I puttered around the house, doing laundry and dishes while I waited for Heather to call. We were going to a book sale. I love books. I love reading and I love stories and I love books, especially really cheap, book-sale-in-the-party-room books.
When I struck off across base to meet Heather the sun was shining, the crows were cawing, the hawks were circling. I realize that sounds sort of scary, but in Yokosuka that's normal. We have crows; we have hawks. Even the wind had decided to behave itself and just skip along instead of trying to knock me off my feet.
As I passed the library a group of four middle school boys walked parallel to me on the other side of the street.
"I wish I had a big brother," boy one said. "He could teach me all his tricks."
"Yeah, that's right, they teach you stuff," boy two said.
Boy three said, "I like having a little brother, because I like teaching him stuff. I like to teach."
This was not the kind of conversation I expected to hear from middle school boys walking down the street on a Saturday morning. There is hope for humanity after all.
A few seconds later, in front of the after school program building, I saw a girl in a cheer leading uniform walking toward me. Her hair was curled and in a ponytail. Her shoes were plain white canvas. She had the pleated bi-color skirt - the whole getup. Under her jacket I read the initials KHS, Kinnick High School. I grinned at her. I couldn't help it. She was just, so, so exactly right. She grinned back, like she knew exactly why I was smiling and agreed with me.
At the book sale, I gave fifteen dollars to a cheerful woman with a screaming baby in exchange for 9 books and a Yokosuka, Japan Relay for Life tee-shirt. See, reading books can cure cancer.
After that we went to the post office, where I found a huge package from my mommy waiting for me. While carrying it out I noticed that Noah had written "Hi Emma" and drawn a smiley face in pen on the outside of the box. If I hadn't been holding it just that way, I wouldn't have noticed. It made me laugh.
The box was filled with goodies. A new poster that made me shriek out loud in excitement, Noah's school pictures, a beautiful platter for our Thanksgiving turkey and my Christmas tree ornaments and stocking. I called my parents to thank them and ended up talking to my brother for twenty minutes. It was a record breaking conversation. Noah never wants to talk on the phone because, he claims, he never has anything to say. But today he did and all I could do was laugh while he talked.
Heather called again. We were going out on town, to a curry festival. I'm not sure how she heard about it but Heather loves curry so she was excited. I don't like curry but you have to find your on-town fun where you can take it.
Walking over I realized that everything, absolutely everything, was happening this weekend. A travel fair blocked off traffic on main street and filled the bowling alley parking lot. I could hear a recording of excited children singing something that could only be a translation of a Japanese song. It went like this: "See the lion and the unicorn ride the donkey. Hey, ho away we go, riding donkey, riding donkey. Hey ho, away we go, riding on a donkey."
As I walked into her building I realized I had completely forgotten that the Buddhist group I sometimes go to was having a pot luck in the party room of the same building. I poked my head in the door to a chorus of "Emma!" Yoshi, a little 60 something Japanese woman, hugged my arm. "I'm glad you could come, we were waiting for you." I felt a little sheepish for forgetting these people. They're the nicest people in the world.
Me, Heather and Bre ended up sitting at one of the long tables, trying to shield our plates from the onslaught of food being thrust at us by Japanese women.
When we finally got ourselves out we headed for the curry festival. The street between Mikoshi gate and the park was packed with people. We saw children carrying balloon animals, kettle corn and horns of cotton candy. We even saw a Japanese clown.
Sorry he's sideways
We passed booth after booth, staring at the food and drink for sale. Once a woman held out plastic cups offering samples. Heather and I looked at each other.
"What is it?" She asked.
I shrugged. "I think it's saki."
The woman shook her head, "Orange wine."
Well now we had to try it. It started smooth but had that burning echo unique to Japanese drinks. I bought a bottle for Grant to try when he got home.
the curry festival
It was a good day. At every turn I had something new to do and I found myself surrounded by people who like and care about me and whom I like and care about in return. A day like this - that's what life is for.
To make the day complete, half an hour ago my phone rang. It was Bre, "We have heat."
To quote Bre, "Oh yeah, baby."
Posts
