実践ビジネス英語 Friday, March 29
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Surrendering Car Keys (6)
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1[S]: Now in our current vignette, the H&B staff discuss how people can convince their elderly parents to stop or limit their driving when it's no longer safe for them to be behind the wheel. Have you had to do this with your parents, Heather?
2[H]: No, I’ve never had to convince resistant parents to give up their car keys. But I have certainly dealt with the shock of my parents getting older and developing health problems. Just as we all believe that somehow we are going to be the only person
in the world who doesn't age. I think we also expect our parents to remain as vigorous and active as they were when we were growing up. In my case, that was especially true regarding my father, who's always been an avid sportsman and outdoors man. He's even coached biathlon.
So it was an enormous shock when he developed problems with his heart a few years back. They are under control with medicine and he still works out a great deal, but at first, I just couldn't imagine anything slowing down my vigorous father. That may be the great challenge for me someday, persuading him to give up things like running and skiing altogether.
3[S]: Nissen describes in the vignette how a friend of his arranged for his parents' doctor and an occupational therapist to counsel them about their driving.
4[H]: That strikes me as an excellent idea. I think no matter what age they are, parents will always see their children as children to some extent. They can't help it. They've literally known them since the day they were born. They changed their diapers. That probably makes it a great deal easier to discount their opinion. Father or mother knows best. Outside experts, however, have specialized knowledge and training that inspires trust and compliance. I wouldn't be surprised if parents were far more likely to listen to them, especially if it's someone like a regular doctor whom they are used to going to for advice.
5[S]: Do you think your parents still see you as a child?
6[H]: In some ways, yes. I'm over 40 now, but whenever we meet, I still get admonished to watch my language and not talk with my mouth full. I do remember a specific moment, however, almost 20 years ago when my mother seemed to acknowledge that I had crossed the bridge into adulthood. I was changing jobs just as she came to Japan for a visit. And my soon-to-be-former-colleagues threw me a goodbye party.
To make a long story short, I came home a little tipsy and announced to my mother, "I'm going to take a shower." I could see her debating with herself whether to make some comment about my somewhat inebriated state, and ultimately making a conscious decision not to. All she said was, "All right. Don't drown." And I remember feeling very grateful for that tacit acknowledgement that I was an adult and had to make my own decisions now.
7[S]: The conversation eventually turns to the fact that fewer young people are driving.
Something Umemura guesses is partly a result of their desire to reduce their carbon footprint. Is that something you think about, Heather?
8[H]: I've always been glad that Japan's extensive train system makes it very easy for me to limit my environmental impact that way, though I'd have to take public transportation in any event as I can't drive. I know the basics: ※gas left, brake right, but with one thing and another, I never learned well enough to get a license.
※（ペダルのことを話しているのであれば、普通はアクセルが右で
ブレーキは左かな？ディクテーション仲間のひとり Ogata さんが気が
付いてくれました。）
