| During an interview I was once asked: "If you | | | | through answering questions." |
| were to die tomorrow, would you have any | | | | I pardoned myself, and went to the bathroom. |
| regrets Mr. Siluk?" And I answered, "Only one sir." | | | | And that was that. Now we were equally in |
| And he asked "...yes, and what would that be?" | | | | frustration. Kikue didn't say all that much. But |
| And I answered, "If only the world could have be | | | | from the phone calls I made to her from |
| bigger." [A remembrance.] D.L. Siluk | | | | Minnesota to Japan [in the last part of the year], |
| Advance: Under the best of circumstances, you | | | | the father slamming the phone down, as well as |
| always think things will turn out right, somewhere | | | | the mother, I came back and let them know they |
| further down the road that is. I suppose it is just | | | | were double rude for the insults over the phone |
| a natural thing; I mean we can't live on | | | | as well. They did apologize for that, and was a bit |
| negativism, now can we. But change the | | | | embarrassed that I brought it up. But it was over |
| environment a little, especially cultural | | | | as far as I figured, over now that is. I had |
| environments, in my case go to where your | | | | dreaded this moment, knew it was coming, but |
| mates surroundings are [Japan] and see what | | | | couldn't avoid it; I'm not sure how Kikue took it, |
| changes what, things are not always the same | | | | she was quite passive during the ordeal. |
| way then; the answer my rest in: can you adjust | | | | That evening she took me to her place of work, |
| or can she, and there is always a they involved | | | | the hospital, and I found out the cab was a dollar |
| someplace. In my case Kikue could adjust in the | | | | a block. Tami city was a new looking city to me, |
| United States, and with my friends and family, but | | | | very clean, too clean, almost as if it was not |
| I'm getting ahead of myself, let me start from | | | | even lived in. But we had time that evening to go |
| the beginning, somewhat. | | | | to an art show, where her sister had her art |
| My lady friend met me in Istanbul, Turkey, and | | | | exhibited. It was mostly of flower-patterned |
| we wrote letters for two years, then we met in | | | | items well done but not my cup of tea. She was |
| person when she visited me in the United States | | | | kind enough to give me one. |
| for another two years--off and on (for a week | | | | In the morning we had things to do, and buses to |
| first, then two weeks, then three weeks), and | | | | take, and trains to catch, but she wanted me to |
| then I went to Japan, her turf, and things | | | | meet her friends [women] at a small gift shop |
| changed. Thus, the relationship went on this way | | | | one owned by her friend, and so I did, we all four |
| for, four years. In-between I learned how to | | | | then sat at a cozy table by a garden and a glass |
| write Japanese in all its three styles, quite well: an | | | | window separating the garden from us, and had |
| achievement in itself. | | | | coffee and crackers. Again the Japanese can be |
| Kikue: she is Japanese, a small woman, with short | | | | good hosts, just make sure the family is ok with |
| black hair, fair looking, sincere, and she became a | | | | mixed blood. I purchased some postcards, and |
| Christian Buddhist, from a Buddha Buddhist, during | | | | then we had to get back to our apartment, and |
| our dating period. So we both achieved something | | | | on our way to Kyoto. |
| out of this relationship, if not wisdom and some | | | | Chapter Two: Day Three and Four |
| good times, along with a wobbly friendship. | | | | [Kyoto: Nanzen-ji; Ginkaku-ji; Gion] |
| I suppose if we all could see down the road of | | | | Of all the cities I was in while in Japan, which were |
| life, we'd not venture down it perhaps: maybe it is | | | | perhaps several, Kyoto was my favorite. Before |
| a bigger gift from God than we give Him credit | | | | we left Tokyo, we stopped in at Chofu, at the |
| for. This story I'm about to tell you has a few life | | | | Jindaiji Temple-- actually we visited several |
| lessons in it for me. On one hand, it was nice | | | | temples, and a Japanese castle Japanese Castle in |
| relationship between us, on the other, thank God I | | | | Nogoya, where we went to the international |
| had enough insight to step away from it when I | | | | sumo tournament; but here at this temple the |
| saw, felt instinctively I had to; consequently, I | | | | pigeons seem to like me, and flew around me like |
| acted on my instincts; a harsh decision but it was | | | | mosquitoes. From here we went on to Nogoya. |
| turning into a harsh relationship. I firmly believe we | | | | Sumo wresting, or this international tournament |
| are given certain natural traits, mental, | | | | we attended cost $500 a seat, and we sat in the |
| neurological, and instinctive, whatever they are, | | | | third tier, 9th row. Nothing is cheap in Japan, and |
