by Ben Stevens
I also please. Because understand some of song word. Not just read katakana way of pronounce.
Sakura friend lift phone in room and order more drink. I not want more beer but not able to say No. Because woman is still drink the alcohol.
When two hour finish I ask if Sakura and friend want for to stay more. Secret but I please when they say No. Want to go. I want to go also. Because feel sick from too much alcohol. One of Sakura friend also the heavy smoker. Make my eye hurt.
We go outside Lady First. Near hundred stone stair that go up to temple and my house. Sakura friend giggle and walk little way along street.
I look at Sakura and see she cry!
I say What matter? I very worry.
She wipe eye with tissue. She look at me. She say Hiro you very nice person. She say I want see you again.
I say Thank you. I say But why cry?
She say It nothing. She say I sorry.
I say Please not be sorry. I say Please tell me what wrong.
She say I have to go. She say I give you mobile number. She say Please call in few day. She give me her number.
I say I give you my number also.
But she say I have to go now. She say I see you soon.
Then she walk quick to where friend stand. I happy to have her number. But I worry why she cry. I think to call her soon. I like Sakura very much. I want for to know why she upset. I think I call her after weekend.
Typhoon is come this evening. Wind start blow strong in afternoon. I stop cut bush and go down hundred stone stair to temple gate.
This gate have two big wood door. They two time tall as me. They close every evening by monk or me. Big long piece of wood put across two door. There is also little door at side. This never close or lock so people can get in and out. So I able to get home late at night.
But today I not shut two big door. Typhoon can snap big long piece of wood like the match stick and make all gate come down. So I tie two big door open. This mean wind just blow straight in and up hundred stone stair. Nothing in it way.
My grandfather say To me one time about very bad storm in Japan. Before I born. He say He see after many blade of grass is stick in tree. He say This how strong Japan wind is sometime. But sometime my grandfather say What Wendy one time tell me is call the tall story.
I see Yamashita san. He smoke and smile at me. He alway happy man.
He say Not good go some where this evening. He say People should stay at their home and drink sake.
I say I know.
Yamashita san have to go home by the scooter. He live may be ten mile away.
Priest to him say Go home now. Priest say Before typhoon come.
Yamashita san make joke. He say Not need turn on bike engine. He say Just blow home by wind.
Three other monk work at temple. They more young than Yamashita san. They quite quiet and private person. I not really know them well as I know Yamashita san. Just say Hello when see them. They live near temple and can walk home.
But priest also to them say Go early.
Two office woman go also. Priest ask me for to lock temple at five clock. This take may be thirty minute. Temple quite big. Have to check all window in room and corridor are close and lock many door.
I go outside. Wind is blow in tree and rain start to fall. There is foreign woman stand in car park. She wear half trouser and back pack. She have long brown hair. She quite pretty. She look at map and me.
She say Excuse me do you speak English?
I say I try.
She say Can I see inside temple?
I say Very sorry but close now. I say Because typhoon. I say Please be careful outside.
She say It OK and go.
I think she not see typhoon in Japan before. Because it not OK. Soon wind try push me back. Rain hit face very hard. It make pain. It very hard for to get home.
I worry one of many tree on mountain around temple fall and crash me. Part of my job to check for dead and rot tree and cut down. Because may be tree crash on people who visit family tomb. But too many tree for to do the proper check.
I think my house shake in storm. Window make bang noise. Think glass may be break. Hear noise over my head. It mouse in wood ceiling. They run. They worry also by noise.
Father alway try for to catch the mouse. Get poison and also trap. But never success. I not care. I see mouse sometime. Small and lot of hair. They fine. Often mouse in old Japanese house.
I make instant ramen dinner. Just need add hot water. It not good food but quick prepare. I not good cook. This why I like eat at izakaya.
I eat dinner in kitchen. Father ashtray still on table. I think have to clean house soon. Is lot of dust and dirty plate in sink. Not good place for to bring the woman.
More bang noise from window. I go to TV room. I have futon here because still not like sleep upstair. Feel strange because my father now not sleep in room next by mine. Alway same since I very young boy and my mother one day sudden disappear.
My house shake real in typhoon. I not just imagine this. I very worry. Think roof crash on my head when I sleep. I think for to go down to small room under kitchen floor. Where father keep lot of thing like paint and oil. Small room may be protect me.
Then I feel very tire. Not want for to move. Sometime nice to be in bed with storm outside. I get undress turn off light and go sleep.
Next morning is much damage at temple. Very bad is dojo roof. Dojo is above area in temple that have office where two woman work and big kitchen.
Judo and kendo teach in dojo. But half of roof now break. Many piece of roof on tatami mat in dojo that is for the judo. No lesson this week.
I clear the roof piece up but need builder man for to come fix roof. I not able to do on own.
I phone good builder man and he say Come in afternoon. He work at temple before. He say Many people call me today. He sound happy.
I see priest. He look even more worry. Because all thing that need fix cost lot of money. Of course there is thing like insurance but my father before say That this still never pay all money that is necessary.
