5. Meeting with an Agent: Situation (2) Agent Arrives Late

(Cruz and Santos exit into the Arrival Lobby. Suddenly, a Japanese woman calls them over.)

Stranger: Excuse me, are you Mr. Vincent from the Philippines ABC Company?

Cruz: No, I'm not. I'm not with the Philippines ABC Company.

Stranger: Oh, wrong person. I'm sorry.

Santos: It's difficult to find people in this crowd.

Cruz: I think our agent has a placard with our names on it. Let's try to find him.

(Ten minutes later) Santos: He doesn't seem to be here. Have we got the meeting place wrong? There are two

terminals at Narita Airport. This is Terminal 1, isn't it? Cruz: Well, let's wait for a few more minutes. We don't know the agent's phone number

anyway. Let's go sit on that bench over there.

(Ten more minutes later) Santos: Look! That man seems to have a placard with our names on it. Excuse me. Are you

Mr. Yamada? We're Santos and Cruz from the Philippines. Yamada: Oh, thank goodness! I'm glad we were able to meet up. We were delayed by the

traffic. There was a big accident on our way to the airport. I'm sorry to have kept

you waiting.

suddenly: without warning, an unexpected surprise wrong person: a different person, not the right person, not the person one is looking for

crowd: a large number of people

... seem to be....: appear to be... -> "He doesn't seem to be here." = "1 don't think he is here."

thank goodness: "How lucky!" an expression of relief = Thank God.

We were delayed...: We were held up and therefore could not come on time...

traffic: cars on a highway or a road

I'm sorry to have kept you waiting.: I'm sorry I kept you waiting, (a frequently used apology when arriving

late)

6. At Tokyo Station

(Transferring from the Yamanote Line to the Tokaido Shinkansen)

Cruz: I think this is the right way, but with all these people, I'm not sure! It must rush

hour now. Commuting always seems to be bad.

Santos: Let's ask someone. (He stops a passerby.) Excuse me, is this the way to the

Shinkansen?

Passerby: There are several Shinkansens. Which one are you looking for? Santos: The Tokaido Shinkansen. We are going to Shin-Kobe.

Passerby: OK. Then go straight ahead, and you'll see the ticket gates for the Tokaido

Shinkansen. Ask the station staff for more information. Santos: Straight ahead? OK. Thank you very much. Cruz: Let's go.

(At the ticket gate)

Stat. staff: Ah, just put your tickets in the slot over here. This is an automatic gate.

Santos: Thank you. Which platform does the train leave from?

Stat. staff: Platform 16.

Santos: Platform 16? Thank you.

Cruz: We should eat on the train. Let's buy some food.

Santos: That's a good idea. I'd like to have some typical Japanese food.

(At a stall nearby)

Cruz: "Makunouchi-bentou." This looks like a Japanese packed lunch. I'll have that.

Santos: OK. I'm going to try this one here. |

transferring: changing trains -^ transfer = change over, move over Shinkansen: Japanese bullet train, super-express train

Tokaido Shinkansen: the super-express trains serving mainly the Pacific coast of Japan's mainland commuting: traveling back and forth, i.e. to and from work passerby: a bystander; person on the street straight ahead: forward without turning slot: long hole or groove platform: waiting place for a train typical: most common, representative stall: small stand or shop

Makunouchi-bentou: Japanese-style boxed lunch with rice and assortment of cooked meats, fish, and vegetables