Sa-bisu

Tree House Diner going towards Naha Airport (pic. by google)

After paying for my grocery, I saw a counter with coffee machine and some cups. On the counter was written "Service Counter". It has been a while I haven't been to this shop. I feel some things have changed.
I asked a shop assistant walking passed, "kofi wa legi de harau desuka" (do I pay at the cashier for the coffee?)"
She said, "sa-bisu deshou"!
Sa-bisu to mean "service".
When you send you car for service, that means you are doing a service for your car. So when the Japanese says sa-bisu to you it means they are doing you a service. Basically, service means free. No payment.
If you want something free, you don't say, "Give me free!"
You say, "sa-bisu kudasai!"
This is English Japanese. A kind of English only the Japanese understand.

At the counter, two elderly couple were sipping the sa-bisu kofi. As I approached I asked the lady, "tsumetai desuka" meaning is it cold?
I got from her, "hotto kohi!"
Hah, hot coffee! I should have used English in the first place, I told myself, feeling small.


See? Who says the Japanese cannot speak English. They speak English very well.

Buraku Hotto kofi sa-bisu beri naisu! (Strange but true, this is English!)

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