I say Before reason for why priest look stress is the private temple business but. I think temple have the money problem. Typhoon just make thing worse.
Some piece of tree all around temple hall. I pick up and throw away in big rubbish area. There is also some break piece of grey roof tile that is call kawara. Like also on roof at my house. I think to ask builder man for to fix this also.
But big problem is many tomb damage. Some tree and many piece of tree fall and crash tomb. Tomb is make from stone or marble. To fix cost lot of money.
I pull some piece of tree away but to proper clear need lot of people. But then other people come to their family tomb and start to clear. They also help the other people. Japanese people very good for to work in the group.
I busy work when woman start shout at me. She say Why you let tree grow next to my family tomb? She say I know you work at temple! She say You should do proper job and cut down all tree!
I not like this woman. I see her before. She look sixty but I feel she in fact may be ten year more young. Just look old.
She wear too much colour make up. Remind me of clown in circus. Her voice not nice. I think she smoke too many cigarette and like the shochu too much. (Schochu very strong Japanese alcohol that is sometime make from potato. Foreign person often think is sake but is different.)
My father before say Woman is crazy. Because one time she go to temple office and say All temple is mine! She say Everyone go now!
Woman in office try to say Please calm but crazy woman show the knife. Is small knife but still knife.
She say You think I make joke?
Father see and to office woman say Call police. But then priest come.
Priest very brave. He stand close in front of crazy woman. He say Quiet thing to her. He talk for may be one minute. No one else can hear.
Then crazy woman say OK in the quiet voice. She give him knife and go.
Priest never say To anyone what he say To crazy woman. He just say Not good to call police. Because then in newspaper and everyone know what happen at temple. They say That this temple have problem with the crazy woman.
Crazy woman is still shout at me.
I want to say How can I cut down all tree? I feel little angry. Want to say Is may be five thousand tree on whole mountain you baka crazy woman.
But I have to bow and say I very sorry. Even though is not my fault. Because this work and she customer. She pay temple for family tomb. It cost money.
I happy for to see priest come. Priest clever and know how to talk to the crazy woman. Priest get job from father like I get my job from father. Priest forty I think. He have handsome face but he have the very hard job.
People say Priest get paid much money but alway problem. Work all day and sometime at night if get phone call because someone die. Have to go dead person home and say Prayer. Sometime dead person have die some day before and not smell good. Sometime dead person is child. I not like priest job.
Priest to crazy woman say Please give us little time. Priest say We clear up.
Crazy woman say I have to fix tomb and I no money!
Priest talk in quiet voice and look in the crazy woman eye. This time I able to hear.
Priest say We talk about that after. Priest say Please now let Matsumoto san continue with his work. Priest say We all try very hard for to fix typhoon damage.
Crazy woman say OK. She also now have the quiet voice. She stop shout. She start to pick up piece of tree.
But when priest go crazy woman make hiss noise like cat and give me look I not like. I hope crazy woman this time not have the knife.
I very busy for few day. My normal work hour ten clock to six clock but because typhoon damage I recent have to start more early and finish more late.
On Wednesday I think may be have to cancel English lesson but then I finish in just time. Have shower change clothe and run to Wendy apartment.
She open door and say Hello Hiro. She say What make you so breath less today.
I say Sorry not know what mean.
She explain.
I understand and say Why I so busy.
She say Oh poor you. She say Recent thing is difficult for you.
I say Is OK.
We go to kitchen and she give me cold towel and glass of cold tea. I wipe face and hand with cold towel and drink tea.
I show Wendy what I write about crazy woman at temple. For English practice. (I not show private thing about temple money worry.) Wendy make surprise face while read.
When finish read she breath out slowly. But today not sweet breath. She not call me honey or seem tire and happy at same time.
She say OK and make word last quite long time. She say Hiro is good you know how to use the paragraph. She say But do you know quotation mark?
She write the quotation word down for me. She say Can use to show people talk. She show me example in book.
I say ‘I understand.’
Wendy say sometime I not have to use. Like for when I write priest sometime have to go to dead person house and say prayer. Because person here in fact not talk. Just give explain. So also not need capital letter for word after say.
Wendy again look at what I write. Her eyebrow go up and she say ‘I never imagine Buddhist temple can be such danger place.’ She say ‘Is thing like this often happen?’
I say ‘Only when typhoon come.’
Wendy laugh and give me strange look. I mean look like I think mother give for child. She brush back her hair with her hand and bracelet on her wrist make noise.
She say ‘I not talk about weather.’ She say ‘I mean crazy woman with knife.’
I say ‘It OK.’ I say ‘Because priest alway talk to her.’
Wendy say ‘And what happen when priest not there?’ Wendy say ‘What you do then?’
Wendy smile but have the serious eye. I think she worry for me. I think she very care person.
I say ‘I not know what happen when priest not there.’
I try to make small joke for to show this thing not serious. I say ‘So I be careful.’
