Friends from all around the world, translated…
After This Incident, I’d Gained Even More Respect for Rui-Nan and His Wife. Turns Out, He’d Viewed Me in Such High Regards, Treated Me Like a Relative……………
Affinity, it’s an interesting thing, some lived on the same floors, and maybe, for a decade’s time, they’d never, bumped into one another; and, although some lived in the same countries, same cities, worked in the same industries, but never had the chance, of knowing one another. But one day, when the timing is right, they’d become, connected, between the worlds, and, became families from different countries.
Rui-Nan Huang and Huei-Ming Liu, they’d become, the older brother and sister-in-law I’d found, in Japan.
Finding that Surge of Warmth in a Foreign Land
In 1982, I’d, left everything in Taipei behind, and, took my one-way flight, to Tokyo, wishing to see the open skies it’d, promised to me. And, as I’d started, living there, the demands of work, of school, and of language, it’d, destroyed the basic foundations of my original confidence, and, that feeling of unsettlement, of fear, made me dizzy, and surfaced more and more often.
When I landed a job, and, my academic all caught up, I’d felt, homesick. I’d, waken up in the middle of the nights, longed for the stinky tofu on Bade Road, and missed my friends’ and relatives’ homemade sweet treats, missed my mother’s milkfish, missed those friends, whom I can talk about any and everything with, the one that can drink a lot of alcohol and still managed to stay focused. And so, my whole heart was, plagued, and, I’d become, like a basketball, with the air let out, limp on the floors.
One day, I was, sitting at my desk, drafting, I’d received a call out of the blue, the Youth Daily’s reporter, Hong-Bo Yang told me, that the Central News Agency had sent over a new reporter, and that we were supposed to show them a good time, and the dinner was set, at the Maruhachi beer house right outside the Claska Station.
It was at the place, that very evening, I’d, met up with Rui-Nan and his family, Rui-Nan was born and bred, a child in the southern farming families, studied on his own, gotten into teacher’s college, and, went to university afterwards, taken the exams, gotten admitted to the Central Agencies, then, started his family and work. Mrs. Huang was the eldest daughter of a midwife and a doctor, well-taught, spoke gentle like the breeze, a devout Christian, studied pharmaceuticals, a good mother and a fitting housewife. They have a son and a daughter, just entered into middle school, with that unsettlement and curiosities that filled up their eyes, and would whisper into their mother’s ears. Quickly enough, they’d, found a place in Shinjuku, as they’d, settled in, they’d, immediately, invited us over.
Huang’s wife is a very good cook, Taiwanese style fried rice noodles, stewed pork knuckles, stewed cabbage, baked mackerels………all there, on their dinner table; naturally, there were, bottles of alcohol, whiskey, beer, brandy, showed the homeowners’ welcoming us in. After about three rounds of drinks, Rui-Nan called over his children who were, sitting farther, his son, Shao-Hao played the violin, his daughter, Yao-Hsiang, the piano, to entertain the guests. It’s just, as the notes sounded of, I felt my heart tighten, and felt that heat, from my eyelids; I’m not even drunk yet, why, do I feel, so moody then? Oh, I get it now, it’s that feeling of homeness, found, by the traveling person, who’s, often, homesick, and, ever since, I’d, come and gone, in and out, of their household as I please.
In the evenings, as I was about to finish drafting up the story, “the Kuos and Chuang” for the professional baseball players in the sports section, Huang’s wife phoned me, “After you’re done writing, do come home quickly, Rui-Nan had heated up the sake for you, and, we’d, kept the foods warmed up too.”, I’d taken the subways, and, fastened my paces. As the food entered into my mouth, the sake into my stomach, I’d felt, warmed up, and, started engaging in conversation about any and everything, and, the moment I felt my eyes become a bit misty, Huang’s wife took out the sphygmomanometer, took our blood pressures, and handed me, a couple of vitamins; Rui-Nan took out the drinking glasses, with the twenty-one year aged whiskey, Mrs. Huang told me, it’s drizzling out, I’d made the bed already, just camp out here tonight.
