restaurant, a lone, old Japanese guy sits at a
table about 7 meters from the piano. Ten minutes later, I started to play the
Japanese song “Kawa No Nagareno Yo Ni”. In the middle of that song, I saw him
get something from his front pocket- it’s a handkerchief! He is crying and was
carried away by my expressive playing.
The two waitresses Maricar Baules and
Maricel Carlos saw him crying and asked why. He pointed at me and I played with
more expression. Goosebumps are all over my arms and body which I rarely feel
when playing with much expression. I followed it up with another Japanese song
“Subaru”. He cried more. The handkerchief is all wet!
When I played the song "Kou Jou No Tsuki", he pointed at the sky as the song is about moon. Tsuki is Japanese word for moon.
When I played the song "Kou Jou No Tsuki", he pointed at the sky as the song is about moon. Tsuki is Japanese word for moon.
Fifteen minutes later, he
gave me tip. I put it on the piano music stand. Edgar Cayanan, the Assistant
Food & Beverage Manager said, “Kuya”, (Older brother) “I don’t think that’s
the color of a $5.00 bill.” He checked the tip and said “It is a hundred
dollar!” I just continue to play and ignore him as I don’t look at the amount
of tip I get until the giver has left.
Edgar told
about it to Maricar and Maricel. The two also checked the tip and said. “It’s
really $100.00! Can we have some?”
When the
generous man left, a Japanese couple sat at the same table where he sat. The
guy requested 3 Japanese songs (Goodbye My Love, Itoshino Elly and the third
one, I forgot). I was able to play all those 3 songs and he gave me $1.00 tip!
Philippine
Ambassador to Palau Ramoncito Marino, the biggest supporter of chess in Palau,
and his wife Issa were having dinner at that time with an old Japanese lady
guest. When he sat down at the piano to play a couple of songs, that’s the only
time I look at the tip- it’s really $100.00. I said to the Ambassador, “Look,
sir, a Japanese guy gave me $100.00 tip without requesting and another guy who
requested 3 songs gave me $1.00”.
The next
day, Friday, Edgar said that the man who gave me $100.00 tip last night said he
made a mistake in giving me that amount. I said, “It is okay, I haven't spend it yet and when he comes
back, I’ll give him back the $100.00 and it’s up to him to decide how much he
really wants to give me.”
On Saturday
evening, he comes back. While having dinner at the same table, I played all the
other Japanese songs that I didn’t play on that Thursday night. When I play the
2 songs that made him cry, he didn’t cry anymore.
After his dinner, he comes to
me with Cathy (Chinese waitress) by his side. He said, “Do you know the guy who
plays piano in the cruise by the name of Norman?”
I said, “No. Does he play Japanese songs also?” He said yes but only a few.
Then he gave me tip again and I put it in my polo shirt pocket. And he left for
Japan.
Maricel saw that he gave me again and asked how much. I looked at it and it’s
another $100.00!
He didn’t make a mistake. Edgar is just kidding me and maybe jealous.
Source: Chess and Music (Perfect Combination)
The Beginning of Chess in Palau
By Roberto Hernandez
December 2007
To be published as a book in the future
I'VE GOT the "Most Effective Method -- Japanese Birth Control" idea when I am watching an electronic fair at The Plaza Restaurant where I worked for many years in late '70's and early '80's.
In the booth where they are selling typewriters, I tried the electric typewriter typing the Top 50 chess players of the world. I started with Robert James Fischer(2780), Anatoly Karpov (2700), Viktor Korchnoi (2670) Boris Spassky (2650), Tigran Petrosian (2640), Mikhail Tal (2635), Lev Polugaevsky (2630), Ljubomir Kavalek (2625), Henrique Mecking (2615), Efim Geller (2610), Ljubomir Ljubojevic (2605), Vassily Smyslov (2600), Jan Smejkal (2600), Gennady Kuzmin (2600), Vlastimil Hort (2600), Ulf Andersson (2580)...
Then I heard somebody asking, "What number is Eugene Torre?" and I type No. 20 Eugene Torre. Although it's not yet that high, Torre reached that mark when he reached the Candidates Matches to determine the challenger to the world champion. 2580 was the highest that Eugene got, where very few have reached the 2600 mark.
Just next to that booth was the amazing and simple "Japanese" character that says "Most Effective Method -- Japanese Birth Control."
I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND THOSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THE ANSWER, THAT NO JAPANESE OR CHINESE CAN READ THOSE 'CHARACTERS'...
TO BE ABLE TO SOLVE IT, YOU MUST PRINT THE 'CHARACTERS' FIRST. THEN FOLD IT IN THE MIDDLE. FOLD IT AGAIN (1/4) AT RIGHT SIDE AND THEN YOU CAN FIGURE IT OUT IF YOU WILL CONNECT THE 1/4 FOLDED 'CHARACTERS' TO THE FOLDED MIDDLE PART.
HERE IT IS!
Sources: Music and Me by Roberto Hernandez
Tia
Belau Newspaper
March 15,
2012 – April 2013
April
2013—April 21, 2016
Chess and
Music (Perfect Combination)
The
Beginning of Chess in Palau
By Roberto
Hernandez
To be published as
a book in the future
