# KOHO-CHI (9) <rep.> A Year Later |
This site reminds me of laset year. Because last year I payed a surprise visit when he slept, talked with him by writing, got excited at fake fireflies and so on. I remember Tetsuo said that he began to go to bed early since "KONNICHIWA TENT". It's natural because when it's dark, there's nothing to do in a tent. But at that time, I was really impressed with it and said "Yeah, that's right." |
First I thought to write this near the light, but the sunlight is too strong to write there. And I am writing this on the hill where he put up a tent.
There's not the soft bed that an old woman made with grass for him. But now I sit here and write this, it smells of green grass, and it makes me think that this hill is worth coming up.
Everything is same with his sketchbook. There are a nightsoil reservoir and a pile of hay at the same places! |
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Tent was at the triangle mark. |
When I wrote as above, I found an old woman with a mower walking below.
I greeted to her "Konnichiwa", then she asked me, "Oh, are you Mr. Ogawa?" I was embarrassed a little. I explained that I am his friend, visited places where he put up a tent the previous year, and I went down to her ro show his sketchbook. She turned pages and found a portrait of a man, "Oh, this is YABUKI-SAN." And she found a portrait of herself, "Oh,this is me," she said with pointing at the page of her portrait bashfully. I realized that she is KOTAKE-SAN. She told me that she remembered TETSUO well and he sent her a letter and pictures. I thought Tetsuo would be glad and I asked her to take a picture. I thought the portrait was quite different from her. (Though I wrote so at that time, now I see the picture of her again, it's like to her much!) |
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She is KOTAKE-SAN. She remembers TETSUO and me. |
After my taking a picture, she told me about fireflies that Tetsuo had also written. In her youth, fireflies had flied in swarms and it had been impassioning. She was sorry at it that she saw few fireflies this year and fireflies are mysterious things today. |
Though I talked with only KOTAKE-SAN, I felt this community is peaceful and "comfortable to be", as TETSUO had written. Just talking with KOTAKE-SAN made me feel so. The river didin't look stagnant much yet, but fireflies decreased in number. I was afraid if richness of the nature was destoryed even in this comfortable area that looked rich. |
When I left, KOTAKE-SAN was mowing grass in the distance. I waved to her from the bridge. Then she noticed me and waved to me back. I said to her louder than usual, "Sayonara." And I pedaled a bicycle again. It was my loud voice after a long long time. |