Before much more time had elapsed we learnt he was also one of the very few people in Japan who doesn’t own a mobile phone.
In fact there are probably only two people in the whole of the country who don’t possess one of the ubiquitous devices and they both, it seems, work in the administrative section of a certain children’s theatre company.
Which explains why he is now known as Double Chicken.
As Hughesy and the Sponge continued demolishing the dynamite the third member of the troupe kept up before deciding beer lacked sufficient “oomph” and switched to Shōchū, earning the title of Double Sponge, a title she accepted as a suitable honorific given her capacity for strong drink.
She also expressed a desire to visit Australia with a view to demolishing large quantities of steak.
And, later in the evening I was prompted to switch to sake, remembering The Sponge is somewhat of an expert on the stuff, with a particular interest in the smaller regional independent producers. On our next visit, it was decided, Hughesy is to be taken for an intensive sake-appreciation course under the guidance of our resident expert.
It was some time after ten-thirty when we paid the bill (a very reasonable 1500-yen per head to cover food and drink for six people, including three very thirsty ones) and set off for the station to see the others off on their way home before wandering back to the hotel feeling no pain whatsoever.