Strange Japanese Inventions
- Thanks for inviting me for a coffee, Bill. It's been fun but I've got to go home.
- What's the rush, Jane?
- I have got to clean my flat. My parents are going to visit me this weekend and my place is a mess. Just the dusting will take me hours!
- Too bad you don't have an infant.
- What does a baby have to do with dusting?
- There's a Japanese invention called " Dusting Onesie for Babies". It's a baby mop.
- A baby mop? How does it work?
- Bits of mop are attached to the arms and legs of a baby 'onesie'. The baby who is wearing the onesie is placed on the floor. When the baby moves or crawls, the mop parts will dust the floor.
- That's brilliant! I'm sure the inventor was a woman who was inspired by her own housework.
- If you like that invention, here's another. After all that cleaning, you will probably want to take a rest.
- You can say that again!
- Someone has designed a "hugging pillow". The pillow has got an arm that holds you while you sleep.
- How cute! I wonder who came up with that one?
- I don't know but I have more of these ingenious inventions. Want to hear about them?
- Yes, please. I'll do my dusting later.
- Here's a creation I am sure you will like. It's called "the shoe umbrella".
- Do you mean individual umbrellas for shoes?
- That's right.
- Hey! I saw that one. It's a great idea. My shoes are always getting wet in the rain.
- I thought you'd like it. I know how much you LOVE your shoes!
- Ok, ok. Got any more?
- This one is rather silly, I must say.
- And the others aren't?
- It's called "ever-ready tissues". The invention is a toilet roll dispenser which is worn on the head.
- I think I'll give that one a miss! I'm not going to walk around with a mobile toilet roll dispenser on my head.
- Yeah, I won't either! But speaking of heads, someone has to come up with a "subway sleeping hat".
- Do you mean someone has invented something that will help you sleep while you are riding on the train?
- Yes. This modern creation has two main parts – a suction cup and a hard hat.
- Did you say 'hard hat', like the ones construction workers wear?
- Exactly. The hard hat is connected to the suction cup. The user attaches the suction cup to the train window behind them. Then, they put their head in the hat.
- I get it! So, your head doesn't roll around and wake you up. Nice! If I had one of those, I could sleep on my way home. Then, I would have lots of energy for dusting.
