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| Part 3 Memories in my Heart |
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A dozen years ago, I launched the website "Viva, Seniors!" (中高年の元気！)
and have been publishing travelogues, essays, and various topics there.
No more to publish now, but I still have memories wishing to add. Things
that I have wanted to write someday, too big things that have come out
of my hands, too big concepts for me...
When I close my eyes, soft, dark-patterned themes appear in my head and
are sent away one after another. Days with Daido Steel, Mr. Swanson, and
the December Club... These are all important traits for me that I don't
want to dismiss with just memories.
The resume for the four-CD set "Transformation Strategy for Japan Hundred Years" (24 episodes) that Mr. Yoshio Tsukio sent me a few years ago has also been frustrated after only a few episodes.
So, I thought of trying to highlight the three picture patterns floating in my head. These days feeling signs of blurring, it will be a bit of mental exercise. I want to publish each spending two or three months. |
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| I worked at Daido Steel for 26 years from the age of 23. A brain infarction attacked me at the age of 45, and it triggered me to drop out of the company 3 years later, but I spent most of my youth and middle age at the company. I have a number of memories during that time sprinkled here and there in various essays.
It's strange to me that I haven't written about my involvement with golf
during the period. I just scratched the surface at work too, and I haven't
touched on graphic human relations. Now that I've been over the age of
70, that's regretful for me, and I came to think of no necessity to hide
most of the memories anymore.
I started to be friends with the golf buddy at the age of 31 and had a
very close relationship until I suffered a brain infarction. From then
on, I had to become estranged, but it was connected by a thin thread with
me until my age of 60. When I handed over the management of the company
to Yana-san, I said goodbye to the buddy. I would like to set my sight
on such a period with golf episodes.
 I was transferred within the company or seconded 11 times in total before
leaving Daido Steel. Except for the General Affairs Section of Tsukiji
Plant to which I was assigned when I joined the company, most of the transferred
works were based on my own wish.
Naturally, human relations were born in each workplace. Some are fun and proud, but there are also others I want to get away with. I'm going to take up those bad memories here too for diverting myself. It may be a long story.
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| The two more stories to write about are Mr. Swanson and the December Club. Let me just introduce them. |
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I met the missionary Mr. Glen Swanson in the summer when I failed the entrance
examination for Tokyo University of Foreign Studies. We had been together
for about half a year until I moved to Tokyo to try it again on New Year's
Day the following year, and it still makes my heart heat up. In fact, 10
years later, when my company sent me to the U.S. to study, I was indebted
to his relatives and acquaintances. In Christmas days that year, his family
had returned to St. Paul, Minnesota, and I visited them there.
Until his retirement, he preached in Narukawa, Mie Prefecture, separated
from my hometown of Shingu City by Kumano River. When he and his wife left
Narita Airport back to the US, I couldn't see them off.
I am still friends with his second son, Paul, and third son, Danny.
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For the past 10 years or so, I have been traveling abroad twice a year.
This year, I don't feel that way even after the summer. However, it becomes
a pain more and more, and so, at the request of my wife unusually, I decided
to go abroad in November.
On the Trapics tour, I had applied for "8 days in the Netherlands
and Belgium", but I changed my mind to "12 days in the Baltic
States and Poland". The Netherlands and Belgium will be more likely
to do so next year or beyond.
My way to enjoy traveling is the travel itself and to write the travelogue
after getting back. I am always immersed in travelogues several times more
than the traveling days. This time it will take a month or more. When I
finish writing, it might be New Year's Eve. Let's look forward to a good
New Year's sake (otoso). Just thinking it, a coincidence was waiting..
I mentioned earlier that there is Urayasu International Center on the second
floor of Mare next to Shin-Urayasu Station, where I am learning English
conversation.
When I mentioned the upcoming trip to Ms. Tanikawa, the chief staff, she
broke into a smile, saying "The Baltic States! When you get back home,
we would like to have your debriefing session!"
Their expecting date of my report was on November 19, only several days
after my return of November 14. Hurly-burly, and I, chicken-hearted, am
not a character to give a speech in front of a large crowd. However, it
can also be a chance and a challenge to me.
"Is it okay with me?" I replied without hesitation, unsure of myself. This time, due to it, my travel abroad will be with another purpose and a certain amount of tension.
The promotional leaflet that Ms. Tanikawa made using PowerPoint is excellent.
This is my memento.
Concerning this travel, it is carried in the following site.
Baltic countries and Poland 2011
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| I mentioned my father in Part 1. I am leaving the pictures of my parents here. |
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| Part 3 Reading: 12' 59" |
| Total Reading: 50' 17" |
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