'Nate and Marissa' or 'Shinagawa isn't a word?'

My brother, Nate, and his wife, Marissa, came to stay with me for a long weekend in April. Despite the relatively short length of their trip, we were able to go hiking, attend a barbeque, eat soba and sea salt flavored ice cream, and take a road trip to Himeji Castle. Aside from the near-constant political and ethical debate insisted on by my brother, the most amusing aspect of their trip to Japan was the confusion that it caused to the local Japanese. Marissa is Chinese-American and, therefore, much more Japanese-looking than I (obviously). Whenever we went to a restaurant or were in a situation that required speaking Japanese, the person we were conversing with would automatically direct their questions and responses to Marissa. Marissa would then shrug and look at me to translate. This resulted in the usually-collected Japanese becoming flustered and awkward. A blonde woman? Speaking in Japanese? Impossible! I was also amused by Nate's propensity to develop his own language when stumped by Japanese: Shinagawa! When you can't remember the correct word, just create your own.

*Writers note: 'Shinagawa' IS a word, but it's a place name and definitely not the thing that Nate meant to say.