Tonight is full moon night and it should be close to the real full moon. I was driving rental car to my home town from Iwakuni airport while thinking about moon. However, rain started on the way to home town. The real full moon should be tomorrow, so keep my pleasure until then. From such a thing, enjoyment to meet classmates of junior high school is waiting.
I arrived at my friend’s home on half past noon. Other members already gathered and almost finishing lunch. ‘Well, well! You returned home from so far away.’ Everyone greeted me and I got to the roast meat lunch box. ‘There is no alcohol, instead there are ‘Ohagi’ (rice ball covered by sweet red bean past) because of ‘Higan’ time. And we have coffee later . ‘
This time is the last one for classmates meeting with ‘celebration meeting of age 80’ . And so I melted in this meeting. 121 students graduated from the junior high school in Showa 29th (1974) and all become 80 years old in this year. I heard already 37 passed away. This number is only the number confirmed by manager of the meeting. In practice more many members may passed away.
Classmates attended to the meeting this time was 12 witch is about 10% of all graduates. 3 from home town, 6 from near area of home town,2 form Kansai area and me 1 from Kanto area. Last year, same member gathered as “the final meeting”. However 2 of Kansai area insisted to have one more classmate meeting.
This year’s classmate meeting has been held under the condition of repeated words ‘This is final’. Fee is one ‘Hideo Noguchi’ bill (1000yen) because of saving for old age life expense. To avoid risk of travel, there is no alcohol and food is very light like convenience store’s lunch box because old person eats light. Meeting place is manager’s parent’s home which is unused house. It is very simple classmate meeting.
‘Even so, you came back to home town for just 1000 yen lunchen party paying several 10,000 yen.’ ‘I came back I think it’s worth’ We told each other in the meeting. Relationship of old friends. Deep memories for home town. There is no way to satisfy my heart other than returning home town to meet classmates.
I stayed minshuku(group home) near my parent’s home in this night. Sea Foods from my town’s sea was specially delicious. Next morning, dark clouds in the sky disappeared and sun light showed. I visited my friends home to say thank you again. I also visited to say hello to a friend who couldn’t join the lunch party because of health condition. I also visited for greeting to my relatives who are getting small number.
After finishing things I could think about, I returned the way to Haneda airport. On the middle of the way, Air plane body started to be shaken by autumn rain front. Even this condition, while slowly relaxing in memories of yesterday, I was wishing that this kind chance come again.
It was raining at arrival port. Watching real full moon was postponed after all, I have to wait to see it until next year.
(Yoshihiro Fujiwara Sep. 26th, 2018)
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