Stayed Connected Through the Decades
Rui-Nan’s son is simple and honest, and maybe, Rui-Nan had been, very strict with him, he’d stuttered a bit when he talked, but, I’d love, this child so. His daughter’s eyes turned very quickly, very intelligent and well-rounded, it’s just, that she’d gotten that look of annoyance as Rui-Nan told her to pour more alcohol. Once, we’d decided to go for a soak in Kinugawa, the kids are in school, and couldn’t come. Rui-Nan’s wife told us secretively, that she won’t be heading out with us, because her daughter felt insecure, and didn’t like it when she’d not come home. I’d told her, that I’d been in Japan for a long time, and yet, still had yet to experience the art of sauna, and yelled at Yao-Hsiang, and gave her a grilling, that she wasn’t fitting as a daughter, how she wouldn’t even let her hardworking mother, to have a day off. Yao-Hsiang stared at me, like it wasn’t her fault, not saying a word.
And, Rui-Nan’s wife still, came with us, and had a grand time. On the way, I’d apologize to Rui-Nan, said, that two evenings ago when I’d left, Yao-Hsiang voiced her objections, complained how I was, too strict toward her; Rui-Nan grilled his daughter, and, Uncle Dou was a good friend of dad’s, he’d not treated the family like outsiders, that, was why he’d, grilled her hard, otherwise, he could’ve, fawned with her too.
After this, the respect I’d felt for Rui-Nan and his family increased even more. Turns out, they’d, already, treated me, like their own kin already.
Two days later, naturally, I’d, entered into their home again, and, surprisingly, Yao-Hsiang took out her teacup, and filled it up with tea, and, handed it to me with her both hands. Rui-Nan’s wife felt consoled, she clearly understood how proud her daughter is. She said, that her daughter was, apologizing to me in her own way, because that cup, she’d, never allowed ANYBODY else to touch.
Rui-Nan and his wife treated me with this down-to-earthness, and I was, a very straight shooter. As I fell in love, the two of them rejoiced with me; I’d gotten accepted into grad school, they were so happy that they almost lit up the firecrackers to tell the whole world, they’d heard, that I was headed back to Taiwan to visit my families, Rui-Nan handed me a stuffed envelope, said, that it’s more money for my journey, that even though I’d not returned back home in the most glorious ways, I can still, carry my head high. I’d truly grateful, that I’d found me, an older brother and an older sister-in-law in a foreign world.
The days that came easily lasted, but two years, one day, Rui-Nan received a transferred order, he was being, transferred to New York; I was, so shocked when I’d heard, rushed to their house. I knew, that being transferred to the States, is the right move, to make for their children’s education, but, I wasn’t, willing, to lose such great friends! Although I was, in my thirties, but, I’d started, started, howling and crying, in front of Rui-Nan and his wife. Mrs. Huang cried alongside me, and can only, stare at me in silence. In the end, Rui-Nan took out the drinking glasses, to try to soothe my worries, the U.S. is far, and close so long as I can find the time, I can, fly over to New York anytime, to be with them.
That year the goodbye at Narita Airport, I’d not, cried, one tear, because, I’d, made up my mind, that at the end of the year, I am, setting out, for New York.
Time flew fast, the children are older, and we, aged.
Shao-Hao worked in the social welfare industry in New York, completely, matched with his personality and characters. He was married, a piano teacher from church, with two daughters of his own now, and, when he saw me, he’d, given me, a sturdy hug. Yao-Hsiang went to law school, became a public defense attorney, and part-timed as a Japanese tutor; she married an Asian electric engineer, lived in Long Island, New York, her drinking abilities, totally opposite from her younger brother’s, took after Rui-Nan, could down several glasses of red wine, and still not changed colors. She and her husband treat me extremely kindly, every time she’d heard I was in New York, she’d taken me out to dinner and drink.
Rui-Nan and his wife, after their return to Taiwan, they’d, retired, and, moved to Hualien. Rui-Nan would practice calligraphy and drew every day, became very skilled, had several art and calligraphy exhibitions already. His wife busied herself with matters in the church, on top of that, she’d gotten involved, in helping out her local community as well; she’s very different from a lot of the Christians, she’d respected that I’m a Buddhist, never attempted, to convert me.
And, every time I felt tired, stressed, I’d just, given them a call, then, I set out on a train to Hualien, rushed home, where, my older brother and older sister-in-law are at. There, like Honacho, in Shinjuku, Tokyo, is, another place I called, home.
So, you feel home, with this family, because this family treated you, like you’re a part of their family, because when you’d arrived in a foreign place, they were, the ones who’d, landed you a helping hand, gave you that comfort of “home”, and, through the years, your friendship strengthened even more, especially as you’d watched your friends’ children grow up, you’re, a part of their family, just like, they’re, a part of yours too.