友人「こちらの生活にや大分慣れましたか」
えいが
私「ええ、まあ。でもここでは良い映画見られませんね」
友人「それは、ないものねだりですよ」
Nai Mono Nedari
Yujin: Kochira no seikatsu ni mo daibu nare mashita ka.
Watashi: Ee, Maa. Demo koko dewa yoi eiga miraremasen ne.
Yujin: Sore wa, nai mono nedari desu yo.
A friend: Have you just about adjusted to living here.
Me: Yes, well. Butitis hard tosee any good films around here, isn't it.
A friend: That's asking for the moon. Some things just aren't possible.
Nai mono nedari is to be persistent in longing after something impossible to attain.
Our desires jump endlessly from one thing to another. One desire is fulfilled, another arises. After two years in Yamaguchi, I'm thus now discovering all the things the city is missing ! Though still happy with the mountain scenery and quiet rows of houses and stores. The dirtiness of movie theaters, concerts, good restaurants, art museums, book stores carrying new books, and boutiques is depressing.
I always pay close attention to advertisements for films, for example. What a disappointment. The city's two movie theaters only show children's movies, por- no movies, or yakuza movies! I asked one of, the theater owners, "Why these movies? There must be a lot of people in Yamaguchi who want to see better films." His reply: "I once thought the same thing. So we showed The Name of the Rose starring Sean Con- nery. How many came to see it? Four! Now I'm trying to run a business and so there's no way I'm going to show a so-called 'good' film again. If only more people would have come." Nai mono nedari wo shitemo shikata arimasen (It's no use asking for the impossible). Nai mono in this example refers to the level of people's ability to understand good films.
Another example. A Japanese couple leave on an overseas trip. Here's their conversation while eating breakfast in Milano, Italy. Wife: "I'd certainly enjoy some miso soup for breakfast." Husband: "Omae wa itsumo nai mono nedari bakkari shite iru'n da ne (You're always asking for the impossible, aren't you). We've come all the way to Europe so I think you ought to enjoy the food here. Goo ni ireba goo ni shitagae (When in Rome, do as the Romans do)....now that you mention it, though, a bowl of white rice would be nice, wouldn't it?" Wife: "Anata datte nai mono nedari shiteru de wa arimasen ka" ("Look who's asking for the impossible now? ").
Finally, reading the newspaper can certainly teach one to dislike Japan's politicians. Why are there so few good people? Kore mo kitto nai mono nedari desu ne (This too is probably asking for the impossible).
Mizue Sasaki is a professor at Yamaguchi National University