In November 6, 2011, Mr. Arao surprised the dining guests of Waves Restaurant with his rendition of Mona Lisa. THANK YOU! We hope to hear and see you again in Palau. Arigatou gozaimasu!
DON'T MAKE THE GUESTS HAPPY!
I HAD a very strange music experience on November 06, 2011. My job as musician is to make guests enjoy my music, play their favorite songs so that they will stay longer and spend more.
But this is a different situation. When I arrived at 6:00 pm that night, a group of 20 old Japanese guests are sitting on my left side. They are all wearing yellow polo shirts and I’m wearing a yellow long sleeve shirt. A younger group of Japanese (less than 20), are on my right side.
I started to play Japanese songs and both groups are enjoying my music and clapping after each song I’ve played. One of the old guys gave me $10.00 tip. I gave him my card. He showed it to his wife, who requested a song “Mona Lisa”and she gave me an additional $5.00.
In the middle of the song, a 6-footer Japanese singer Kazuo Arao, sing the song. I repeat the song again and I sang with him because I know the lyrics of that song. After the song, there’s a very loud applause especially from his group. Other Taiwanese guests also enjoy his song and music.
That’s the time that Edwin Acuyan, the F & B Manager told me, “Please don’t make our guests happy especially those at long table because another 120 guests are coming at 7:30 and they will sit at those tables.”
I played 3 more songs and Chef David Wang and supervisor Chris asked me to take a break or use the rest room and don’t come back till they’re gone.
After the last song, I went to the rest room and I’m surprise to see an old Japanese lady inside the men’s rest room. Maybe she didn’t read the sign. Some young Japanese guys came and they talked to the lady in their language that it’s the men’s room and not the rest room for female.
I remember in 1998 at Image Restaurant, a drunkard customer accidentally entered in the female rest room because he is drunk. When some ladies entered the rest room, they saw him using the toilet bowl urinating. One of them said to the guy, “HEY, MISTER, THIS IS FOR LADIES”. She means that the rest room is for ladies.
The drunkard guy responded while holding his “tutu” – “THIS IS ALSO FOR LADIES!”
When I get out of the rest room, Mr. Arao is waiting for me. He thanked me for the nice playing of “Mona Lisa” and harmonizing with him. He gave me his card and $20.00 tip. I gave him my card also.
I proceed to Dormitory 1 of Palau Royal Resort and stayed there for 30 minutes. I talked to Rey Alenain, my roommate, about the $35.00 tips I’ve got in less than 30 minutes. I also told him the story about the “crying Japanese” guy that gave me $100.00 tip twice in March 2008.
I read Mr. Arao’s business card and then I realized that he is a singer in Japan for Music Rainbow 21! That’s why he’s very good in singing American songs. At the back of his card are very few English words –Music Rainbow 21, Pop & Jazz and Official Site http://www.geocities.jp/music_rainbow21/
When I come back at Waves Restaurant, the 2 groups were gone and the workers are very busy setting up the tables for another big group of Taiwanese. In front of the piano is another long table for Rock Island Tour, Blue Marlin, and R & C Tour for the company, management and staff (Japanese/Filipinos/Palauans), who are having their early Christmas party because the date near Christmas is very busy date for them.
Mr. Taiku of R & C Tour gave me $3.00 tip. The new singer of RITC, Jonathan, sang a Japanese song “Kanpai” in Tagalog lyrics. Another Filipino, Maintenance Manager, sat beside me and sang a lot of songs mostly old American songs.
When I resume my job to play keyboard at Breeze Bar, he followed me there and sang some more songs till 11:00 pm. His co-employees have left so I dropped him to his residence near Dollar 99 Store. I also asked him how to get a boat for my friends who are coming before Christmas to Palau for a trip to Rock Islands. They are Joselito Marcos, my best friend from Papua New Guinea with his wife Margarita and last-born daughter Jamie.
Source: Music and Me by Roberto Hernandez
Tia Belau Newspaper
Pages 8-9
Volumne 21
Issue 44
July 05 2012
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