Wendy again smile and say ‘Onegaishimasu.’ It one of few Japanese word she know. It very polite word. It mean please to do this favour for me.
Wendy say ‘Please do be very careful Hiro.’ She say ‘For me.’
Wendy look at me and quick close one eye. I not understand what this mean.
Sakura have the heavy mouth when I phone her.
I say ‘Hello this is Hiro’ but she hardly talk. I ask her what wrong. She say tire because of work. I have bad feel she not want see me again. That she think evening at karaoke was mistake.
But like koi I say ‘Do you want go out again sometime?’
I surprise and happy when she say yes. She say ‘I have day off work on Sunday.’ She say ‘Can we go cinema?’ She say ‘I like see new film with Will Smith.’
I say OK. I not care what film. We say meet at four clock outside big department store by train station. Cinema on top floor of department store.
Sakura say she look forward. I say me also. We say good bye.
It very late and I tire from work. But still I start tidy house. I decide to put father cigarette in ashtray in bin. I say to my self that father think I baka for to keep them.
I not work Sunday. Builder man quick work on dojo roof and most other damage is fix. I get up late and eat breakfast while watch the baseball on TV. I look forward to meet Sakura.
It very hot and I wear light shirt and trouser. I want wear towel around neck for the sweat but this not good when meet Sakura.
I get bus to train station though only ten minute to walk. So I not very hot and sweat when meet. Sakura again late. This time twenty minute. But she have the short skirt and high heel shoe.
We say hello and go inside department store. Get elevator to top floor. I buy ticket popcorn and drink. We have be quick because film is almost start.
Will Smith film in English with Japanese subtitle. I try to understand what actor say but difficult. I know shit is bad word. Also motherfuck. But most conversation not understand. Too fast.
Sakura finish drink but still suck on straw. This make loud noise because of ice still in cup. She put her hand on my leg. I feel like is difficult for to think.
Then we kiss. We at back of cinema and cinema not busy. So I think is OK. No one see.
But woman who work at cinema come. She quiet say ‘Please stop.’ Say other people try to watch film.
I embarrass. But Sakura just say word that mean whatever to cinema woman. (Sometime actor say whatever in English speak film with Japanese subtitle. So I know what word mean.)
Sakura put her lip to my ear. She say ‘This film not interest.’ She say ‘Let do something else.’
I enjoy film. But think not good to stay in cinema.
I say ‘What you want do?’
She say, ‘I want go love hotel.’
I say ‘OK.’
Not every person who come to temple same as crazy woman. Most person very normal. But there is old man who come. He have his family tomb near my house. My father say old man wife die few year ago and now he go to tomb every day.
Old man have thing like cupboard make of stone next to tomb. Cupboard have two door make of plastic that slide open and close. Sometime I walk past when door open. It have tin of food inside. It have some clothe. It have many thing. One time I see old man fix shoe with needle and thin string from inside cupboard.
Many tomb have these thing like cupboard. But usual they just contain thing like brush and sponge so person who visit can clean tomb. Also stick of incense for to light at tomb when pray to soul of the relative who die.
Sometime old man also wash his clothe in tap near tomb. Many tap on mountain. All use mountain water which collect in three big tank. (I check three big tank are OK and not damage or leak every month.) In summer old man wear clothe after he wash. Clothe dry very quick as he walk.
When my father teach me job was one time mystery. We keep find koke is pull up from around the flower. I check Japanese English dictionary for this. I see koke mean moss.
Moss very beautiful in Japan. Important part of many Japanese garden. So Japanese gardener never pull up the moss. So who pull up the moss around temple?
Then my father see old man do it one day. Old man think it just weed. My father say ‘Ojiisan.’ (This polite word to call old man. It mean like grandfather.) My father say ‘Ojiisan please not pull up the moss.’
So old man stop pull up the moss. But he continue with other small job. My father see him work and say thank you.
In winter old man sit by family tomb. He have big coat and hat and glove and use small gas cooker for to make meal. My father worry old man make the mistake with gas and blow up him self.
Sometime my father give old man drink. Ice water in summer and hot green tea in winter. Old man have smile like horse when he get drink. He have very good teeth.
Sometime I see old man when he leave tomb. He alway say ittekimasu when leave. This mean in English like I go and return. Japanese person alway say to family when leave home. For example in morning when go to work. I think when old man say it he still talk to wife. My father say old man and wife were marry over fifty year.
Old man recent help me move fall tree after typhoon come. I say thank you. I not know how old old man is but he still very fit. He also very strong.
So I hope I like him when I old man. But I not want spend every day eat meal by family tomb. But may be old man think same when he young man.
I almost finish my work for day when I see foreign woman again. I mean woman who ask for to see inside temple when was typhoon. With the long brown hair. She again have half trouser and backpack. She look may be thirty.
She see me come out of temple hall. She say ‘Hello.’
I say ‘Hello.’
She say ‘Any chance this time?’ She say like question.
