Costco more like Failco more like Winco, too

The morning following fireworks, Matt fixed us some French toast. Aww, so sweet! And so sorely missed! O:

Then we went to Costco. They sell American foodstuffs at wholesale price. Even in Japan! I wanted some root beer, and Matt wanted some graham crackers and marshmallows for smores with his coworkers.

It was boiling hot outside, but we went anyway. Upon arriving, we were dismayed to find that there is no way to buy anything from Costco except to be a member, which costs, if I recall correctly, 4,280 yen. Or close to.

So the guy we were talking to (who thankfully spoke good enough English to get his point across) told Matt that he should buy a membership now, get what he wanted, and come back in a few days to cancel the membership, with a schtick about how the customer service was bad or some such. This would warrant a refund, he said.

I thought this was hilarious! He was telling us to lie to the store in order to get out of being a member, after taking advantage of being a member. Keep on keepin' on, dude.

Matt was hesitant about lying, and trying to come up with less untrue excuses for wanting to cancel, like "oh, I'm leaving Japan in a month." The guy kept saying, "No, that's not good enough, say you got food poisoning or something." (Okay I made that one up, but I'm sure had I suggested it, he would've thought it was a GRAND idea.)

Nonetheless, Matt bought a membership and we proceeded inward...

Turns out my favorite part of this type of store when I was a kid is still my favorite part: samples. I got some sashimi, some smoked southwestern-style salmon, some strawberries, and more more more. Greatness!

I found my root beer. It is great. I've never heard of this brand before (Dad's Old Fashioned Root Beer) but I was later assured it is jin-yoo-wine American brand. I don't particularly care, though. ROOT BEER. Protip: root beer doesn't exist in normal Japan.

Matt found his jumbo marshmallows, but couldn't find his graham crackers. We looked in many places, to no avail. Matt was furious. Enraged! Incensed. He canceled his membership posthaste - as soon as we paid for our food!

Ah, good times.

Now came the hard part: carrying this all to Robert's. I mentioned before it was boiling hot outside. That did not change during our shopping extravaganza. ):

Luckily, a nearby bus stop alleviated the pain of carrying everything we had on foot.

Blah blah blah boring description of boring trip - ARRIVAL.

The food at Robert's was great, of course. I enjoyed my root beer as a supplement to the many dishes, including but not limited to maabo dofu (a newly-discovered favorite Chinese dish of mine which consists of tofu in a spicy meat sauce, usually served with rice), a pork and cabbage lettuce wrap thing, and good ol' kimchi.

It was an enjoyable time.

Ironically, I forgot to take pictures of his many dishes AGAIN. I promised myself I would remember after forgetting the first time he did this. But then I didn't remember.

Addendum: I am hilarious. Or at least the things I say produce much laughter. But no, I'm hilarious. Feel free to agree with me, but don't disagree. If you do I know you're lying.