A LAN-faced lie

Last summer, just after we arrived in Japan, we asked our then supervisor if we could hook up our laptop computers to the Internet, so we wouldn't tie up the public use computers as we tried to get through long days with no work to do.

I already knew the answer was yes, because our predecessors had mentioned in casual e-mails before we arrived that they had used computers with the Internet at their desk. So my query was less about a yes/no answer and more about starting the process of getting hooked up.

But my lawyerly approach backfired when the attorney for the defense opted to lie, telling us that we simply were not allowed to connect our own computers. That was that. I could have challenged him, but I had been warned that he could be difficult and I wanted to choose my battles.

Come the new year, our supervisor is transfered, a new one comes in. "Can we connect our computers to the Internet?"

"Yes, I think so. Let me ask the computer guy."

Two days later LAN cables are waiting on our desks.

New school year, new supervisor, hopefully less lying to our faces.