He was joined shortly by another crew member, who I assumed would begin the sort of conversation that is customary among workers the world over—good-natured grousing about this and that.[8] To my surprise, however, the second man assumed the same parade-rest stance next to his colleague, and both stood unmoving and in complete silence.
One by one the rest of the ground crew eventually strode into view, each of them taking up positions in line with their fellow workers. And there they stood, minute after minute, without rain gear or even coats to keep them warm, silent and unflinching as the wind-driven downpour pelted them without mercy.[9]
At last the plane’s engines roared to life and we began our push back from the gate. And at that moment, the ground crew performed what was clearly an oft-repeated ritual.[10]
First, they snapped[11] to attention.
Then, in perfect unison[12], they bowed.
This was a formal bow—arms at their sides, torsos[13] bent forward at a 30-degree angle, the position held for a good three seconds. It was not, in other words, an afterthought[14]. Rather, it was a meaningful gesture directed toward the passengers on the plane (“Thank you for visiting Japan”), toward the plane’s flight crew (“We respect your expertise[15] and dedication”), and, ultimately, as recognition of their own commitment to service (“We have fulfilled our duties to the best of our abilities”).
【可敬的“责任”,让我们向责任敬礼】相关文章:
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