Today I had lunch with another Asian Access missionary, Tim.

We went to a restaurant, decided what we wanted to order from the display out front, and sat down. I sat on one side of the table and he sat on the other. When the waitress came by, she squared her shoulders toward me so that her back was to Tim. When I ordered noodles, she asked, "Two orders of noodles?"

This entire time she's completely ignoring Tim, whose Japanese language skills are very good. Tim orders his lunch to her back, she writes it down, and she leaves. Not once did she turn to look at him... even when he ordered his lunch in Japanese. I thought it was rude of the waitress. Then again, it has happened so often that I'm getting used to it. They see my Japanese face and assume I can speak Japanese... they see his caucasian face and assume he can't.