| they tell you which way to move; I also believe | | | | everything is different; perhaps that is what you |
| you should trust them. | | | | are paying for. Sumo wrestling is like soccer is in |
| In this story you are about to read, you are going | | | | Peru, or baseball in America, number one sport. |
| to get the end in the beginning because to me, it | | | | I really enjoyed it, and we stayed to the very |
| is only the six days in Japan that count in this | | | | end, and I got to meet a few of the wrestlers. |
| ongoing, four year relationship, and the last day in | | | | From there we went to the Castle, got a little |
| Tokyo, that made the difference; I mean that | | | | lost, and found our way to the bus, no trains |
| really matters in the long run. Had I not made the | | | | from here on in, to Kyoto. |
| decision I did make, I did on the last day, I'd not | | | | Kyoto: Nanzen-ji; Ginkaku-ji; Gion |
| be writing this story, as it is here; it might have | | | | Of all the temples in Japan, this one was the most |
| had to be named different, and I'd have had to | | | | impressive by far, Sanmon (Mountain Gate) of |
| add a lot more adjectives to the story. Nobody is | | | | Nanzen-ji. Here, on the site where the temple was |
| to blame for this, not me, not the other person | | | | rebuilt, taken from an old site was an ancient |
| involved. I'm sure she's better off, for the ending | | | | Nanzen-ji Viaduct, again most impressive, with its |
| that occurred. | | | | many arches underneath it. |
| The story starts off in July 1999, I'm about to | | | | In Gion, there is a red temple known as |
| leave Minnesota, flying into San Francisco, and | | | | Yasaka-jinja (Gion):not as impressive as Nanzen-ji, |
| over to Japan. This is really a story that is | | | | but inspiring nonetheless. And once walking down |
| extended beyond Japan, for after I leave Japan, I | | | | Gion, you see its many Yasaka-jinja Lanterns, |
| will go to Guam, Bali, and Java, then back again | | | | again extraordinary; this whole area, city and all |
| through Japan to go home to St. Paul, Minnesota | | | | was unusual, as was the Yasakano Pagoda, I saw |
| (halfway around the world). But again I say it is | | | | from a distance. I wanted to see it closer and so |
| Japan I am speaking of for the most part. | | | | the taxi drove by it, but we didn't have time to |
| Chapter one: Tokyo, Day One and Two | | | | get out and explore the Japanese Tower. |
| Tokyo: home to eight million people, of its | | | | It was late afternoon when we arrived in Kyoto, |
| 130-million residents [1999]; there is a lot of | | | | and we went right to a temple, and on to our |
| energy in Tokyo, and the very young seem to | | | | sleeping arrangements, a Ryokan Inn. I wanted to |
| have control of it. I wanted to get a massage the | | | | see the Geon district and a Geisha badly, but I'd |
| first day I walked about the city's sidewalk, | | | | have to wait until tomorrow. |
| ten-minutes for ten dollars, but I couldn't, it was | | | | The Ryokan; a cobblestone alleyway led to this |
| so busy, with people jumping off the trains, eating | | | | small [guesthouse, house, or inn of sorts], in |
| lunch, standing in lines to get a massage, and back | | | | Japan, it is called a Ryokan, with sliding doors; the |
| to work, just watching the activity tired me out. | | | | room is clean, uncomplicated, a table with |
| Matter-of-fact, they even have punching bags in | | | | cushions; a hanging scroll as a centerpiece. No |
| the gyms, usually in the lower levels of the | | | | swimming pool or weight room, not anything like |
| buildings, in some employment places to get your | | | | the five start hotels in New York City; we had |
| anger out, instead of getting it out on your boss: | | | | reservations, not sure if we needed them. I would |
| a different world indeed. | | | | call their room minimalism, but its simplicity was |
| Kikue had taken me from the airport to have | | | | beautiful and different, even the sound of the |
| dinner at a nice restaurant someplace in Tokyo, | | | | sliding doors made me feel like I was in Asia. |
| then we met her sister, whom was fighting with | | | | They had even a place for my shoes, while I put |
| her about having me over in Japan, and staying | | | | on wooden sandals. Strange I thought, but cool. |
| with me overnight, and wanting to marry me; the | | | | Kikue made all the arrangements. Some of these |
| fight went on in the hallway by three | | | | simple rooms cost up to $800 a night. The |
| café's, and the train station not far from | | | | Ryokan date back to 1603 AD [the Edo period]; |
| sight; for two hours they fought, and left me | | | | by tradition these are called Inn's, and come in all |
| pace in circles, and told me to just wait and be | | | | sizes, mine was small, original wooden inn |
| patient, and get away from them. I think she | | | | authentic I would say. |
| wanted her to marry a Japanese man, as I'd find | | | | We stayed two days in the Ryokan, and used |
