I have lived in Japan for over a decade and have become so accustomed to certain things that they seem natural to me now. One time my [Japanese] wife and I invited a newcomer from the US out to eat Ramen. He was a smoker. We went to the ramen shop and were waiting in the doorway for three seats to open up. It was taking a while, so Bill went out, away from the door and toward the road to have a smoke. Meanwhile, three seats opened up and my wife and I were called inside.
We went in and claimed the seats. Then I went to the door and called "Bill." He looked at me, so I gestured "come here" to him, but I did it with my palm facing down and by doing a downward and slightly toward me sweeping motion with the fingers, just as I had been doing for over a decade. Bill nodded in assent, so I went back inside.
Minutes passed and Bill never appeared, so I went back to the door, called him, and repeated the same motion. He nodded. I went back inside. Still, he never came.
After pondering what could possibly be wrong with Bill, it hit me what was happening. I went back to the door and called, "Bill." Bill looked at me. This time, I turned my palm upward and motioned by sweeping my fingers upward and slightly toward myself. Bill promptly joined us for Ramen.
After he came in, he confirmed what I had finally figured out. He thought I was telling him to stay put.
by BWWJR