kodalai | I think I need to go commit seppeku now...

If you think you've encountered some weirdoes while working in the service profession, wait until you hear this one -- I heard it from one of the nurses who was on duty at the time.

Apparently, there was this Japanese tourist who was visiting in Arlington for a few days. This particular man, a businessman of some reputation, spoke almost no English and was accompanied by a tour guide for most of his stay. On this day, however, he had gone out onto the town by himself, for reasons which will become clear.

So this tourist was making his way around town, trying to figure out what was what by looking at the logos and signs. In Tokyo, apparently, it is a very sign-happy, and anywhere you go you can find a little placard with stick figures showing you what to do, like in restrooms and such, and this tourist figured he could get around the same way in the States.

Eventually, he ended up at one of the local hospital, the Arlington Pediatric Center. (You can check out their website here.) Apparently this was what he'd been looking for, as he went in and tried to get the attention of the staff.

Naturally, the concerned and helpful staff tried their best to help him out, thinking he was a parent with a kid in trouble. They were very solicitous and did their best to find someone on hand who could translate a little. After nearly half an hour of charade-talking and translation of terms such as "how much," "8-10 years," and "hourly," they finally figured out that because of the picture in the logo, the man had mistaken the hospital for an underage brothel, and was looking to hire a young boy or girl to have sex with.

The staff called the police, who came to take the man into custody. The police have yet to release a statement on the matter.