| out later her whole family was against me | | | | that as a steppingstone to other activities |
| marrying a Japanese, none of them made me | | | | throughout the area. Meeting with Kikue's girlfriend |
| feel welcome. | | | | in Kyoto, and going to the temple, Lunch for |
| Then we headed to our hotel, a kind of | | | | $100, and to the Geon District. Lunch was an |
| apartment, where you had to provide your own | | | | assortment of foods, all Japanese cuisine that |
| linens, pots and pans. There we'd stay for two | | | | never got me full. |
| days. And as we left the building the following | | | | The aqueduct at the temple site was most |
| morning day-two, all I really wanted to do was | | | | impressive. But again I wanted to see Geon, and |
| walk the streets a bit, see what Tokyo was like. I | | | | after lunch we all went there, and the girlfriend |
| was hungry, and we looked in a few stores on | | | | parted with us, having to go back to work. Kikue |
| the way to the bus, and got some candy, coke | | | | and I walked up and down the streets. We then |
| and a sandwich out of vending machines along the | | | | went into one of the Geisha guesthouses, and an |
| way; they are everywhere. And so that is what | | | | older Geisha gave us a tour of the place: most |
| we did as soon as we went from the airport, on | | | | kind she was. And as we left I met a Geisha, a |
| to several trains to get to our apartment, had a | | | | lovely young women, I seen her again in six |
| good sleep and found ourselves in day two. | | | | months, in a book someone would write about |
| As the day progressed on day two, people were | | | | Geisha's, a small world isn't it. Kikue was a little |
| very kind to me, matter-of-fact, I didn't seem to | | | | disturbed I wanted to have this experience, but |
| think they even saw me; they were too busy | | | | then she overlooked it. After dinner we went to |
| going here and there. I would find out by the end | | | | the Tower of Kyoto, it was closed but I snuck all |
| of this first day the system of the trains, which | | | | the way up, via, the stairway to the top. Then |
| you had to hang on for dear life to the loops | | | | back down again. |
| hanging down overhead, if indeed you were lucky, | | | | That night we had a fight on the streets of |
| you'd get a seat. I can't figure it out, but half the | | | | Kyoto, after dinner at a Chinese Restaurant and I |
| folks on the train were sleeping, and when their | | | | had some resistance to g back into the Ryokan |
| stop came, they woke up from the dead: they | | | | but I did after walking up and down the |
| were on automatic recall. | | | | cobblestone street trying to get my composure |
| We'd have to take a bus later on, and then a taxi | | | | back, there was, it seemed, a lot of little things |
| to her girlfriends house, where she gave me a | | | | bothering both of us. |
| session of acupuncture, free of charge, and when | | | | In the cozy little Inn, someone left the door open |
| I got back on the train thereafter, I collapsed on | | | | to their room, and it was hard not to look in as I |
| the floor. My whole body was limp like a noodle. | | | | passed by glanced in, and here they were, |
| Thus, that would end my acupuncture days. | | | | humping away like two camels; making love (Girl |
| It was a nice month to be in Japan though, it was | | | | and boy) like there was no tomorrow, on a black |
| July, and it was summer, and it was hot. Tami | | | | rolled out whatever on the hard wooden floor; I |
| was where we'd go the second day, where most | | | | stopped looked for a minute, and they were as |
| of her family lived, in the afternoon that is. And | | | | white on rice, doggie style, and they looked at me |
| so after a stroll downtown, we caught another | | | | looking at them, and they smiled. I caught my |
| train to Tami. | | | | breath, and put myself in second gear to get |
| Day Two | | | | moving, as they motioned me to join them, and I |
| In the afternoon of Day two, I met the whole | | | | found my room quickly which was next to theirs: |
| family at a nice restaurant, and got the third | | | | and had to listen to some moans and groans and |
| degree: "Why do you want to marry my | | | | I celebrated with them, via, through the walls. |
| daughter?" Her mother asked. Her sister next to | | | | The following morning, day five we had to go |
| me asked, "Do you really love her or is she just a | | | | back to Tokyo, but had to make a stop on the |
| thing for you?" This interrogation went on for two | | | | way. At the train stop, I had an episode, I have |
| hours one voice after the other, there were | | | | MS, and so my spine acted up, it was very |
| about ten folks present representing the core of | | | | painful, and so I laid down on one of the benches, |
| her family, and then I broke down and put my | | | | while Kikue rubbed my back. It looked a bit weird, |
| hands on the table and pounded lightly saying, | | | | but it did the trick. |
| "You people are very rude to me, and I'm | | | | |