Yoshinori

He's an 82 year old I have met through my ekiawa class. That is to say, he's one on my students at the conversation class I ring lead for adults every Tuesday afternoon at the community center in Shinji. My knee jerk reaction is to say that he's one of my favorite Japanese people that I've met over the past 6 months. The problem is, there's a whole lot of folks that fit that mold. (This picture isn't that good, but its the only one I couldfind of him.)

What I know of Yoshinori is that he retired from teaching english at a high school that used to be in Shinji some years back. These days he spends his time practicing calligraphy, reading the New York times and International Herald Tribune online and gardening. For about five to ten minutes every Tuesday in class he will approach me with printouts of news articles that have stumped him. Explaining the sectarianism in Iraq was an interesting conversation to say the least.

One day, he approached me saying he thought he found a mistake in the bible. I smiled and said, "Show me next week in class and if you're right then we'll send a note to the Vatican." Turns out it was his misunderstanding....he didn't even bring the bible, much to my disappointment. Another interesting point, he made it clear to me that he was in no way a christian during the Christmas season, just finds the bible to be a fantastically interesting read.

Anywho, I told yoshinori some time back that if he ever had any extra veggies he needed to offload I would be more than happy to help him out. I have some friends scattered throughout the prefecture that get gifts of fruits and veggies on a weekly basis and to be honest I was envious, until recently.

Yoshinori grabbed me after class last week and asked if it was ok if he brought some food by in the next couple of hours. He had a bible discussion class next and wanted to stop by afterwards. I said of course with a large smile on my face and gave him the appropriate directions.

Later as I was sitting cleaning the apartment he rang the bell and i answered. Excited, I asked him how his class was and oddly enough, he didn't even acknowledge my question. I knew he heard it, but he just kept walking down the stairs that led to the small parking lot adjacent to where I live.

We got to his car. I commented on how i wish i had one and how nice his was....again, nothing. A bit unsettled I watched as he popped his trunk and revealed the goods. In all there were only four items. Three of which I would classify as leafy greens and the fourth a member of the radish family. The trick though, is that well, they were all grown for a family of giants.

To best illustrate this point I have chosen the diakon ("radish"). Normally, in a grocery store here in japan, if you see a diakon it'll be something shaped like a really fat carrot. I can remember seeing them in the states but then again i wasn't looking. Just think a white, fat carrot. This is what I got from my old friend.

The best part about the whole experience was when yoshinori picked up the box and handed it to me. He looked at me, dead straight into the eyes, and again said nothing. But, in his depths of his big, black pupils I could see him laughing at me.

It's as if he was saying. "Not every thing's bigger in Texas Bubba!"


I'm pretty sure its humanly impossible for me to eat everything gave me before it goes bad. I'm doing my best though. The daikon is a stumper....I'm thinking about regifting it for a friend's birthday this weekend.