Are you my uncle?

Sitting in the inn's lobby, wondering if the man sitting on the sofa is my uncle Hiko. He looks like Mother. I know I can ask him, shitsurei desuga, onamae oshiete kudasai, and he should tell me who he is. If he says "Hiko," I can say ureshii desu (that makes me happy!) and then sit next to him and smile with no real way to communicate much of anything. My electronic translator is deeply lacking. And if he says anything other than Hiko, then I can say nante hazukashii! How embarrassing. e-translator is good for that much. But not for saying "you look just like my mother, except handsome" or "would you like to get some gyoza at the place down the street?" Actually, I could possibly sort out that last one. It is hard to believe any kid of Kyoko's is at such a loss to communicate! My sisters would surely find a way. My brother would just lead Hiko down to the neighborhood bar for a biru.

If you're wondering where my human translator is, she and my father and I guess my aunt Fuchan have gone to the family gravesite. ("With friends," said the man at the front desk.) I assumed Hiko would have gone with them, and for all I know, maybe he did. Front desk man said they should be back in an hour... so any minute now. I hope!

Uh-oh. Hiko (or the Hiko-like person) is gone from the sofa. My nephews and spouse have also abandoned me, lacking any sense whatever of familial guilt to sit here in the lobby with Tsurue and her husband, who have been talking to the Hiko guy. Truth be told, they're now talking to the people who have just sat down, and I am certain they don't know these new folks. I did ask Tsurue "Hiko?" with as meaningful a look as I could muster without pointing, and she just sort of shrugged.

Ah, he is back! Now that I think of it, he looks just like my ojiisan. Well, I'd better try something or be the shame of the family. Sigh. Wish me luck! :-X