oshibori vs wiping towels

We Germans like the Tokyo a lot, not only the Fukuoka or the Düsseldorf. So sometimes I go to Tokyo. When I was at Tokyo last time I went to eat in my lunch break in a little ramen shop in Asakusa. I had looked at the menu and ordered, and then I thought, something is missing, but I did not know what it was.

Suddenly, when there were mysteriously some little brown towels on the top of the counter . . . I remembered . . yes . . . the staff had forgotten the oshibori, the little towel to wash your hands with before eating. So I instantly took one of them and started to wash my hands. Lo and behold - it was not cozy warm but icy cold. Plus a little later I realised it smelled really bad, and now also my hands smelled really bad. Then I looked around and I saw there was a waitress wiping the counters and desks down with these little brown towels. Hazukashiiiiiiii . . . they were not oshibori but wiping towels.

Of course the whole staff had seen me washing my hands with their dirty cloth, but being Japanese, they pretended otherwise, looking away. But when I went to the otearai to clean my hands, it was occupied. Mendokusaiiiiiii . . . finally the door opened and a waitress came out, she had been cleaning there - but this time with a black cloth, not with a brown one. I was relieved. and a short time later my hands smelled of soap again. Needless to say that when I came back there was my soup ready at my place cooling off.

OK I had been at the butt of THAT joke but next time when I go into this ramenya I will take my friend A-san with me. He is known for taking the oshibori not only for his hands, but also for his face. And then after wards the whole time through he is wiping and wiping the table again and again . . . let`s see what happens . . .