Come in, come in! —どうぞどうぞ、お入りください！—

When I was an elementary school student, my best friend was a member of a religious group which tried hard to persuade members of the public to join.  My friend invited me round to his house to play football and to talk about religion. 

After a few months of playing football and then listening to him talking about his religion, he asked me a question. 

“Please tell me the truth.  Do you come here to learn about God, or just to play football?” 

“Ummm… I really just come to enjoy football,” I said. 

From that day, he stopped inviting me to his house, and stopped talking to me at school too.  I still saw his mother on occasion, when she came round to our house to talk about God.  I always tried to be nice, and listen to her for a few minutes and take whatever leaflet or magazine she offered. 

I still try to do the same thing in Japan when religious groups come to my front door and try to talk to me about their religion.  I let them talk for a few minutes, collect whatever pamphlet they are handing out, politely decline any invitations they make, and then say goodbye. 

Unfortunately, I made a mistake when such a person came to my door yesterday. 

It was about seven minutes before I was due to teach a lesson to a female student when the doorbell rang.  I opened the door and heard a female voice saying, “Konnichi ha!” and so I assumed that it was my student.  I opened the door wide, gave a big smile and gestured inside my door, saying, “Come in, come in!” 

The lady stepped half inside my door and started talking about her religion. 

I realised my mistake and decided I probably had a few minutes to listen and pick up a pamphlet as usual, before my student arrived. 

But the lady at my door was extremely persistent.  She was probably greatly encouraged by my enthusiastic welcome.  She invited me to do some chanting with her, which was supposed to make me happy. 

“I’m really sorry, but I’m about to start work in a few minutes.  I had really better be going,” I said. 

“What time do you finish work?” she asked. 

My tone became a little colder.  “Why do you need to know that?” I said. 

“Because I’m really keen to do this chanting with you.  I think it is really important,” she said. 

“I’m sorry, but I’m not interested,” I said. 

She still didn’t give up.  She started talking about earthquakes, she praised me for my Japanese ability, she asked if I had children.  I couldn’t close the door since she was standing in the doorway after I had invited her in. 

I had to say that I really wasn’t interested several more times before she gave me her pamphlet and left. 

I hope my old friend and his mother are doing well.  I hadn’t thought about them for a long time.