I think the underlying theme of our trip to Japan this year, at least for my wife, is reunion. Virtually all of my friends in Japan have left Tokyo for home (the US or the UK) or are down south in Osaka and Kobe. For Sumie, though, it's a different story. With most of her friends and family still in the Tokyo area, Sumie's social calendar was packed before we left: a high school reunion, a visit with her 102 year old grandmother (perhaps the most important reunion of all), and a number of outings with friends were on the books. The "reunions" kicked off on Sunday afternoon with a small dinner party at Sumie's family apartment in Shinagawa.
Madokachan, Mandachan, Miyukichan, and Sumie have been friends since their years together at Tokyo University, despite Sumie not having a name that begins with "M". That means these four very intelligent, very capable, and very dynamic women have been sharing stories, laughter, and hardships for over fifteen years. They seem to have the kind of friendship - one I'm lucky to have with many of my friends - that transcends time and distance. Though it may be years between visits, getting back together never feels stilted or awkward. There's no warming up period. The friendship just picks up where it left off, distance and time be damned.
Madokachan arrived with her two girls and her husband at Sumie's apartment around 4:30. Mandachan showed up with her two girls shortly thereafter. Before we knew it the small apartment, which is generally quite tranquil, was filled with four adults and five very giggly and increasingly adventurous and loud little girls. We set out a light dinner, vainly believing we'd be able to corral all that little-girl-energy for more than a few minutes.
Miyukichan, who was coming up on the Shinkansen (bullet train) from Kobe on business, arrived about an hour after dinner. We set out dessert. This seemed to go better. After all, little girls tend to like sugar. But before too long the little ones bored of their food and sought out new items to destroy. This left the older girls some (relatively) private time to talk around the table.
Masa (Madokachan's husband) and I did our best to keep the little girls entertained, allowing the big girls a chance to catch up - it had been at least three years and there was a lot of ground to cover. Masa and I set up some reading sessions...
pretended to be monsters, played hide-and-seek, and even spent some time at the piano.
Sooner than anyone wanted it was time to go home. I think the adults could've gone on for hours, but the girls had bedtimes and we were already getting dangerously close to breaking them. Our last act for the night was a group picture. This, with five young kids to bring together, took some time. Some even required piggyback rides to the couch.
With some prodding and pleading we eventually got the shots we wanted. It was the perfect cap for a wonderful visit.
While I'm sad I won't get to see many of the dear friends I made from my own days in Japan (I'm going to plan a visit to London to rectify that soon), I'm thankful that Sumie was able to reconnect with the friends who have touched her life so strongly. No matter how close Sumie and I become as husband and wife, and as mother and father, there will always be a special place in our hearts, outside our relationship as husband and wife, for our friends. Those friendships genuinely help to define us, both as a couple and individuals. And I wouldn't have it any other other way.
Stay tuned for more on our adventures on the sea of Japan and my first time driving here where left is right! Much more to come!
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