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I promised myself in my last entry that I would not defame the reputation of Peppy Kids Club, aka KTC Gaigo Gakuen, the headquarters of which are located in Nagoya, Japan. I rarely like to quote from dictionaries, however, if the standard definition of "defamation" is "false or unjustified injury of the good reputation of another, as by slander or libel," what I am about to tell you, ladies and gentlemen, of the events of this day, September 29, is a collection of irrefutable facts, supported by material evidence.

The short of it is that Ernie, my former Regional Performance Manager, has negotiated my last month of employment with me at the beginning of this month, September, 2006. We have agreed that I would be paid for the previous month on September 25, minus both last month's and this month's rent, and the remainders of my training and commuting loans, and that I would be paid for work I have done this month on September 29, in full.

Aside from my verbal agreement with Ernie*, my RPM, in itself legally binding, I have signed a paper attesting to the last paydate in the presence of my former Performance Manager, Mike Dilloway, and my Area Manager, Akiko Baba. I am, at present, in possession of the PKC document attesting to this supposed agreement. I am also in possession of a second document, attesting to my official move-out date from my Gifu apartment on October 2.

Despite all and any of the aforementioned facts, it is also a fact, which can be corroborated by any branch of my bank, Mitsubishi UFG, that I have received payment on September 25, but have not received the payment today, on September 29, between 9 AM and 12 PM, as was promised to me verbally by my RPM and in writing by my PS.

The last paycheque, according to an estimate I was given by a PKC accountant, was going to be a yen equivalent of nearly $2,000 CDN, and yet, today, on the day the payment was to be remitted to me, I have received no moneys from Peppy Kids Club. Furthermore, a member of the Native Support Department of Peppy Kids Club told me that it was "impossible" that anyone would agree to the aforementioned arrangements, because it is, supposedly, PKC policy to not disburse the last paycheque before the official damage estimate and move-out from the company apartment, and that the earliest I could get my money was on October 5.

In itself, this was Catch-22-style nonsense, because I cannot physically return to the Gifu apartment on the pre-agreed date of October 2, since I do not have the funds to do so; and this morning I was told that I could not obtain those funds before I moved out!

Yuki, the head of the Native Support Department at PKC actually had the gall to tell me that the paper I held in my hands was nothing but an "application," despite, as I have stated earlier, my verbal agreement with my RPM, and written agreement with my PS.

From these un-embellished facts, I can only conclude that, upon my official resignation on September 28, Peppy Kids Club felt that I, no longer an employee, could take it up the proverbial ass. However, I, quite rightly feel that PKC and, at least five of its employees are directly liable for breach of my contract, as well as for breach of other verbal and written agreements. That PKC and its employees were nengligent enough to botch one simple transfer of earned moneys attests to the lack of professional demeanor and comportment on the part of its employees.

The agreement I have reached today with Yuki, the head of the Native Support Department at PKC, was that, if I mail the keys to the already-cleaned apartment via express mail today, I will get my pay on October 3, although at this point I cannot trust anything any representative of PKC says to me.

For those of you sitting on your hands, wondering what I did with this mess of a situation, rest assured that I am not entirely fucked. Yoshie-san, my new boss has graciously stepped in and not only signed himself as a guarantor for my new apartment, but also personally lent me (with no interest) and fronted the entire amount that the rental agency requires of me, until October 3, when I will hopefully receive my money from PKC, so that I will already now have an apartment to live in (Ben, a fellow teacher, the terrific guy who helped me move from Gifu, and his wife, Yutaka, will help me move in on October 1).

Yutaka, my new manager, has also lent me some bedding and rallied members of the small Murai community to help with my arrival. Kenji, a fellow teacher, offered to give me a TV for free, and some of Yutaka's friends have offered to deliver a small fridge and washing machine to my apartment for nearly nothing. I am extremely grateful to these selfless and generous individuals, who have spent much of their time and energy on me.

I am making today's shameful events a matter of public record (I will post the relevant documents online soon) in order to present the facts of the negligent and unprofessional approach of Peppy Kids Club to its employees, as well as to commend the fine staff of Wise Academy on their generosity and initiative. I now clearly see I have made the right decision. Mahalo.